John Owen - Part 1

For those of you who do not know of John Owen, he is a stud. He lived from 1613 - 1683. He accompanied Oliver Cromwell from 1643-1651. He was appointed the dean of Christ Church in Oxford where he trained ministers for the state church. He later become the vice-chancellor to the University from 1652-1657. He pastored a congregational church in London for the last twenty or so years of his life. J.I. Packer called him “the greatest among the Puritan theologians,”[1] and Charles Spurgeon called him “the prince of divines.”[2] Click here to go to a website totally devoted to his works. He wrote much on how to have Spirit-Empowered preaching. One of the components to this is the role of the HEARERS. So, as you prepare to go and hear God's word preached this Sunday, reflect on Owen's thoughts:

"What do men come to hear the word of God for? What do they pray for? What do they expect to receive from him? Do they come unto God as the eternal fountain of living waters, - as the God of all grace, peace, and consolation? or do they come unto his worship without any design, as unto a dry and empty show?...or do they think they bring something unto God, but receive nothing from him…to receive any thing from him they expect not, nor do ever examine themselves whether they have done so or no? It is not for persons who walk in such ways ever to attain a due delight in the ordinances of divine worship.[3]"

"Many of the better sort of professors are too negligent in this matter. They do not long and pant in the inward man after renewed pledges of the love of God; they do not consider how much need they have of them…they do not prepare their minds for the reception of them , nor come with expectation of their communication unto them; they do not rightly fix their faith on this truth,--namely, that these holy administrations and duties are appointed of God in the first place as the ways and means of conveying his love and a sense of it unto our souls. From hence spring all that lukewarmness, coldness, and indifferency in and unto the duties of holy worship, that are growing among us. [4]"

" …when men find the worth and effect of the word preached on theirs souls, in it enlightening, refreshing, strengthening, transforming power; when they find their hearts warmed, their graces excited and strengthened, the love of God improved, their desponding spirits under trials and temptations relieved, their whole souls gradually more and more conformed unto Christ; when they find themselves by it extricated out of snares, doubts, fears, temptations, and brought unto satisfaction and rest,--they cannot but delight in the dispensation of it, and rejoice in it as the food of their souls.[5]"

Do you prepare to go and hear a word from God? Do you hunger for God to speak to you? Do you delight in the dispention of God's word? May we always come expecting God to speak!

[1] J.I. Packer. A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life. (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1990), 11.

[2] J.I. Packer. Among God’s Giants: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life. (Eastborne, England: Kingsway Publications, 1993), 251.

[3] Owen, vol. 7, 438-39.

[4] Owen, vol. 7, 439.

[5] Owen, vol. 7, 442.