Owen, notwithstanding his services, was persecuted from place to place, which perpetual trouble inclined him to think of leaving his native country, having received an invitation from his brethren in New England to go thither; and in 1665 he made preparations for that voyage: but the providence of God diverted him from that purpose: for now the dreadful plague begun, which swept away above one hundred thousand; and the lamentable fire broke out in our metropolis, that consumed so great a part of it. The Doctor, who had lived privately in London for some years, went to visit his old friends at Oxford, and to attend some affairs of his own estate not far from thence; but, notwithstanding all his privacy, he was observed, and intelligence was given of the very house where he lay: upon which some troopers came and knocked at the door; the mistress of the house came down and boldly opened the door, asking, "What they would have?" "Who thereupon enquired of her, "Whether she had any lodgers in her house?" Instead of giving a direct answer to the question, she asked, "Whether they were seeking for Doctor Owen ?" "Yes," said they; she told them, "He went from my house this morning betimes." Then they immediately rode away in the mean time the Doctor, who she really thought had been gone, (as he told her he intended) arose and went into a field near the house, whither he ordered his horse to be brought, and then rode to London. Fresh invitations were now given him to go to New England, but he had too great a love for his native country, to quit it so long as there was any opportunity of being serviceable here; whilst the liberty which had been granted to Dissenters continued, he was assiduous in preaching; and it was no small encouragement that now the people who had been awakened by the several judgements that they had felt, and convinced of the peacefulness of the nonconformists, of enemies now became their friends and advocates; being ready to protect those whom they used to persecute. Now the Doctor had sciences towards God; and though he had sufficient reason at that time to make his proposal for such Protestants, yet he did it not then, or at any time, with any design of severity on others, nor would give so much as any tacit consent to the persecuting of any peaceable persons for the profession of their faith, and their worshipping of God according to their consciences. opportunity opportunity of preaching publicly, and setting up a lecture, to which many persons of quality and eminent citizens resorted; and his time was filled up with other useful studies, which produced several valuable books, both learned and practical. In 1668 he published his excellent exposition of the cxxxth Psalm. It was calculated for the service of poor distressed souls in their depths of spiritual trouble; there he has treated largely of Gospel forgiveness; and in the whole he has with all plainness, yet with a most penetrating spiritual judgement, consulted the relief of such souls, who of all persons in the world stand most in need of compassion; and we shall only add, that it is a book that has been blessed for the advantage and comfort of many, and ever grateful to the spiritual taste of all good persons. In this year also he published the first volume of his exposition on the Epistle to the Hebrews, and the three others followed in their order, the last coming out in 1684. It is not easy for us to give a full account of the value and usefulness of this work: it is filled with a great variety of learning, particularly rabbinical, which he has made serviceable to give light into the subject matter chiefly treated of in this Epistle; and withall he has taken care to adapt his exposition to the service of the faith and comfort of Christians, and to recommend the practice of the substantial duties of religion, so that it is hard to say. whether the scholar or the divine shine brightest, through this excellent work. Besides the exposition itself there are very learned and accurate exercitations, which serve to illustrate many difficult parts of Scripture, and to answer the design of the whole work; we shall observe. farther, that here the Doctor has enumerated all the arguments, and answered all the main objections of the Socinians, overthrown entirely their whole scheme, and driven them out of the field; so that whoever reads this work needs scarcely any other for the assailing of their pernicious errors. About the sitting of the parliament, November, 1669, Samuel Parker wrote his "Discourse of Ecclesiastical Polity;" and the "Power of the Civil Magistrate in the Matters of Religion." To this Dr. Owen wrote an answer. Afterwards Andrew Marvell wrote against Parker's book in a very witty and satirical way. There was nothing done this session of parliament against against the Dissenters, but at their next meeting they drew up a severer bill than ever, which with some difficulty was at length past: when the bill was sent up to the lords and debates arose upon it, the Doctor was desired to draw up some reasons against it in the intended severity of it: he did so and it was laid before the lords by several eminent citizens and gentlemen of distinction. This paper is called, "The State of the Kingdom, with respect to the present Bill against Conventicles;" but it did not prevail: the bill was carried and past into an act; all the bishops were for it but two, viz. Doctor Wilkins, bishop of Chester, and Doctor Rainbow, bishop of Carlisle, whose names ought to be mentioned with honour for their great moderation. This was executed with severity to the utter ruin of many persons and families. His "Discourse concerning the Holy Spirit," which he published in 1678, comes next under our particular observation; "It is a subject very difficult to manage, being in itself abstruse and mysterious, (as he himself observes in the preface,) and besides the opposition to it has been carried on with much scorn and public contempt." At that time the opposition to the Deity, and personality of the Holy Ghost, and all his operations with respect to the new creation, rose to a very great height, and