John Owen · 84 of 157

Sermon XV. 1 Peter ii. 3. · Part 3

But, whereas a head is to be present with the body, or it cannot subsist, the inquiry is, How the Lord Christ is so present with his church? And the Scripture hath left no pretence for any hesitation herein; for he is so by his Spirit and his word, by which he communicateth all the powers and virtues of a head unto it continually. His promises of this way and manner of his presence unto the church are multiplied; and thereon doth the being, life, use, and continuance of the church depend. Where Christ is not present by his Spirit and word, there is no church; and those who pretend so to be, are the synagogues of Satan. And they are inseparable and conjunct in their operation, as he is the head of influence unto the church, as also as he is a head of rule; for, in the former sense, the Spirit worketh by the word, and in the latter, the word is made effectual by the Spirit. But the sense and apprehension hereof was for a long time lost in the world, amongst them that called themselves “the church.” A head they did acknowledge the church must always have, without which it cannot subsist; and they confess that, in some sense, he was a head of influence unto it. They knew not how to have an image thereof; though by many other pernicious doctrines they overthrew the efficacy and benefit of it. But how he should be the only head of rule unto the church they could not understand; they saw not how he could act the wisdom and authority of such a head, and without which the church must be headless. They said, he was absent and invisible, — they must have one that they could see, and have access unto; he is in heaven, and they know not how to make address to him, as occasion did require: all things would go to disorder, notwithstanding such a headship. The church is visible, and it must, they thought, have a visible head. It was meet, also, that this head should have some such grandeur and pomp in the world as became the head of so great and glorious a society as the church is. How to apply these things unto Christ and his presence with the church, by his word and Spirit, they knew not. Shall they, then, forego the principle, that the church is to have such a head and supreme ruler? That must not be done, but be sacredly retained; not only because to deny it, in general, is to renounce the gospel, but because they had found out a way to turn it unto their own advantage. They would therefore make an image of Christ, as this head of the church, to possess the place and act all the powers of such a head; for the church, they say, is visible, and must have a visible head: as though the catholic church, as such, were any other way visible but as the head of it is, — that is, by faith. That there must be a head and centre of union, wherein all the members of the church may agree and be united, notwithstanding all their distinct capacities and circumstances, and how this should be Christ himself, they know not; that without a supreme ruler present in the church, to compose all differences, and determine all controversies, even those concerning himself, which they vainly pretend unto, they expressly affirm there never was a society so foolishly ordered as that of the church. And hereon they conclude the insufficiency of Christ to be this sole head of the church; another they must have for these ends. And this was their pope, — such an image as is one of the worst of idols that ever were in the world. Unto him they give all the titles of Christ, which relate unto the church; and ascribe all the powers of Christ in and over it, as unto its rule, to him also. But here they fell into a mistake; for, when they thought to give him the power of Christ, they gave him the power of the dragon to use against Christ, and those that are his. And when they thought to make an image of Christ, they made an image of the first beast, set up by the dragon, which had two horns like a lamb, but spake as a dragon; whose character and employ is at large described, Rev. xiii. 11–17.

This is the sum of what I shall offer on this head:— those who called themselves “the church,” had lost all spiritual light, enabling them to discern the beauty and glory of the rule of Christ over the church, as its head; and hereon their minds became destitute of all experience of the power and efficacy of his Spirit and word, continually to order the affairs thereof, in the ways, and through the use of means, by himself appointed; they knew not how to acquiesce in these things, nor how the church could be maintained by them: wherefore, in this case, “they helped every one his neighbour, and every one said to his brother, Be of good comfort; so the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer, him that smiteth the anvil.” They set themselves, in their several capacities, to frame this idol, and set him up in the place and stead of Christ; so fixing him in the temple of God, that he might show himself from thence to be as God. Neither will this idol be ever cast out of the church, until the generality of Christians become spiritually sensible of the authority of Christ exerting itself, in the rule of the church, by his Spirit and his word, unto all the ends of unity, order, peace, and edification. Until that be done, a pope, or something like him, will be thought necessary unto these ends. But never was there a more horrid, deformed image made of so beautiful and glorious a head: all the craft of Satan, all the wits of men, cannot invent any thing more unlike Christ, as the head of the church, than this Pope is. A worse figure and representation of him cannot possibly be made.

