"Becoming John Owen: The making of an evangelical reputation"

Gribben, C. (2017). "Becoming John Owen: The making of an evangelical reputation". Westminster TheologicalJournal, 79(2), 311-25.

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1

BecomingJohnOwen:Themakingofanevangelicalreputation

CrawfordGribben

JohnOwendiedon24August1683,believingthatthecausetowhichhehaddedicated

hislifehadfailed.1AftertherestorationofCharlesII,thegradualunwindingofthe

Englishrevolutionhadbeenillustratedinthepublictortureofoldrepublicans,the

ejectionofdissentersfromthenationalchurchandtheirbrutalpersecution,andthe

formationofanewcommunityofnonconformiststhatwasquicklydividedbydisputes

abouttheelementaldoctrinesofthereformation.Twentyyearsaftertheendofthe

revolution,itseemedcleartoOwenthatthepuritanprojectofbuildinggodly

congregationsinreformedcommunitieswasinruins.Hewasincreasinglyworriedthat

the“mindsofprofessors”had“grownaltogetherindifferentastothedoctrineofGod’s

eternalelection,thesovereignefficacyofgraceintheconversionofsinners,justification

bytheimputationoftherighteousnessofChrist.”2Hecouldhardlybelievethatthose

Englishprotestantswhohadbeenshutoutofthenationalchurch“shouldhavecometo

anindifferencyastothedoctrineofjustification,andquarrelanddisputeaboutthe

interestofworksinjustification;aboutgeneralredemption,whichtakesofftheefficacy

oftheredeemingworkofChrist;andabouttheperseveranceofthesaints.”3Growing

old,facingbereavementsamongfamilyandfriends,andincreasinglyplaguedbyill

health,Owenhadbeguntodoubthislegacy.Toomuchofhispreaching,hefeared,had

been“poor,weak…andperhaps…quicklyforgotten.”4“Ihavenowbeenverylong,

1FormoreonthelaterstagesofOwen’slife,seeCrawfordGribben,JohnOwenandEnglish

puritanism:Experiencesofdefeat(Oxford:OUP,2016),chapterseightandnine.

2JohnOwen,TheWorksofJohnOwen,ed.WilliamH.Goold,16vols(Edinburgh,1850‐55),9:327.

3Owen,Works,9:459.

4Owen,Works,9:332.

2

thoughveryunprofitable,intheministrationoftheword,”heexplainedtohis

congregationinthespringof1681,“Iamreadytofaint,andgiveover,andtobegofthe

churchtheywouldthinkofsomeotherpersontoconducttheminmyroom,without

thesedisadvantages.”5Andhefinallyrealizedthattheprovidentialanalysisthathad

beennecessarytosomuchofhisearlierworkprovidednoeffectivetheodicytoexplain

thesituationofdissenters:“Idonotknowthat[God]hathgivenmeagreaterrebuke,in

thewholecourseofmyministry,thanthatIhavebeenlabouringinthefiretodiscover

thecausesofGod’swithdrawingfromuswithoutanysuccess.”6Writingtoafriend,

shortlybeforehisdeath,Owenreportedthathewas“labouringwithage,infirmities,

temptations,andtroubles,”andadmitted“dreadfulapprehensionsofthepresentstate

ofthingsintheworld.”God,hebelieved,was“withdrawinghispresencefromHis

Churchesandotherprofessorsofthegospel.”7Andthedeclinewastocontinue:shortly

beforehisdeath,someofhisworkwaspubliclyburnedintheUniversityofOxford,over

whichhehadoncebeenvice‐chancellor.8Owenendedhisministryindefeat.Buthe

couldnotanticipatehisafterlife,for,intheearlypartoftheeighteenthcentury,as

nonconformistsrealignedwithgodlyconformiststodevelopthenew“evangelical”

movement,newanddiversereadingcommunitiesbegantoconsumeOwen’sworkand

toestablishhisevangelicalreputation.

I.Thegrowthofawriter

5Owen,Works,9:405.

6Owen,Works,16:490,492.

7TheworksofJohnOwen,ed.T.Russell(1826),1:423;ThecorrespondenceofJohnOwen,ed.Toon,

p.172.

8SarahGibbardCook,“Apoliticalbiographyofareligiousindependent:JohnOwen,1616‐1683”

(unpublishedPhDthesis,HarvardUniversity,1972),p.383.

3

Owen’sreputationwasestablishedinthedissentingandevangelicalculturesofprint.In

hisownlifetime,OwenhadbeenanimportantvoiceinthedevelopmentofCromwellian

institutionsandintheemergenceandsustentionofRestorationnonconformity,but

doesnotappeartohavebeenanespeciallypopularwriter.Owenbecameanauthor

whenaccesstoprintwasdemocratizedintheearly1640s.Hisearliestworkillustrated

hisoccasionallyunreliablegraspofReformedorthodoxyevenasitestablishedhis

concerntodefendtruthasheunderstoodit.9Hisfirstfewbookswerepublishedin

LondonbyPhilemonStephens,anentrepreneurassociatedwiththeradicalreligious

underground,butOwenself‐publishedthesermonshepreachedafterthesiegeof

Colchester,Eben‐ezer:amemoriallofthedeliveranceofEssex,county,andcommittee

(1648),agesturethatmaysuggestthatStephenswasnolongerpreparedtotake

financialriskonarelativelyunknownwriterintheincreasinglycrowdedworldofprint.

Owenenjoyedhisfirstliterarysuccessinthesermonhepreachedonthedayafterthe

executionofCharlesI,whichwaspublished,byoneofStephens’rivals,intwoeditionsin

1649.ThesuccessofthispamphletencouragedStephenstopackagetheunsoldtext

blocksofOwen’searliestbooksintoasinglevolume,whichhemarketedasananthology

ofCertainetreatiseswrittenbyJohnOwen…Formerlypublishedatseveralltimes,now

reducedintoonevolume(1649).AsOwenascendedintopublicviewintheearly1650s,

hisworkfoundamorereadyaudience,withhispoliticalanddevotionalwritingmaking

moreimpactthanthosemoredemandingpublicationsaddressingthetheological

problemsoftheperiod.

Sometitlesprovedtobeanimmediatesuccess.Theadvantageofthekingdomeof

ChristintheshakingofthekingdomsoftheworldwaspublishedinLondon(1651),

Oxford(1651)andLeith(1652),itswidecirculationperhapsbestexplainedbyits

9See,forexample,thediscussioninCrawfordGribben,JohnOwen,baptismandtheBaptists

(Dunstable,UK:StrictBaptistHistoricalSociety,2015).

4

rationaleforthesuccessoftheCromwellianinvasionofScotland.Ofthemortificationof

sinneinbelieverswaspublishedin1656,andreprintedin1658and1668.Ofcommunion

withGodtheFather,Sonne,andHolyGhostappearedintwoquartoeditionsin1657,and

wasrepublishedinasecond,octavo,editionin1700,thesmallerandcheaperformat

indicatingnewexpectationsofhowandbywhomthebookmightberead.Apeace‐

offeringinanapologyandhumblepleaforindulgenceandlibertyofconsciencewent

throughtwoeditionsin1667,andExercitationsconcerningthesamedidthesamein

1671.Adiscourseconcerningevangelicallovewaspublishedin1672,reprintedin1673,

andagainin1696.Abriefvindicationofthenonconformistsappearedinthreeeditionsin

1680.Owen’sexpositionofHebrews6‐10waspublishedin1680,andreprintedin1681

and1684.SomeconsiderationsaboutunionamongProtestantspassedthroughtwo

editionsin1680,andhisexpositionofHebrews11‐13didthesamein1684.Owen’s

devotionalandpoliticalwritingsweremostlikelytofindareadyaudiencewithinhis

ownlifetime.

OthersofOwen’sbookstooklongertoestablishtheirappeal.Abriefinstruction

intheworshipofGodwaspublishedin1667,andrepublishedin1676and1688.The

expositionofHebrews1‐2waspublishedin1668andwentintoasecondeditionin

1676.Thenature,power,deceitandprevalencyoftheremaindersofindwellingsinin

believersappearedin1668andwentintoasecondeditionin1675.Apracticalexposition

ofthe130thPsalmwaspublishedin1669andwentintoitssecondeditiononlyeleven

yearslater.AbriefdeclarationandvindicationofthedoctrineoftheTrinitywas

publishedin1669andwentintoathirdeditionin1676.Anenquiryintotheoriginal,

nature,institution,power,order,andcommunionofevangelicalchurcheswaspublished

in1681andwentintoasecondeditionin1696.Abriefandimpartialaccountofthe

natureoftheProtestantreligionappearedin1682andwentintoasecondeditionin

1690.TheprinciplesofthedoctrineofChristwasfirstpublishedin1645andappearedin

asecondeditionalmost40yearslater,andagainin1700.Θεολογουμεναπαντoδαπα,his

5

“biblicaltheology,”waspublishedinOxfordin1661,andwasreprintedalmosta

generationlaterandforentirelynewaudiencesinBremen(1684)10andFraneker

(1700).11Thisextraordinaryandcompendioushistoryofcultureandreligiondoesnot

appeartohaveattractedhighpricesinthesecond‐handmarket,evenshortlyafterits

publication.In1665,forexample,thebookwasincludedinashipmentof116standard

medical,legal,literaryandtheologicaltextspurchasedbyChetham’sLibrary,

Manchester,butwaslistedasoneofthecheapestitemsintheshipment,costing6

shillingsandsixpenceagainsttheaverageitemcostofapproximately£18s.12Inthe

challengingcircumstancesoftheRestoration,whenOwen’smostobviousaudiencewas

facingpersecutionandbeingmonitoredbygovernmentspies,hisworkhadagain

becomeariskforpublishers.13

Owen’sabilitytoattractaposthumousreadershipmaybeindicatedbythefact

thatsomeofthesebookswererepublishedlongafterhisdeathin1683.These

republishedtextswereindicatingthekindofreaderswhocontinuedtofindOwen’s

workinteresting,andthevarioususestowhichhisideasandhisreputationwerebeing

put.Buttheseposthumouspublicationsareindicativeofthetrendsbywhichaspectsof

10JohannisOweni,Theologoumenapautodapa...Denatura,ortu,progressuetstudioverae

theologiaelibrisex...Acceduntquoquedigressiones(Bremae,1684).

11JohannisOweni,TheologoumenapantodapasiveDenatura,ortu,progressu,etstudioverae

theologiaelibrisex.Quibusetiamorigines&processusveri&falsicultusreligiosi,casus&

instarationesecclesiaeillustrioresabipsisrerumprimordiisenarrantur(Franequerae,1700).

12MatthewG.Yeo,“TheacquisitionofbooksbyChetham’sLibrary,1655‐1700”(unpublished

PhDthesis,UniversityofManchester,2009),2vols,2:370‐80.

13Gribben,JohnOwenandEnglishpuritanism,p.215.

6

hisdistinctivepoliticalandtheologicalwereforgotten,asOwenwasrepackagedfornew

audiencesandbegantheslowprocessofbecominganevangelical.14

II.Achangingaudience

Owen’slaterreputationasadevotionalwriterofchoiceforright‐thinkingevangelicals

wasfashionedbythetextsthatwererepublishedinthedecadesimmediatelyfollowing

hisdeath.Settingasidethefirsteditionsofbooksthatappearedintheyears

immediatelyafter1683,aroundadozenofOwen’sworkswererepublishedinthe

periodbefore1700.Thecontentofthislistissurprising,andillustratestheuneven

processesbywhichOwen’sreputationwasbeingre‐engineered,andaspublishers

attemptedtoanticipatehisreaders’changingtastes.Althoughwecannotassumethat

earlymodernaudiencesreadaswedotoday,itisclearthatpublishersthroughoutthe

laterStuartperiodremainedwillingtotakefinancialrisksonhisprincipaldevotional

works.15Bycontrast,Owen’spolemicalworksagainstRomanCatholics,Sociniansand

Quakersdidnotappeartoattractacontinuingaudience,andlateraudiencesconsumed

verylittleofhisreligiouswritingfromthe1650s.Perhapssurprisingly,Owen’searly

catechisms,TheprinciplesofthedoctrineofChrist(1645),appearedinasecondedition

in1684,despitethefactthatithadbecomeunrepresentativeofcertainelementsofhis

maturethought,especiallyinclaimingthatadoptionwasinsomesenseeffectedby

baptism.OfcommunionwithGod,whichhadappearedintwoquartoeditionsin1657,

14SeealsoSamuelRutherford‐JohnCoffey,Politics,religionandtheBritishrevolutions:Themind

ofSamuelRutherford(Cambridge:CUP,1997),pp.257‐58,foradiscussionoftheevangelical

receptionofRutherford.

15JenniferRichards,“Usefulbooks:Readingvernacularregimensinsixteenth‐centuryEngland,”

JournaloftheHistoryoftheIdeas73:2(2012),p.262;AndrewCambers,Godlyreading:Print,

manuscriptandPuritanisminEngland,1580‐1720(Cambridge:CUP,2011).

7

wasrepublishedinoctavoinitssecondeditionin1700.Owen’smassiveprolegomena,

Θεολογουμεναπαντoδαπα(1661),wasuniqueinbeingreprintedforaudiencesamong

theEuropeanReformed;whileitwascertainlynotthelastofhisbookstobemarketed

especiallyforoverseasreaders,itwasquicklyforgottenbyEnglishreaders,beingso

technicallyandlinguisticallydemanding.Similarly,Abriefinstructionintheworshipof

God(1667)appearedagainin1676and1688,andAdiscourseconcerningevangelical

love(1672)wasquicklyreprintedin1673andagainintheverydifferentpoliticaland

ecclesiasticalcircumstancesof1696.TheexpositionofHebrews6‐10thatwasfirst

publishedin1680appearedagainin1681and1684.Anenquiryintotheoriginal,nature,

institution,power,orderandcommunionofevangelicalchurches(1681)wentintoits

secondeditionin1696.AndAbriefandimpartialaccountofthenatureoftheProtestant

religion(1682)appearedinasecondeditionin1690.16Ofcourse,themanypublishers

involvedintheseenterpriseswerenotmakingcoordinateddecisionsaboutwhichOwen

textstorepublish.Buttheywereatleastgesturingtowardstheirexpectationsaboutthe

changingreadingandconsumptionhabitsoftheirtargetaudiences.

ForOwen’saudiencewaschanging.Hiscongregation,afterhisdeath,wasledby

DavidClarksonandIsaacChauncy.IsaacWattswasappointedasChauncy’sassistantin

1699,and,aftertheseniorman’sresignationin1701,becametheminister.Butoverthe

nextfortyyears,andfromasearlyasthepublicationofTheChristiandoctrineofthe

Trinity(1722),WattsmovedawayfromthetheologicalpositionwhichOwenhad

articulated,eventuallyproposingdoctrinewhichencouragedUnitarianstobelievehe

hadendorsedtheirownposition.17Owen’sworkfoundanewaudienceinmembersofa

verydifferentreligiouscommunity:theMethodistmovementadvertiseditsmarked

hostilitytohighCalvinismevenasJohnWesley,oneofitsguidinglights,soughtto

16STCs.v.

17IsabelRivers,“Watts,Isaac(1674–1748),”OxfordDictionaryofNationalBiography,s.v.

8

reinforceitsenthusiasmforsubjectivepietybyincludingsomeofOwen’sdevotional

writingintheChristianLibrary(1750).18TherepublicationofOwen’swritinginthe

eighteenthcenturyconfirmedtheexpectationofhisanonymouselegistthathis“Pious

Pen”would“PreachtoMultitudesofMen”inhis“Theo‐Christo‐Pneumatology:/And

variousVolumesmore.”19Fortheelegisthadcorrectlyanticipatedthattheworkby

Owenthatreaderswouldfindofmostenduringvaluewouldincludehisvolumesonthe

Trinity(alludingtothetitlesofseveralOwenworksinreferringto“Theo‐Christo‐

Pneumatology”)andtheworkofitsindividualmembers(especiallyhisChristologiaand

hismassiveworkontheHolySpirit).

AsLondonCongregationalistsreconsideredOwen’struthclaims,theirfellow

travelersinotherlocationsremainedappreciativeofhiscontribution.Owen’sworkhad

amarkedinfluenceonAmericanpuritanwriting.InNewEngland,IncreaseMatherread

Owen’sworkontheSabbath,20SamuelMatherownedseveralvolumesofhis

commentaryonHebrews,21andThomasWeldIIImayhavebeen“typical”ofcolonial

18IsabelRivers,“JohnWesleyandreligiousbiography,”BulletinofTheJohnRylandsLibraryof

Manchester85:2‐3(2003),pp.209‐226;KarlLudwigGanske,“Thereligionoftheheartand

growthingrace:JohnWesley’sselectionandeditingofpuritanliteratureforAChristianLibrary”

(unpublishedPhDthesis,UniversityofManchester,2009);IsabelRivers,“JohnWesleyaseditor

andpublisher,”inRandyL.MaddoxandJasonE.Vickers(eds),TheCambridgeCompaniontoJohn

Wesley(Cambridge:CUP,2010),pp.144‐59.

19Anonymous,Anelegyonthedeathofthatlearned,pious,andfamousdivine,DoctorJohnOvven,

whodyedthe24th.ofAugust,1683(London,1683),singlepage.

20DiarybyIncreaseMather,ed.SamuelGreen(Cambridge,MA:JohnWilson&Son,1900),pp.33‐

34.

21J.Tuttle,LibrariesoftheMathers(Worcester,MA:TheDavisPress,1910),pp.15,75.

