# Sacramental Discourses of John Owen



## Peter (Feb 19, 2006)

http://ccel.org/ccel/owen/discourses.pdf

These quotes are extracted from the 2nd discourse
"You all along know that I do not intend these objects of faith [the body and blood -1Cor 10:16] as the ultimate object, "” for it is the person of Christ that faith rests in, "” but those immediate objects that faith is exercised about, to bring it to rest in God. It is exercised about the manner of this separation; that is, the blood of Christ comes to be distinct by being shed, and the body of Christ comes to be separate by being bruised and broken. All the instituted sacrifices of
old did signify this, "” a violent separation of body and blood: the blood was let out with the hand of violence, and so separated; and then sprinkled upon the altar, and then towards the holy place; and then the body was burned distinct by itself. So, the apostle tells us, it is "œthe cup which we
bless, and the bread which we break;" the cup is poured out, as well as the bread broken, to remind faith of the violent separation of the body and blood of Christ."

"Faith considers the cause whence it was that Christ was thus given up, the eternal love of God; the procuring cause was our own sins: and if once faith takes a view of sin as that which hath nailed Christ to the cross, it will have a blessed effect on the soul. And it considers the efficient cause; which is the justice and righteousness of God: the law of God was the instrument in the hand of righteousness, which was holpen on by those outward instruments who had a hand in his suffering,
but none in his sacrifice."

"Upon all these accounts have we special communion with Christ in this ordinance. There is none of them but I might easily enlarge upon, but I name these heads: and my design is, to help my own faith and yours from roving in the administration of this ordinance, or from a general acting
of itself, "” to fix it to that which is its particular duty; that we may find no weariness nor heaviness in the administration. Here in these things is there enough to entertain us for ever, and to make them new and fresh to us. But while we come with uncertain thoughts, and know not what to direct our faith to act particularly upon, we lose the benefit of the ordinance."

Interestingly, he does mention a covenantal renewal aspect of the Lord's Supper in the 2nd discourse yet not nearly as emphasized as some would have.

[Edited on 2-19-2006 by Peter]

[Edited on 2-19-2006 by Peter]


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