This is he of whom nothing not great, nothing common, nothing not exceeding the ordinary state of mankind, on the one hand or the other, is thought or spoken. Some say he is “the head and husband of the church,” “the vicar of Christ over the whole world,” “God’s vicegerent,” “a vice-god,” “Peter’s successor,” “the head and centre of unity” unto the whole catholic church, endued with a plenitude of power, with other ascriptions of the same nature innumerable; whereon it is necessary unto every soul, under pain of damnation, to be subject unto him; — others aver that he is “antichrist,” “the man of sin,” “the son of perdition,” “the beast that came out of the earth with two horns like a lamb, and a voice like the dragon,” “the false prophet,” “the idol shepherd,” “the evil servant that beateth his fellow-servants,” “the adulterer of a meretricious and false church:” and there is no mean betwixt these; — he is undoubtedly the one or the other. The Lord Jesus Christ, who hath determined this controversy already in his word, will ere long give it its ultimate issue in his own glorious person, and by the brightness of his coming. And this is an eminent idol in the Chamber of Imagery in the Roman Church. But at present it is evident wherein lies the preservation of believers from being inveigled to bow down to this image, and to worship it. A due sense of the sole authority of Christ in and over his church, with an experience of the power of his word and Spirit unto all the ends of its rule and order, will keep them unto the truth herein; and nothing else will so do. And if once they decline from this in any instances, seem they never so small, so as to admit of any thing in the church or its worship which cloth not derive immediately from his authority, they will be disposed to admit of another guide and head in all other things also.

Sect. V. Again: it is a notion of truth, that the Church of Christ is beautiful and glorious.

There are many prophecies and predictions concerning it, that so it should be; and there are sundry descriptions given of it as such. Its relation unto Christ, with his love unto it, and valuation of it, do require that it should be so glorious; yea, his great design towards it was to make it so to be, Eph. v. 25–27. This, therefore, all do agree in who profess Christian religion; but what that glory is, and wherein it doth consist, — whence it is, and is said to be glorious, — is not agreed upon. The Scripture, indeed, plainly declares this glory to be spiritual and internal; — that it consists in its union unto Christ, his presence with it, the communication of his quickening Spirit unto it, the clothing of it with his righteousness, in its sanctification and purification from the defilement of sin, with its fruitfulness in obedience, unto the praise of God. Add hereunto the celebration of divine worship in it, with its rule and order, according to the commandment of Christ, and we have the substance of this glory. And this glory believers do discern, so as to be satisfied with its excellency. They know that all the glories of the world are no way to be compared to it; for it consists in, and arises from, such things as they do value and prefer infinitely above all that this world can afford. They are a reflection of the glory of God or of Christ himself upon the church; yea, a communication of it thereunto. This they value in the whole, and in every member of it; neither the nature, use, nor end of the church, will admit that its glory should consist in things of any other nature. But the generality of mankind had lost that spiritual light wherein alone this glory might be discerned. They could see no form or beauty in the spouse of Christ, as only adorned with his graces. To talk of a glorious state of men, whilst they are poor and destitute, it may be, clothed with rags, and haled into prisons or to stakes, as hath been the lot of the church in most ages, was, in their judgment, a thing absurd and foolish. Wherefore, seeing it is certain that the Church of Christ is very glorious and illustrious in the sight of God, holy angels, and good men, a way must be found out to make it so, and so to appear in the world. Wherefore they agreed on a lying image of this glory, — namely, the dignity, promotion, wealth, dominion, power, and splendour, of all them that had got the rule of the church. And although it be evident unto all that these things belong unto the glories of this world, which the glory of the church is not only distinguished from, but opposed unto, yet it [they?] must be looked on as that wherein it is glorious; and it is so, though it have not one saving grace in it, as they expressly affirm. When these things are attained, then are all the predictions of its glory accomplished, and the description of it answered. This corrupt image of the true spiritual glory of the church, — arising from an ignorance of it, and want of a real experience of the worth and excellency of things internal, spiritual, and heavenly, — hath been attended with pernicious consequents in the world. Many have been infatuated by it, and enamoured of it, unto their own perdition. For, as a teacher of lies, it is suited only to divert the minds of men from a comprehension and valuation of that real glory, wherein if they have not an interest, they must perish forever.

Look into foreign parts, as Italy and France, where these men pretend their church is in its greatest glory: what is it but the wealth, and pomp, and power of men, for the most part openly ambitious, sensual, and worldly? Is this the glory of the Church of Christ? Do these things belong unto his kingdom? [No;] but by the setting up of this image, by the advancement of this notion, all the true glory of the church hath been lost and despised. Yet these things, being suited unto the designs of the carnal minds of men, and satisfactory unto all their lusts, — having got this paint and gilding on them, that they render the Church of Christ glorious, — have been the means of filling this world with darkness, blood, and confusion. For this is that glory of the church which is contended for with rage and violence. And not a few do yet dote on these images, who are not sharers in the advantage it brings unto its principal worshippers, whose infatuation is to be bewailed.

