John Owen · 86 of 157

Sermon XV. 1 Peter ii. 3. · Part 5

Sect. XI. Some other instances of the same abomination I shall yet mention, but with more brevity, and sundry others must at present be passed over without a discovery. It is the known method of gospel faith and obedience, — the way of God’s dealing with believers in the covenant of grace, — that, after their initiation and implantation into Christ, they should labour to thrive and grow in grace, by its continual exercise, until they come to be strengthened and confirmed therein. And this, in the ordinary way of God’s dealing with the church, they shall never fail of, unless it be through their own neglect: for there are many divine promises to this purpose, and it lies in the nature of the things themselves; for the seeds of grace are of that kind of habits which will be increased and strengthened by exercise. Wherefore, this confirmation in grace is that whereof believers have a blessed experience.

This truth, in general, of an implantation into Christ, and the ensuing confirmation in grace, is universally assented unto; none can deny it without denying the whole doctrine of the gospel. But the sense and experience of it was lost amongst them of whom we treat; yet would they not forego the profession of the principle itself, — which would have proclaimed them apostates from the grace of Christ. Wherefore they formed an image of it, or images of both its distinct parts, which they could manage unto their own ends, and such as the carnal minds of men could readily comply with and rest in. As in the other sacrament they turned the outward signs into the things signified, so in this of baptism, they make it to stand in the stead of the thing itself; which is to make it, if not an idol, yet an image of it. The outward participation of that ordinance with them is regeneration and implantation into Christ, without any regard unto the internal grace that is signified thereby; so that which in itself is a sacred figure, is made an image to delude the souls of men.

And that which they would impose in the room of spiritual confirmation in grace is yet more strange. The image which they set up hereof is episcopal imposition of hands. When one that hath been baptized can answer some few questions out of a catechism, though he be very ignorant, and openly vicious in his conversation, by this laying on of hands he is confirmed in grace.

It may be some will say, there is no great matter, one way or other, in things of this sort; they may be suffered to pass at what rate they will in this world. I confess I am not so minded. If there be any thing in them but mere formality and custom, — if they are trusted unto as the things whose names they bear, — they are pernicious unto the souls of men. For if all that are outwardly baptized should thereon judge themselves implanted into Christ, without regard unto the internal washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost; and all who have had this imposition of hands should, without more ado, suppose themselves confirmed in grace, — they are in the ready way to eternal ruin.

Sect. XII. It is granted among all Christians, that all our helps, our relief, our deliverance from, sin, Satan, and the world, are from Christ alone.

This is included in all his relations unto the church, — in all his offices, and the discharge of them; and is the express doctrine of the gospel. It is no less generally acknowledged, — at least the Scripture is no less clear and positive on it, that we receive and derive all our supplies of relief from Christ by faith: other ways of the participation of any thing from him, the Scripture knoweth not. Wherefore, it is our duty, on all occasions, to apply ourselves unto him by faith, for all supplies, reliefs, and deliverances: but these men can find no life nor power herein; at least, if they grant that somewhat might be done this way, yet they know not how to do it, being ignorant of the life of faith, and the due exercise of it. They must have a way more ready and easy, exposed to the capacities and abilities of all sorts of persons, good and bad; yea, that will serve the turn of the worst of men unto these ends. An image, therefore, must be set up for common use, instead of this spiritual application unto Christ for relief; and this is the making of the sign of the cross. Let a man but make the sign of the cross on his forehead, his breast, or the like, — which he may as easily do as take up or cast away a straw, — and there is no more required to engage Christ unto his assistance at any time. And the virtues which they ascribe hereunto are innumerable. But this also is an idol, a teacher of lies, invented and set up for no other end but to satisfy the carnal minds of men with a presumptuous supposition, in the neglect of the spiritually laborious exercise of faith. An experience of the work of faith, in the derivation of all supplies of spiritual life, grace, and strength, with deliverance and supplies, from Jesus Christ, will secure believers from giving heed unto this trifling deceit.