9

clergyinincludingseveralworksbyOweninhislibraryof170volumes.22Jonathan

EdwardswasoneofOwen’smostactiveearlyAmericanreaders.Hereadandannotated

hiscopyofAnenquiryintotheorigin,nature,institution,power,orderandcommunionof

evangelicalchurches(1681),23andownedOwen’scommentaryonHebrews(1680‐88),

whichhecitedonsomethirteenoccasions,lendingseveralofitsvolumestoa

colleague.24EdwardsalsocitedOwen’sPneumatologia(1674)onsixoccasions,twicein

ReligiousAffections(1746),25andreferredtoOwen’sexpositionofPsalm130inhis

miscellanies.26EscholhadreacheditseightAmericaneditionby1771,andThedeathof

deathinthedeathofChristappearedinitsfirstAmericaneditionin1792.27

ScottishreadersalsocontinuedtoappreciateOwen’stheology,andhisworks

becameastapleoftheirreligiouspublishingindustry.AsecondeditionofAnhumble

testimonyuntothegoodnessandseverityofGodinhisdealingwithsinfulchurchesand

nations,basedonanOwensermononLuke13,appearedinGlasgowin1737,28witha

22HarryS.Stout,TheNewEnglandsoul:PreachingandreligiouscultureincolonialNewEngland

(Oxford:OUP,1986),p.91.

23CopyinFirestoneLibrary,PrincetonUniveristy;Edwards,CatalogueofBooks,ed.PeterJ.

Thuesen,TheWordsofJonathanEdwards26(NewHaven:YaleUniversityPress,2008),p.425.

24Edwards,CatalogueofBooks,TheWordsofJonathanEdwards,p.339.

25Edwards,CatalogueofBooks,TheWordsofJonathanEdwards,p.53.

26Edwards,CatalogueofBooks,TheWordsofJonathanEdwards,p.455.Edwards’useofOwenis

surveyedinAmyPlantingaPauw,Thesupremeharmonyofall:TheTrinitariantheologyof

JonathanEdwards(GrandRapids,MI:Eerdmans,2002),seeespeciallypp.7‐8.

27BibliographicaldataisdrawnfromEigtheenth‐CenturyCollectionsOnline(ECCO).

28JohnOwen,AnhumbletestimonyuntothegoodnessandseverityofGodinhisdealingwithsinful

churchesandnations:Or,Theonlywaytodeliverasinfulnationfromutterruinbyimpendent

judgments,secondedition(Glasgow,1737).

10

thirdeditionfollowingin1758.29AthirdeditionofPhronematoupneumatos,orThe

graceanddutyofbeingspirituallymindedwaspublishedinGlasgowin1756,30andwas

followedbyAdiscourseoftheworkoftheHolySpiritinprayer.31Inthesameyear,

anotherGlasgowprinterpublishedChristologia,32whichhefollowedwithThedoctrine

ofjustificationbyfaith(1760).33Therewasanotherflurryofpublishers’interestin

Owenin1772,whenMeditationsanddiscoursesonthegloryofChrist34andChristologia35

appearedinEdinburgh,andOftemptation36andThenature,power,deceit,and

prevalencyoftheremaindersofindwellingsininbelievers37appearedinPaisley.This

lattereditionmayhavebeenthatreadinJanuary1779bythewifeofanAnglicanrector:

29JohnOwen,AnhumbletestimonyuntothegoodnessandseverityofGodinhisdealingwithsinful

churchesandnations,thirdedition(Glasgow,1758).

30JohnOwen,Phronematoupneumatos,orThegraceanddutyofbeingspirituallyminded,

declaredandpracticallyimproved.Towhichisadded,ashortaccountoftheauthor'slifeand

writings,thirdedition(Glasgow,1756).

31JohnOwen,AdiscourseoftheworkoftheHolySpiritinprayer.Withabriefenquiryintothe

natureanduseofmentalprayerandforms...Towhichisadded,threeothertreatisesbythesame

author(Glasgow,1757).

32JohnOwen,Christologia;or,AdeclarationofthegloriousmysteryofthePersonofChrist,Godand

man(Glasgow,1757).

33JohnOwen,Thedoctrineofjustificationbyfaiththroughtheimputationoftherighteousnessof

Christ,explained,confirmedandvindicated(Glasgow,1760).

34JohnOwen,MeditationsanddiscoursesonthegloryofChrist(Edinburgh:JohnGray,1772).

35JohnOwen,Christologia:or,AdeclarationofthegloriousmysteryofthepersonofChrist,Godand

man(Edinburgh,1772).

36JohnOwen,Oftemptation,thenatureandpowerofit,thedangerofenteringintoit,andthe

meansofpreventingthatdanger(Paisley,1772).

37JohnOwen,Thenature,power,deceit,andprevalencyoftheremaindersofindwellingsinin

believers(Paisley,1772).

11

“Ihopetoreaditoften,thatImaytranscribeitonmymemoryandnotethemanyuseful

remarkscontainedinit.”38Meanwhile,anewvolumeofcollectedsermons,Twentyfive

discoursessuitabletotheLord'sSupper,waspublishedinGlasgowin1774andappeared

inasecondeditiononeyearlater,withaportraitofthepreacher.39Twoshort

catechisms;inwhichtheprinciplesofthedoctrineofChristareunfoldedandexplainedhad

reacheditstwelfthGlasgoweditionby1783.40ThemarketforOwenwasnowstrong

enoughtosupporttheproductionofmoredemandingwork,suchasChristology

(Glasgow,1790)41andOfcommunionwithGod(Glasgow,1792).42Pneumatologiawas

publishedinGlasgowin1791,andinasecondGlasgoweditionoftwovolumesin

1792;43in1798itappearedinFalkirkinaneditionofthreevolumes.44AneditionofA

briefdeclarationandvindicationofthedoctrineoftheTrinityappearedinGlasgowin

1798.ThesepublicationsborewitnesstoaremarkableScottishresurgenceofinterestin

Owen–anditsinfluencemayhavebeenfeltelsewhere.

Owen’sworkonecclesiologyalsobegantocirculate.Inthelateeighteenthand

earlynineteenthcentury,thesepublicationscametotheaidofthoseScottish

Presbyterianswhowereworkingtoresisttheinfluenceofpatronagewithinthe

38ThediaryofMrsArabellaDavies,latewifeoftheRev.E.Davies,A.B.,RectorofCoychurch

(London,1788),p.124.

39JohnOwen,TwentyfivediscoursessuitabletotheLord'sSupper(Glasgow,1774;seconded.,

withportrait,1775).

40JohnOwen,Twoshortcatechisms;inwhichtheprinciplesofthedoctrineofChristareunfolded

andexplained,twelfthedition(Glasgow,1783).

41JohnOwen,Christology(Glasgow,1790).

42JohnOwen,OfcommunionwithGodtheFather,Son,andHolyGhost(Glasgow,1792).

43JohnOwen,Pneumatologia(Glasgow,1791);JohnOwen,Pneumatologia,2vols(Glasgow,

1792).

44JohnOwen,Pneumatologia,3vols(Falkirk,1798).

12

establishedchurch.Aviewofthenature,order,&communionofthechurchesofChrist,as

exhibitedintheNewTestamentwas“extractedfromDr.JohnOwen'sTreatiseon

evangelicalchurches”andincluded“anappendixonScripturepresbytery”(Edinburgh,

1797).45ThesamekindsofcontextsandargumentssupportedthepublicationofThe

truenatureofaGospelchurchanditsgovernment(Glasgow,1801).46Inthe1820s,

ScottishreaderscontinuedtobeinterestedbyOwen’sworkonpracticaldivinity.An

EdinburgheditionofPhronematoupneumatos:or,Thegraceanddutyofbeing

spiritually‐mindedappearedin1820.47WilliamCollins,inGlasgow,publishedThe

nature,power,deceit,andprevalencyofindwellingsin(1825),48withasecondeditionin

1827appearingwithaprefacebyThomasChalmers.49AsChalmers’sidentificationwith

theOwencorpussuggests,Owenwasbeingco‐optedintheevangelicals’struggle

againstpatronagewithintheestablishedchurch,withaneditionofTwoquestions

concerningthepowerofthesuprememagistrateaboutreligionandtheworshipofGod,

withoneabouttithes,proposedandresolvedappearinginGlasgowin183350andextracts

fromOwenappearingasTherightofthechurch,inparticularcongregations,toappoint

andelecttheirownpastorsandelders:clearlymanifestedfromScriptureinEdinburghin

45JohnOwen,Aviewofthenature,order,&communionofthechurchesofChrist,asexhibitedinthe

NewTestament:extractedfromDr.JohnOwen'sTreatiseonevangelicalchurches.Withanappendix

onScripturepresbytery(Edinburgh,1797).

46JohnOwen,ThetruenatureofaGospelchurchanditsgovernment(Glasgow,1801).

47JohnOwen,Phronematoupneumatos:or,Thegraceanddutyofbeingspiritually‐minded:

declaredandpracticallyimproved(Edinburgh,1820).

48JohnOwen,TheNature,Power,Deceit,andPrevalencyofIndwellingSin(Glasgow,1825).

49JohnOwen,Onthenature,power,deceit,andprevalenceofindwellingsininbelievers...withan

introductoryessaybyThomasChalmers,secondedition(Glasgow,1827).

50JohnOwen,Twoquestionsconcerningthepowerofthesuprememagistrateaboutreligionand

theworshipofGod,withoneabouttithes,proposedandresolved(Glasgow,1833).

13

1841.51Owenwasnotjustbecominganevangelical–hisliterarylegacywasbeing

interpretedwithinthecontextofparticulartheologicalcontroversies.ButotherScottish

PresbyterianstheologiansfoundinOwenausefulfoil.JamesBuchanan(1804‐70)was

oneofanumberofdivineswhocontinuedtoengageinaseriouswaywithOwen’s

thinkinginhisdisputewithThomasErskineofLinlathen(1788‐1837)ontheextentof

theatonement.52Theirdebatewasfollowedupbyachapter‐lengthdiscussionofOwen’s

readingoftheatonementinJohnMcLeodCampbell’sThenatureoftheatonement

(1867):McLeodCampbelltookOwenasrepresentativeofhisagebeforedismissinghis

conclusions.53Owen,aconverttoIndependentchurchgovernment,wasbeingco‐opted

byScottishPresbyterians–andidentifiedassomeonewhoseworkothermore

progressivePresbyteriansmightneedtoresist.

ElsewhereintheBritishIsles,publishersadoptedamoreeclecticresponseto

Owen.OwenfoundnewreadersintheaftermathoftheFrenchRevolution.Theshaking

andtranslatingofheavenandearth,whichhadbeenrepublishedinEdinburghin1774,

wasreprintedinBelfastandinMonaghanin1795,andagaininBelfastin1797.54And

hisworkcontinuedtobetranslated.HiscommentaryonHebrewswastranslatedinto

DutchbySimonCommenicq,awealthymerchantinRotterdam,whocirculatedit

privately(Amsterdam,1733‐40),whileotherDutchtranslationsappearedthroughout

thenineteenthcentury.Owen’sreputationwasgrowingfarbeyondhisnativeland.

51JohnOwen,Therightofthechurch,inparticularcongregations,toappointandelecttheirown

pastorsandelders:clearlymanifestedfromScripture(Edinburgh,1841).

52NicholasR.Needham,ThomasErskineofLinlathen:HisLifeandTheology,1788‐1837

(Edinburgh:RutherfordHouse,1990),pp.186,188.

53JohnMcLeodCampbell,TheNatureoftheAtonement,secondedition(London:Macmillan,

1867),pp.50‐75.

54ThreecopiesofthistextareheldintheLinenHallLibrary,Belfast.EditionsonECCO.

14

III

ButOwenneverentirelylosthisEnglishaudience.Theslowmovetowardsrepublication

ofhisworkinEnglishcentresofprintmaysuggestthatOwen’sworkcontinuedtobe

consultedbymeansofsecond‐handcopies.Englishreadersputtheiroldercopiesof

Owentoheavyuse.Someofthemostinterestingevidenceofengagementandthe

transmissionofownershipbetweenEnglishreadersmaybefoundintextsthatareheld

intheFolgerShakespeareLibrary.ItscopyofExercitationsontheepistletotheHebrews

(1674)bearsmarksofmultipleownership:SamSewall,whomayhavepurchasedor

firstreadthevolumeinJune1688,appearstohavetransferredownershiptoAddington

DavenportbeforeSamuelEatonrecordedhispurchaseofthebookinBostoninJune

1766.HisownershipmayhavebeenfollowedbythatofS.K.Smith,whosenameis

recordedinpencilontherearofthefrontboard,andwhoseownershipdevolvedonto

DrAbbotSmith,whodonatedthetexttotheLibrary.Oneuserofthetextattemptedto

workout,onthetitlepage,howmanyyearshadpassedbetweenpublicationandhisor

herreadingofthetext–theanswerbeing166.55Similarly,theFolgercopyofOwen’s

Equiryintotheoriginal,nature,institution,power,orderandcommunionofevangelical

churches(1681)hasthearmsofJamesBengoughoftheInnerTemple,London,1702,

pastedonafly‐leaf;aninscriptionof“J.Jackson,August201803”onaninsidefront

page;andamodernstickerwith“Hollycombe”and“J.C.Hawkshaw”inscribeduponit.56

Thiscopybearsfewevidencesofusage,otherthanalarge“No!”writteninthemargin

againstOwen’sclaimthatseparationfromacongregationcouldbejustifiedinthecase

oftheimpositionoffalsedoctrineuponitsmembers.57Ofcourse,muchofthis

55Folger151.390f.

56Folger0764.

57P.332.

15

inscriptionisambiguousasevidenceofhowthetextwasused.Lessambiguous–

though,fromOwen’sperspective,rathermoreunfortunate–wasthereadingexperience

ofWilliamAbbott,who,in1697,inscribedhiscopyofΣύνεσιςπνευματική:or,The

causes,waies&meansofunderstandingthemindofGodasrevealedinhisword,with

assurancetherein(1678)withalistofbonnetsandcravats.58Similarly,theFolger’scopy

ofOwen’sfirstvolumeofthecommentaryonHebrewsisannotatedinseveralhands,

apparentlyoverseveralcenturies,withthemostrecentannotatorspending

considerableenergycomparingtheauthor’schronologicalcomputationswiththoseof

JosephMede,usingthemarginstojotdownlengthynumericaltablesandcheckson

Owen’sLatin,whilealsopreparinganadditionalcontentspageofmattersofprime

concern.59ThecopyofTheadvantageofthekingdomeofChristwhichisheldinthe

Folgerincludesaninscriptionofanexchangeofownershipbetweenfriendswhichdates

fromtheearlynineteenthcentury.60IfEnglishpublisherswereslowertoreprintOwen’s

works,therefore,itmayhavebeenbecausesomanyoftheearliereditionswere

continuingtocirculate.

ButsomeEnglishpublisherswereprovidingnewmaterial.Abiographicalnote

byEdwardWilliamsintroducedanabridgedversionofAnexpositionoftheepistletothe

Hebrews(London,1790).61Itsappearancewasperhapsmoreexplicablethanthe

republicationofΟυρανωνoυρανια,Theshakingandtranslatingofheavenandearth

(London,1793).Attheendoftheeighteenthcentury,Owenwasbecomeafeatureofthe

provincialpress,especiallyinsuchtraditionalcentresofnonconformingreligionasEast

58Folger137959q.

59Folger0753.

60Folger133‐795.5q.

61JohnOwen,AnexpositionoftheepistletotheHebrews:Withthepreliminaryexercitations,by

JohnOwen;revisedandabridged;withafullandinterestinglifeoftheauthor,acopiousindex,&c.

byEdwardWilliams,4vols(London,1790).

16

Angliaandthemidlands.AneditionofMeditationsanddiscoursesonthegloryofChrist

waspublishedinSheffieldin1792,witheditionsofPneumatologyandThereasonof

faithappearinginCoventryin1792and1799respectively.Onegenerationlater,

LondonpublishersproducedaneditionofWilliamOrme’sbiography(1820),62aswellas

textsofApracticalexpositiononPsalmCXXX(1824)63andAtreatiseontheSabbath

(1829).64Inthesameperiod,amovementawayfromhyper‐CalvinismamongEnglish

Baptistswasdubbedbyoneofitsproponentsas“Owenism”–asignaloftheextentto

whichOwen’sreputationstillfunctionedasabarometeroforthodoxywithinsome

sectionsofEnglishdissentandasametonymforamoremoderateandevangelistic

Calvinism.65

Bythemid‐nineteenthcentury,Owenwasbeingrepresentedasanexemplarfor

Victorianevangelicalism,evenbeingidentifiedwithsomeofitspeculiarities,including

itszealforthestudyofunfulfilledprophecy.In1854,ananonymouseditorpublishedan

OwensermonasPredictedeventscominguponthenationsoftheearth,andappended

thetextofAmostgloriousScriptureprophecy,byOwen’scontemporary,Christopher

Ness,inaliterarypairingwhichreflectedNess’penchantforpropheticidiosyncrasies

and,ironically,Owen’srelativedisinterestinthiskindofspeculation.66Butthose

62WilliamOrme,Memoirsofthelife,writings,andreligiousconnexions,ofJohnOwen,D.D.,Vice‐

ChancellorofOxford,andDeanofChristChurch,duringtheCommonwealth(London:T.Hamilton,

1820).

63JohnOwen,ApracticalexpositiononPsalmCXXX(London:J.Smith,1824).

64JohnOwen,AtreatiseontheSabbath(London:HatchardandSon,1829).

65JohnW.Morris,MemoirsoftheLifeandDeathoftheRev.AndrewFuller(London:Wightman

andCramp,1826);WilliamH.Goold,“Generalpreface,”inTheWorksofJohnOwen,ed.WilliamH.

Goold(Edinburgh:Johnstone&Hunter,1850‐55),1:x.

