the

WORKS

of

JOHN OWEN, D.D.

edited by

THE REV. WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D.,

edinburgh

VOL. XV

EDINBURGH:

T. & T. CLARK, 38, GEORGE STREET

london: hamilton, adams, and co. dublin: john robertson

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mdccclxii

Contents of Vol. XV

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A Discourse Concerning Liturgies, and Their Imposition.

Prefatory Note by the Editor

CHAPTER I

The state of the Judaical church—The liberty given by Christ; 1. From the arbitrary impositions of men; 2. From the observances and rites instituted by Moses—The continuance of their observation, in the patience and forbearance of God—Difference about them stated—Legal righteousness and legal ceremonies contended for together; the reason of it.

CHAPTER II

The disciples of Christ taken into his own disposal—General things to be observed about gospel institutions—Their number small—Excess of men’s inventions—Things instituted brought into a religious relation by the authority of Christ—That authority is none other—Suitableness in the matter of institutions, to be designed to their proper significancy—That discoverable only by infinite wisdom—Abilities given by Christ for the administration of all his institutions—The way whereby it was done, Eph. 4:7, 8—Several postulata laid down—The sum of the whole—State of our question in general

CHAPTER III

Of the Lord’s prayer, and what may be concluded from thence as to the invention and imposition of liturgies in the public worship of God—The liberty whereunto Christ vindicated and wherein he left his disciples

CHAPTER IV

Of the worship of God by the apostles—No liturgies used by them, nor in the churches of their plantation—Argument from their practice—Reasons pleaded for the use of liturgies: disabilities of church-officers for gospel administration to the edification of the church; uniformity in the worship of God—The practice of the apostles as to these pretences considered—Of other impositions—The rule given by the apostles—Of the liturgies falsely ascribed unto some of them

CHAPTER V

The practice of the churches in the first three centuries as to forms of public worship—No set forms of liturgies used by them—The silence of the first writers concerning them—Some testimonies against them

CHAPTER VI

The pretended antiquity of liturgies disproved—The most ancient—Their variety—Canons of councils about forms of church administrations—The reasons pleaded in the justification of the first invention of liturgies answered—Their progress and end

CHAPTER VII

The question stated—First argument against the composing and imposing of liturgies—Arbitrary additions to the worship of God rejected—Liturgies not appointed by God—Made necessary in their imposition, and a part of the worship of God—Of circumstances of worship—Instituted adjuncts of worship not circumstances—Circumstances of actions, as such, not circumstances of worship—Circumstances commanded made parts of worship—Prohibitions of additions produced, considered, applied

CHAPTER VIII

Of the authority needful for the constituting and ordering ...