happy it was for the church of God, that this excellent person was raised up, who was so well fitted to explain and defend this doctrine. We cannot but observe, that this learned and judicious person has not only fully vindicated the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and his operations from the cavil of adversaries, and the contempt of profane men, but he has suited his discourse (as he tells us) to the edification of them that believe, and directed it to their furtherance in spiritual obedience and true holiness. Thus we see with what faithfulness and diligence this great man employed his excellent talents for the service of the church; he was frequently writing some book or other that might contribute to that noble design: and though it might seem too tedious in the history of his life to take notice of every one of them, yet we judge it very necessary to illustrate his character in giving a particular account of those which have deservedly gained a great interest in the esteem of learned and good men. Among which we must reckon that incomparable treatise he published in 1677, entitled "The Doctrine of Justification by Faith through the Imputation Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ explained, confirmed, and vindicated;" wherein he has pursued a method and design that required a more than ordinary judgement and skill. In this performance he has avoided the unprofitable jangling of perverse disputation, wherewith this doc trine of Justification has been generally perplexed, and all reflections on persons that differ from him. It was not possible the real worth of so excellent a person should be concealed; and in many instances his reputation shone with such lustre as drew the admiration and respect of several persons of honour and quality upon him, who much delighted in his conversation; particularly the earl of Orrery, the earl of Anglesea, lord Willoughby of Parham, lord WIrton, lord Berkley, sir John Trevor, one of the principal secretaries of state; and even king Charles himself, and the duke of York paid a particular respect to him. When the Doctor was drinking the waters at Tunbridge, the duke of York being there, sent for him into his tent, and several discourses passed between them about the Dissenters and conventicles; and after he returned to London, the king himself sent for him, and discoursed with him about two hours together, assuring him of his favour and respect, and telling him, he might have access to him, as he would. At the same time the king was pleased to assure the Doctor how much he was for liberty of conscience, and how sensible he was of the wrong that had been done to the Dissenters; and as a testimony hereof gave him a thousand guineas to distribute among those who had suffered most by the late severities. The Doctor could do no less than thankfully accept his majesty's generosity, and did faithfully apply it to that purpose. When this was known, a clamour arose, among the churchmen, who reported he was in pension, to serve the Papal interest; but the Doctor to wipe off this vile aspersion, declares solemnly, in his preface to the first part of his " Evangelical Churches," "That never any person in authority, dignity, or power in this nation, nor any one that had any relation to public affairs, nor any of the Papists or Protestants did ever speak one word to him, or advise with him about any indulgence or toleration to be granted unto Papists, and challenges all the world to prove the contrary if they can." The Doctor had some friends also among the bishops, particularly Doctor Wilkins, bishop of Chester, who was very cordial in his respects to him, and Dr. Barlow, formerly his tutor, then bishop of Lincoln. VOL. III.-No. 71. 3 $. It It is not to be wondered that a life filled up with so many labours should decline under the weight of infirmities which now began to grow upon him. Some few years before he died he was often ill, and sometimes confined to his bed or chamber, whereby he was taken off in a great measure from his ministerial function, but not altogether disabled from serving the church of God; and whenever he was able to sit up, he would be continually writing, when not prevented by company, and several excellent books were composed by him, which might deserve a particular notice but our limits will not allow us to enlarge, and therefore we refer the reader to his works. The time now drew near when he must die, and after all his labours and sufferings enter into the joy of his Lord. His infirmities of body grew on him apace, which obliged him to retire into the country for the benefit of the air. He went to Kensington and lived there some time. One day as he was coming from thence to London in the Strand two informers seized upon his coach and horses, upon which a mob gathered about him the providence of God so ordered it, that sir Edmund Bury Godfrey came by at that time, and seeing a mob, asked what was the matter? and being a justice of the peace, he ordered the informers and Dr. Owen to meet him at a justice of the peace's house near Bloomsbury Square upon a day appointed, and he would get some other of his brethren to be there to hear the cause: they met accordingly, and sir Edmund being in the chair, upon examining the whole matter they found the informers, had acted so very illegally, that they discharged the Doctor, and severely reprimanded them; after which he was no more disturbed by them. From Kensington he went to Ealing, where he had a house of his own; in which he finished his course. During which time he employed his thonghts in the contemplation of the other world, as one that was draws ing nearer to it every day; which produced his "Meditations on the Glory of Christ;" in which he breathed out the devotion of a soul that was growing continually into the tem per of the heavenly state. He died August 24, 1683*, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. Dr. A Correspondent has favoured me with an anecdote of the Doctor which transpired on the day of his death, and which I shall give in his own words. Old Mr. Humphreys, of Colchester, but originally from |