66Predictedeventscominguponthenationsoftheearth;asermonpreachedabovetwohundred

yearssince...byJohnOwen...towhichisadded,AmostgloriousScriptureprophecy,byChristopher

17

Victoriantheologianswhowishedtointerrogatetheargumentsoftheirseventeenth‐

centuryforebearscouldnotavoidhispresence.CharlesBridges,aChurchofEngland

ministerinCambridge,includedasubstantialdiscussionofOweninhistextbookonThe

Christianministry(1830).Owen,heargued,

standspreeminentamongthewritersofthisschool...HisworkontheSpirit

(thoughdiscordantinsomeparticularsfromtheprinciplesofourChurch)

embracesamostcomprehensiveviewofthisvitallyimportantsubject...for

luminousexposition,andpowerfuldefenceofScripturaldoctrine–for

determinedenforcementofpracticalobligation–forskilfulanatomyoftheself‐

deceitfulnessoftheheart–andforadetailedandwisetreatmentofthe

diversifiedexercisesoftheChristian’sheart,hestandsprobablyunrivalled.The

mixtureofhumaninfirmitywithsuchtranscendentexcellencewillbefoundin

anunhappypoliticalbias–inaninveteratedisliketoepiscopalgovernment,and

(asregardsthecharacterofhisTheology,)atoocloseandconstantendeavourto

modeltheprinciplesoftheGospelaccordingtotheproportionsofhuman

systems.Butwhowouldrefusetodigintothegoldenminefromdisgustatbase

alloy,thatwilleverbefoundtomingleitselfwiththeore?67

OtheradulationforOwenwasmoresuccinct.ForC.H.Spurgeon,pulpitheroofVictorian

London,Owenwasthe“princeofdivines.”68

Ness(London:Houlston&Stoneman,1854).SeealsoCrawfordGribben,“JohnOwen’s

eschatology,”forthcoming.

67CharlesBridges,TheChristianMinistry(sixthedition,Edinburgh:BannerofTruth,1958),pp.

40‐44.

68C.H.Spurgeon,Commentaries,*.

18

Spurgeon’saccoladecameasOwen’sstockrosewiththegeneralresurgenceof

interestinpuritanpietyandtheologywhichdrovethepublicationofalargenumberof

collectedworksprojects.ThepublicationoftheGooldeditionofOwen’sworkswaspart

ofatrendthatalsosawtheproductionofthecollectedworksofRichardBaxter,Thomas

Brooks,JohnGoodwin,ThomasGoodwin,ThomasManton,andRichardSibbes,among

others.ThisextraordinaryenthusiasmofVictorianevangelicalsforpuritanliterature

nuancesDavidBebbington’sargumentthatthereexistedadiscontinuitybetween

puritansandtheirevangelicalsuccessors.69Rather,asthisevidencesuggests,

evangelicalsinventedthecategoryof“puritan”intheirsearchforauseablepast.Infact,

thevenerationforOwenandotherpuritanworthieswassopronouncedastodrivean

extraordinaryhistoricalrevision.In1844,JohnRogersHerbert,R.A.,completedhis

famouspainting,“TheassertionoflibertyofconsciencebytheIndependentsatthe

WestminsterAssemblyofDivines.”Theimageisthebest‐knownrepresentationofthe

proceedingsoftheAssembly,butisnotableforitslackofhistoricalaccuracy.Herbert,a

converttoRomanCatholicism,wasencouragedtoworkonthepaintingbya

Congregationalminister,JamesW.Massie,whoprovidedaninitialsketchofhowthe

imagemightlook.ButHerbert’sfinalresultincludedrepresentationsofsomeofthe

mostimportantIndependentsoftheperiod,includingOwenalongsideJohnMiltonand

OliverCromwell,noneofwhomhadbeenAssemblydelegates.70Owen’sinclusionwas

morethanmerelyanachronistic.Ofcourse,hisreputationwouldsufferwiththeeclipse

ofinterestinPuritanisminthelaterVictorianperiod,but,inmid‐century,Owenwas

beingidentifiedasthesinglemostsignificanttheologianoftheperiod.Hewasthe

69DavidW.Bebbington,EvangelicalisminmodernBritain:Ahistoryfromthe1730stothe1980s

(London:Routledge,1989),pp.42‐50.

70TheexhibitedpaintingwasnoticedinTheBaptistMagazine(August1849).

19

puritanwhoseworkdefinedtheevangelicalfaith,andtheevangelicalbywhoseworkan

authenticPuritanismcouldbeidentified.

IV

Owen’scanonisationasaVictorianevangelicalexemplarwasbothacauseand

consequenceoftheeditionofhisworkseditedbyWilliamGoold(1850‐55)–anedition

that,withtheexceptionofonevolumeofwritingsinLatin,remainsinprinttothisday.

ThereadyavailabilityoftheGooldeditionperhapsdisguisestheextenttowhich,for

mostoftheperiodsincehisdeath,Englishreadershavenotbeenabletobenefitfroma

standardtextofOwen’sworks.Inthisrespect,Owen’sliteraryremainswereunlike

thoseofotherpuritanleaders,whosetheologicallegateesrapidlyproducedcomplete

editionsoftheirworks.ThomasManton’sdeath(1677)wasfollowedbythepublication

ofhiscompleteworks(1681‐91);ThomasGoodwin’sdeath(1679)wasfollowedbythe

publicationofhiscompleteworks(1681‐96);StephenCharnock’sdeath(1680)was

followedbythepublicationofhiscompleteworks(1684);JohnFlavel’sdeath(1691)

wasfollowedbythepublicationofhiscompleteworks(1701);WilliamBates’sdeath

(1699)wasfollowedbythepublicationofhiscompleteworks(1700);andJohnHowe’s

death(1705)wasfollowedbythepublicationofhiscompleteworks(1724).71Butthe

firstattempttoproduceacompletesetofOwen’sworkswasmadealmostfortyyears

afterhisdeath,in1721.TheeditorsofthisprojectwerealleminentIndependentsin

London:JohnAsty(whowrotehisbiographyfortheedition),JohnNesbitt,Matthew

Clarke,ThomasRidgley,andThomasBradbury.Theconsortiumestablishedafirm

financialfootingfortheirproject,gathering375subscribersfortheedition,including

someverydistinguishedindividuals,inasignthatOwenwasemergingfromthe

71Goold,“Generalpreface,”inTheWorksofJohnOwen,1:xi.

20

reputationaldifficultiesassociatedwithhisroleinthemid‐seventeenthcenturycrisis.

Nevertheless,theywereonlyabletoproduceoneoftheirprojectedvolumes,collecting

Owen’ssermons,tractsandOxfordorations.72Perhapsthemostsignificantcontribution

ofthiseditionwasitspromptingforJohnAstytocompletehisbiographyofOwen,a

likely“firstdraft”ofwhichisheldinmanuscriptinNewCollege,Edinburgh.73This

editioncametotheattentionofsomeimportantreadersandcollectors:thecopyofthis

editionheldintheFolgerlibrary,forexample,wasownedbytheearlofOnslow.74

Owen’scelebratorystatuswassealedintheeditionpublishedbyWilliamH.Goold,

whichgatheredalmostthreethousandsubscribers,“anumberalmostunprecedentedin

thehistoryofreligiouspublications.”75Goold’seditionwasstronglyinterventionist:he

admittedthat“thepunctuationhasundergoneathoroughrevisal,”andthat“noliberties

havebeentakenwiththetext,”butfailedtoexplainwhysometextswerepresentedin

theirsecondeditionforms,orintheirfirsteditionformbutwiththeirsecondedition

preface.76Despiteitseditorialdifficulties,anditsthematicratherthanchronological

organsation,Goold’seditionprovidedforanewappreciationofOwen’sachievements.

ForOwen’sinfluencecontinuedasevangelicalismcontinuedtodiversifythrough

thelatenineteenthandearlytwentiethcenturies.WilliamKelly,leaderamongthe

EnglishExclusiveBrethren,praisedthe“excellentandlearnedDr.JohnOwen.”77

AbrahamKuyper,theDutchtheologian,newspapereditorandprimeminister,admitted

72Goold,“Generalpreface,”inTheWorksofJohnOwen,1:xi.

73NewCollege,Edinburgh,MSComm.2;TimCooper,JohnOwen,RichardBaxterandthe

FormationofNonconformity(Aldershot:Ashgate,2011),p.259fn3.

74Folger219349.

75Goold,“Generalpreface,”inTheWorksofJohnOwen,1:xii.

76Goold,“Generalpreface,”inTheWorksofJohnOwen,1:xiii‐xiv.

77WilliamKelly,AppendixtotheNoticeoftheAchillHeraldRecollections,

http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/kelly/8_Bt/achill2.html,accessed28January2016.

21

tobeing“heavilyindebtedtoOwen”inhistheologyoftheHolySpirit.78MartynLloyd‐

Jones,whowouldbecomeoneofthemostdistinguishednonconformistpreachersofthe

mid‐twentiethcentury,wasmuchinspiredbythesecond‐handsetofOwen’sWorksthat

hewasgivenasaweddingpresentin1927.79In1949,JimElliot,duringhisstudentdays

atWheatonCollege,reflectedonOwen’sargumentsfor“effectualredemption”aspartof

hisgrowingrejectionofArminiananddispensationaltheology,andashepreparedfor

themissiontoEcuadorwhichwouldendwithhimbecomingoneofthemostfamous

evangelicalmissionarymartyrsofthetwentiethcentury.80Elliot’sdiscussionofOwen

signalstheextenttowhichmembersoftheBrethrenmovementhadpreservedan

interestinpuritanwritingswithindiscursivecommunitieswhichwereoftenisolated

fromthebroaderculturesofevangelicalism.81Elliot’sengagementwithOwenisauseful

reminderthattherevivalofCalvinistictheologyamongBritishandAmerican

evangelicalswastakingplaceafulldecadebeforethepublicationofThedeathofdeath

bytheBannerofTruthTrust(1958).82J.I.Packer,whocontributedarobustand

energeticintroductiontotheneweditionofThedeathofdeath,couldhardlyhave

anticipatedthesea‐changeinevangelicalattitudestoearlymodernReformed

scholasticismwhichheprecipitated.

78EdwinE.M.Tay,ThepriesthoodofChrist:AtonementinthetheologyofJohnOwen(1616‐1683),

StudiesinChristianHistoryandThought(MiltonKeynes:Paternoster,2014),p.3n.8.

79IainH.Murray,D.MartynLloyd‐Jones:TheFirstFortyYears,1899‐1939(Edinburgh:Bannerof

Truth,1982),pp.155‐56.

80ThejournalsofJimElliot,ed.ElizabethElliot(GrandRapids,MI:FlemingH.Revell,1978),pp.

149,294,327.

81“Exclusive”brethren,inparticular,tookanactiveinterestinthedisseminationofpuritan

literature–see,forexample,HamiltonSmith,ExtractsfromthewritingofThomasWatson(1915).

82IainH.Murray,D.MartynLloyd‐Jones:Thefightoffaith,1939‐1981(Edinburgh:Bannerof

Truth,1990),p.363.

22

Owen’sappealcontinuedasthefourhundredthanniversaryofOwen’sbirth

approached.TherevivalofinterestinOwen’sworkhasencouragedevangelical

publisherstomakeanumberofhismostimportantworksavailablein“updated

English”evenasscholarlyoutputonOwenhasblossomed.83Someentrepreneurs,

recognizinghisstatusinthenewCalvinism,haverushedtoidentifyanOwenbrand:a

briefsearchoftheinternetwilldemonstratethebroadrangeofclothesandcrockery

thatnowbearOwen’simage.ThreecenturiesafterOwenbegantoberefashionedasan

evangelical,evangelicalsareincreasinglyfashioningthemselvesinhislikeness–an

ironythatrevealsasmuchaboutthecommercialvitalityofcontemporaryreligionasit

doesaboutthemakingofOwen’sevangelicalreputation.

83See,forexample,KellyM.KapicandJustinTaylor,OvercomingSinandTemptation(Wheaton,

IL:Crossway,2006).