The means of our preservation from the adoration of these images also is obvious, from the principles we proceed upon. It will not be done without light to discern the glory of things spiritual and invisible; wherein alone the church is glorious. And in the light of faith they appear to be what indeed they are in themselves, — of the same nature with the glory that is above. The present glory of the church, I say, is its initiation into the glory of heaven, and in general of the same nature with it. Here it is in its dawnings and entrances; there, in its fulness and perfection. To look for any thing that should be cognate, or of near alliance unto the glory of heaven, or any near resemblance of it, in the outward glories of this world, is a fond imagination. And when the mind is enabled to discern the true beauty and glory of spiritual things, with their alliance unto that which is above, it will be secured from seeking after the glory of the church in things of this world or putting any value on them unto that end.

That self-denial also, which is indispensably prescribed in the gospel unto all the disciples of Christ, is requisite hereunto; for the power and practice of it is utterly inconsistent with an apprehension that secular power, riches, and domination, do contribute any thing unto the church’s glory. The mind being hereby crucified unto a value and estimation of these things, it can never apprehend them as any part of that raiment of the church wherein it is glorious. But where the minds of men, through their native darkness, are disenabled to discern the glory of spiritual things, and, through their carnal, unmortified affection, do cleave unto, and have the highest esteem of, worldly grandeur, it is no wonder if they suppose the beauty and glory of the church to consist in them.

Sect. VI. I shall add one instance more with reference unto the state of the church; and that is in its rule and discipline.

Here, also, hath been as fatal a miscarriage as ever fell out in Christian religion. For the truth herein being lost, as unto any sense and experience of its efficacy or power, a bloody image, destructive to the lives and souls of men, was set up in the stead thereof. And this also shall be briefly declared. There are certain principles of truth with respect hereunto that are acknowledged by all; as, —

1. That the Lord Christ hath appointed a rule and discipline in his church, for its good and preservation. No society can subsist without the power and exercise of some rifle in itself; for rule is nothing but the preservation of order, without which there is nothing but confusion. The church is the most perfect society in the earth, as being united and compacted by the best and highest bonds which our nature is capable of, Eph. iv. 16; Col. ii. 19. It must, therefore, have a rule and discipline in itself; which, from the wisdom and authority of Him by whom it was instituted, must be supposed to be the most perfect.

2. That this discipline is powerful and effectual unto all its proper ends. It must be so esteemed, from the wisdom of Him by whom it is appointed; and it is so accordingly. To suppose that the Lord Christ should ordain a rule and discipline in his church, that in itself, and by its just administration, should not attain its ends, is to reflect the greatest dishonour upon him. Yea, if any church or society of professed Christians be fallen into that state and condition, wherein the discipline appointed by Christ cannot be effectual unto its proper ends, Christ hath forsaken that church or society. Besides, the Holy Ghost affirms that the ministry of the church, in the administration of it, is “mighty, through God,” unto all its ends, 2 Cor. x. 4, 5.

3. The ends of this discipline are the order, peace, purity, and holiness of the church, with a representation of the love, care, and watchfulness of Christ over it, and a testimony unto his future judgment. An imagination of any other ends of it hath been its ruin.

And thus far all who profess themselves Christians are agreed, at least in words. None dare deny any of these principles; no, not to secure their abuse of them, which is the interest of many.

4. But unto them all we must also and, and that with the same uncontrollable evidence of truth, that the power and efficacy of this discipline, which it hath from the institution of Christ, is spiritual only, and hath all its effects on the souls and consciences of those who profess subjection unto him, with respect unto the ends before mentioned. So the apostle expressly describes it, 2 Cor. x. 4, 5, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” These are the ends, as of preaching of the gospel, so of the discipline of the church; and these are the ways and means of its efficacy:— it is spiritually mighty, through God, unto all these ends; and others it hath none. But we shall immediately see the total reverse of this order, in an image substituted in the room of it.

5. Of the power and efficacy of this spiritual discipline unto its proper end, the primitive Christians, at least, had experience. For three hundred years, the church had no other way or means for the preservation of its order, peace, purity, and holiness, but the spiritual efficacy of this discipline on the souls and consciences of professed Christians. Neither did it fail therein, nor were the churches any longer preserved in peace and purity, than whilst they had this discipline alone for their preservation, without the least contribution of assistance from secular power, or any thing that should operate on the outward concerns of mankind. And there can be no other reason given, why it should not be of the same use and efficacy still unto all churches, but only the loss of all those internal graces which are necessary to make any gospel institution effectual: wherefore, all sense and experience hereof — of the spiritual power and efficacy of this discipline — was utterly lost amongst the most of them that are called Christians. Neither those who had assumed a pretence of the administration of it, nor those towards whom it was administered, could find any thing in it that did affect the consciences of men, with respect unto its proper ends. They found it a thing altogether useless in the church, wherein none of any sort would be concerned. What shall they now do? what course shall they take? Shall they renounce all those principles of truth concerning it which we have laid down, and exclude it, both name and thing, out of the church? This probably would have been the end of it, had they not found out a way to wrest the pretence of it unto their unspeakable advantage. Wherefore they contrived and made a horrid image of the holy spiritual rule and discipline of the gospel: an image it was, consisting in outward force and tyranny over the persons, liberties, and lives of men; exercised with weapons mighty through the devil to cast men into prison, and to destroy them. Hereby that which was appointed for the peace and edification of the church being lost, an engine was framed, under its name and pretence, unto its ruin and destruction; and so it continues unto this day. It had never entered into the hearts of men to set up a discipline in the Church of Christ by law, courts, fines, mulcts, imprisonments, and burnings, but that they had utterly lost in themselves, and suffered to be lost in others concerned, all experience of the power and efficacy of the discipline of Christ towards the souls and consciences of men. But hereon they laid it aside, as a useless tool, that might do some service in the hands of the apostles and the primitive churches, whilst there was spiritual life and sense left amongst Christians; but as unto them, and what they aimed at, it was of no use at all. The deformity of this image in the several parts of it; its universal dissimilitude unto that whose name it bears, and which it pretends to be; the several degrees whereby it was forged, framed, and erected; with the occasions and advantages taken for its exaltation, would take up much time to declare: for it was subtly interwoven with other abominations, in the whole Mystery of Iniquity, until it became the very life or animating principle of Anti-christianism. For, however men may set light by the rule and discipline of Christ in his church, and its spiritual power or efficacy towards the souls and consciences of men, the rejection of it, and the setting up of a horrid image of worldly power, domination, and force in the room of it, and under its name, is that which began, carried on, and yet maintains, the fatal apostasy in the Church of Rome.

I shall instance only in one particular. On the change of this rule of Christ, and, together with it, the setting up of Malizzim, or an image, or “god of forces,” [Dan. xi. 38,] in the stead of it; they were compelled to change all the ends of that discipline, and to make an image of them also. For this new instrument of outward force was of no use with respect unto them; for they are, as was declared, the spiritual peace, purity, love, and edification of the church. Outward force is no way meet to attain any of these ends. Wherefore, they must make an image of these also, or substitute some dead form in their room; and this was a universal subjection unto the pope, according unto all the rules, orders, and canons which they should invent. Uniformity herein, and canonical obedience, is all the end which they will allow unto their church discipline; and these things hang well together, for nothing but outward force by law and penalties is fit to attain this end. So was there an image composed and erected of the holy discipline of Christ, and its blessed ends, consisting of these two parts, outward force and feigned subjection. For hardly can an instance be given in the world of any man who ever bowed down to this image, or submitted unto any ecclesiastical censure, out of a conscientious respect unto it. Force and fear rule all.

This is that discipline in whose execution the blood of an innumerable company of holy martyrs hath been shed, — that wherein all the vital spirits of the Papacy do act themselves, and whereby it doth subsist; and although it be the image of jealousy, or the image of the first beast, set up by the dragon, yet it cannot be denied, but that it is very wisely accommodated unto the present state of the generality of them that are called Christians amongst them. For being both blind and carnal, and having thereby lost all sense and experience of the spiritual power of the rule of Christ in their consciences, they are become a herd not fit to be governed or ruled any other way. Under the bondage of it, therefore, they must abide, till the vail of blindness be taken away, and they are turned unto God by his word and Spirit; for “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there,” and there alone, “is liberty.”

Sect. VII. Unto the foregoing particular instances, with respect unto the church, I shall yet add one more general; which is indeed comprehensive of them all, or the root from whence they spring, — a root bearing gall and wormwood: and this is concerning the catholic church.

What belongs unto this catholic church, what is comprised in its communion, the apostle declares, Heb. xii. 22–24. It is the recapitulation of all things in heaven and earth in Christ Jesus, Eph. i. 10; — his body, his spouse or bride, the Lamb’s wife, the glorious temple wherein God doth dwell by his Spirit; — a holy mystical society, purchased and purified by the blood of Christ, and united unto him by his Spirit, or the inhabitation of the same Spirit in him and those whereof it doth consist. Hence they with him, as the body with its head, are mystically called Christ, 1 Cor. xii. 12. And there are two parts of it, the one whereof is already perfected in heaven, as unto their spirits; and the other yet continued in the way of faith and obedience in this world. Both these constitute “one family in heaven and earth,” Eph. iii. 15; — in conjunction with the holy angels, one mystical body, one catholic church. And although there is a great difference, in their present state and condition, between these two branches of the same family, yet are they both equally purchased by Christ, and united unto him as their head, having both of them effectually the same principle of the life of God in them. Of a third part of this church, neither in heaven nor in earth, in a temporary state, participant somewhat of heaven, and somewhat of hell, called purgatory, the Scripture knoweth nothing at all; neither is it consistent with the analogy of faith, or the promises of God unto them that do believe, as we shall see immediately. This church, even as unto that part of it which is in this world, as it is adorned with all the graces of the Holy Spirit, is the most beautiful and glorious effect, — next unto the forming and production of its Head, in the incarnation of the Son of God — which divine wisdom, power, and grace will extend themselves unto here below. But these things — the glory of this state — is visible only unto the eye of faith; yea, it is perfectly seen and known only to Christ himself. We see it obscurely in the light of faith and revelation, and are sensible of it according unto our participating of the graces and privileges wherein it doth consist.

But that spiritual light which is necessary to the discerning of this glory was lost among those of whom we treat. They could see no reality nor beauty in these things, nor any thing that should be of advantage unto them. For upon their principle, of the utter uncertainty of men’s spiritual estate and condition in this world, it is evident that they could have no satisfactory persuasion of any concernment in it. But they had possessed themselves of the notion of a catholic church; which, with mysterious artifices, they have turned unto their own incredible secular advantage. This is that whereof they boast, appropriating it unto themselves, and making it a pretence of destroying others, what lies in them, both temporally and eternally. Unto this end they have formed the most deformed and detestable image of it that ever the world beheld; for the catholic church which they own, and which they boast that they are, instead of that of Christ, is a company or society of men, unto whom, in order unto the constitution of that whole society, there is no one real Christian grace required, nor spiritual union unto Christ, the head, but only an outside profession of these things, as they expressly contend; — a society united unto the Pope of Rome, as its head, by a subjection unto him and his rule, according to the laws and canons whereby he will guide them. This is the formal reason and cause constituting that catholic church which they are, which is compacted in itself by horrid bonds and ligaments, for the ends of ambition, worldly domination, and avarice; — a catholic church openly wicked in the generality of its rulers, and them that are ruled; and in its state cruel, oppressive, and dyed with the blood of saints, and martyrs innumerable. This, I say, is that image of the holy catholic church, the spouse of Christ, which they have set up. And it hath been as the image of Moloch, that hath devoured and consumed the children of the church; whose cries, when their cruel stepmother pitied them not, and when their pretended ghostly fathers cast them into the flames, came up unto the ears of the Lord of hosts; and their blood still cries for vengeance on this idolatrous generation. Yet is this pretence of the catholic church pressed, in the minds of many, with so many sophistical artifices, through the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, proposed with the allurements of so many secular advantages, and imposed ofttimes on Christians with so much force and cruelty, that nothing can secure us from the admission of it, unto the utter overthrow of religion, but the means before insisted on. A spiritual light is necessary hereunto, to discern the internal spiritual beauty and glory of the true catholic church of Christ. Where this is in its power, all the paintings and dresses of their deformed image will fall off from it, and its abominable filth will be made to appear. And this will be accompanied with an effectual experience of the glory and excellency of that grace in the souls of those that believe, derived from Christ, the sole head of this church, whereby they are changed “from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.” The power, life, and sweetness hereof, will give satisfaction unto their souls, to the contempt of the pretended order, or dependence on the pope as a head. By these means the true catholic church, — which is the body of Christ, the fulness of him that filleth all in all, — growing up unto him in all things who is the head, despiseth this image, and Dagon will fall to the ground when this Ark is brought in; yea, though it be in his own temple.