Sect. XIII. One thing more, amongst many others of the same sort, may be mentioned. It is a notion of truth, which derives from the light of nature, that those who approach unto God in divine worship should be careful that they be pure and clean, without any offensive defilements.

This the heathens themselves give testimony unto, and God confirmed it in the institutions of the law. But what are these defilements and pollutions which make us unmeet to approach unto the presence of God, — how and by what means we may be purified and cleansed from them, — the gospel alone declares. And it doth, in opposition unto all other ways and means of it, plainly reveal, that it is by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon our consciences, so to purge them from dead works, that we may serve the living God. See Heb. ix. 14, x. 19–22. But this is a thing mysterious: nothing but spiritual light and saving faith can direct us herein. Men, destitute of them, could never attain an experience of purification in this way. Wherefore they retained the notion of truth itself, but made an image of it for their use, with a neglect of the thing itself. And this was the most ludicrous that could be imagined; namely, the sprinkling of themselves and others with that they call holy water when they go into the places of sacred worship; which yet also they borrowed from the Pagans. So stupid and sottish are the minds of men, so dark and ignorant of heavenly things, that they have suffered their souls to be deceived and ruined by such vain, superstitious trifles!

This discourse hath already proceeded unto a greater length than was at first intended; and would be so much more, should we look into all parts of this Chamber of Imagery, and expose to view all the abominations in it. I shall therefore put a close unto it, in one or two instances, wherein the Church of Rome doth boast itself as retaining the truth and power of the gospel in a peculiar manner, whereas in very deed they have destroyed them, and set up corrupt images of their own in their stead.

Sect. XIV. The first of these is, the doctrine and grace of mortification.

That this is not only an important evangelical duty, but also of indispensable necessity unto salvation, all who have any thing of Christian religion in themselves must acknowledge. It is also clearly determined in the Scripture, both what is the nature of it, with its causes, and in what acts and duties it doth consist; for it is frequently declared to be the crucifying of the body of sin, with all the lusts thereof. For mortification must be the bringing of something to death; and this is sin: and the dying of sin consists in the casting out of all vicious habits and inclinations, arising from the original depravation of nature. It is the weakening and graduate extirpation or destruction of them, in their roots, principles, and operations, whereby the soul is set at liberty to act universally from the contrary principle of spiritual life and grace. The means, on the part of Christ, whereby this is wrought and effected in believers, is the communication of his Spirit unto them, to make an effectual application of the virtue of his death unto the death of sin; for it is by his Spirit that we mortify the deeds of the flesh, and the flesh itself, and that, as we are implanted by him into the likeness of the death of Christ. By virtue thereof we are crucified, and made dead unto sin; in the declaration of which things the Scripture doth abound. The means of it, on the part of believers, is the exercise of faith in Christ, as crucified; whereby they derive virtue from him for the crucifying of the body of death: and this exercise of faith is always accompanied with diligence and perseverance in all holy duties of prayer, with fasting, godly sorrow, daily-renewed repentance, with a continual watch against all the advantages of sin. Herein consists, principally, that spiritual warfare and conflict that believers are called unto. This is all the killing work which the gospel requires. That of killing other men for religion is of a later date, and another original. And there is nothing, in the way of their obedience, wherein they have more experience of the necessity, power, and efficacy of the graces of the gospel.

This principle of truth, concerning the necessity of mortification, is retained in the Church of Rome; yea, she pretends highly unto it, above any other Christian society. The mortification of their devotionists is one of the principal arguments which they plead, to draw unwary souls over unto their superstition. Yet, in the height of their pretences unto it, they have lost all experience of its nature, with the power and efficacy of the grace of Christ therein; and have, therefore, framed an image of it unto themselves For, —

1. They place the eminency and height of it in a monastical life, and pretended retirement from the world. But this may be, hath been, in all or the most, without the least real work of mortification in their souls; for there is nothing required in the strictest rules of these monastic votaries but may be complied withal, without the least effectual operation of the Holy Spirit in their minds, in the application of the virtue of the death of Christ unto them; besides, the whole course of life which they commend under this name, is neither appointed in, nor approved by, the gospel. And some of those who have been most renowned for their severities therein were men of blood, promoting the cruel slaughter of multitudes of Christians, upon the account of their profession of the gospel: in whom there could be no one evangelical grace; “for no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

2. The ways and means which they prescribe and use for the attaining of it, are such as are no way directed by the divine wisdom of Christ in the Scripture; — such as multiplied confessions to priests, irregular, ridiculous fastings, penances, self-macerations of the body, unlawful vows, self-devised rules of discipline and habits, with the like trinkets innumerable. Hence, whatever their design be, they may say of it, in the issue, what Aaron said of his idol, “I cast the gold into the fire, and there came out this calf.” They have brought forth only an image of mortification, diverting the minds of men from seeking after that which is really and spiritually so. And under this pretence they have formed a state and condition of life that hath filled the world with all manner of sins and wickedness; and many of those who have attained unto some of the highest degrees of this mortification, on their principles, and by the means designed unto that end, have been made ready thereby for all sorts of wickedness.

Wherefore, the mortification which they retain, and whereof they boast, is nothing but a wretched image of that which is truly so, substituted in its room, and embraced by such as had never attained any experience of the nature or power of gospel grace in the real mortification of sin.

Sect. XV. The same is to be said concerning good works, — the second evangelical duty whereof they boast.

The necessity of these good works unto salvation, according unto men’s opportunities and abilities, is acknowledged by all; and the glory of our profession in this world consisteth in our abounding in them: but their principle, their nature, their motives, their use, their ends, are declared and limited in the Scripture; whereby they are distinguished from what may seem materially the same in those which may be wrought by unbelievers. In brief, they are the acts and duties of true believers only; and they are in them effects of divine grace, or the operation of the Holy Ghost; for they are “created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath ordained that they should walk in them.” But the principal mystery of their glory, which the Scripture insists upon, is, that although they are necessary, as a means unto the salvation of believers, yet are they utterly excluded from any influence unto the justification of sinners; — so there was never any work, evangelically good, performed by any who were not before freely justified.

Unto these good works those with whom we have to do lay a vehement claim, as though they were the only patrons of them, and pleaders for them; but they have also excluded them out of Christian religion, and set up a deformed image of them, in defiance of God, of Christ, and the gospel. For the works they plead for are such as so far proceed from their own free will, as to render them meritorious in the sight of God. They have confined them partly unto acts of superstitious devotion, partly unto those of charity, and principally unto those that are not so; — such are the building of monasteries, nunneries, and such pretended religious houses, for the maintenance of swarms of monks and friars, filling the world with superstition and debauchery. They make them meritorious, satisfactory; yea, some of them, which they call of supererogation, above all that God requireth of us, and the causes of our justification before God. They ascribe unto them a condignity of the heavenly reward, making it of works, and so not of grace; with many other defiling imaginations. But whatever is done from these principles, and for these ends, is utterly foreign unto those good works which the gospel enjoineth as a part of our new or evangelical obedience. But having, as in other cases, lost all sense and experience of the power and efficacy of the grace of Christ, in working believers unto this duty of obedience, unto the glory of God and benefit of mankind, they have set up the image of them, in defiance of Christ, his grace, and his gospel.

These are some of the abominations which are portrayed on the walls of the Chamber of Imagery in the Church of Rome; and more will be added in the consideration of the image of Jealousy itself; which, God willing, shall ensue in another way. These are the shadows which they betake themselves unto, in the loss of spiritual light to discern the truth and glory of the mystery of the gospel, and the want of an experience of their power and efficacy, unto all the ends of the life of God in their own minds and souls. And although they are all of them expressly condemned in the letter of the Scripture, which is sufficient to secure the minds of true believers from the admission of them, yet their establishment, against all pleas, pretences, and force, for a compliance with them, depends on their experience of the power of every gospel truth unto its proper end, in communicating unto us the grace of God, and transforming our minds into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ.