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John Owen was a preeminently princely writer and
student
of God's word
amongst the princely Puritans.
His principal fame is as a Covenant Theologian, yet
he shows some unusual inconsistency in considering the land covenant.
It must be remembered he viewed Israel as, "the whole of it being at this day one of the most contemptible provinces of the Turkish empire". It must also be remembered that the land covenant was very much out of his focus of interest, in his combatting deadly errors of Socianism and the leaven of Arminianism.
Nevertheless this notable inconsistency in such a thorough and thoughtful theologian reveals a remarkable and perhaps foundational weakness in his approach to one of his favourite themes - the covenant of God's grace.
The essential question: What is the present status of the land promises to the patriarchs?
Five views to be found in Owen's writings: (with textual support for each given below)
1 A temporary blessing attached to and conditioned on adherence to the covenant of works, irrevocably annulled with Christ's advent.
2 A typical representation of the covenant of grace, which as part of old dispensation which point to the Covenant of Grace was temporary and is now replaced by a better more substantial fulfilment: like priestly garments, or circumcision or Passover.
3 A sacramental (almost in a Roman sense) token of better things to come, the immediate object for exercise of faith that brings salvation. More than a symbol to be replaced.
4 A place for return after future repentance even after the the Emmanuel's incarnation, which if it were a symbol or even a superceded but efficacious sacrament is similar to reinstitution of circumcision, passover or Levitical garments amongst Gentile believers
5 Return to the land possible prior to salvation. Implying that land possession is not a consequence of New Covenant's execution but may be part of its foundation.
These five propositions form Owen's mutual contradictory, albeit overlapping, positions on the Land Covenant.
1 A temporary blessing attached to and
conditioned
on adherence to the covenant of works, irrevocably annulled with
Christ's
advent.
17 Ex 16:459
4. When God took the Jews to be his people, he did it by a special
and solemn covenant. In this covenant he gave them promises, which were
all made good unto them unto the utmost date and expiration of it in
the
coming of the Messiah.
[3 terms]
17 Ex 16:460
Where is now the covenant of the land of Canaan? Was it to be
absolutely
everlasting? Whence comes it to pass that the great promise of it doth
utterly fail? Was it to expire? What period can be assigned unto its
duration
but only that of the coming of the Messiah,
461
and the establishment of a new covenant in him? Is not the denial
hereof
the ready way to make the men of the world turn atheists, and to look
upon
the scriptures of the Old Testament as a mere fable, when they shall be
taught that the promises contained in it were but conjectures,
deceitful
words, that came to nothing?
17 Ex 16:466
From what hath been discoursed, it doth sufficiently appear that the
state and condition of the Jews hath been such in the world for these
sixteen
hundred years as manifests the end of their special covenant to be long
since come
23:78-9
"the grant of this land ... had a season limited unto it"
'Upon the expiration of that term, their right and title unto it were
cancelled and disannulled'
Nor have the present Jews any more or better title unto the land of
Canaan than unto any other country in the world. Nor shall their title
be renewed there unto upon their conversion unto God.
For the limitation of their right was unto that time wherein it was
typical of the heavenly inheritance: that now ceasing for ever, there
can
be no especial title unto it revived. And we see herein,
"The covenant rest of God in Christ was in that promise"
Often contesting Grotius' serious error that mere possession of the
land was entire scope of the promise.
As though the birth of Isaac by itself was an entire and sufficient
fulfilment of God's promise.
Or Goodwin's view that the return to the land was the entire scope
and substance of the promises of perseverance,as opposed to eternal
perseverance.
2 A typical representation of the
covenant
of grace, which as part of old dispensation which point to the Covenant
of Grace was temporary and is now replaced by a better more substantial
fulfilment: like priestly garments, or circumcision or Passover.
11:292, 20:320, 22.398, 22:400, 23:78-79, 23:121
3 A sacramental (almost in a Roman sense)
token
of better things to come, the immediate object for exercise of
faith
that brings salvation. More than a symbol about to be replaced.
20:291-2
4 A place for return after future
repentance
even after Emmanuel's incarnation, which if it land possession were a
mere
symbol or even a superceded but efficacious sacrament of Heaven would
be
similar to reinstitution of circumcision, passover or Levitical
garments
amongst Gentile believers.
17 Ex18:573 (Point 5), 17 Ex18:560
Return they shall to their own land, to enjoy it for a quiet and
everlasting
possession, their adversaries being destroyed; filled they shall be
also
with the light and knowledge of the will and worship of God, so as to
be
a guide and blessing unto the residue of the Gentiles who shall seek
after
the Lord; and, it may be, be intrusted with great empire and rule
in the world. The most of these things are foretold concerning them,
not only in their own prophetical writings, but also by the divine
writers
of sundry books of the New Testament. But all this, we say, must come
to
pass when the veil shall be taken from before their eyes, and when
"they
shall look on him whom they have pierced," and joyfully receive him
whom they have sinfully rejected for so many generations.
5 Return to the land possible prior to
salvation.
Implying that land possession is not a consequence of New Covenant's
execution
but may be part of its foundation.
17 Ex18:560 Jews objections answered
10. Moreover, it is granted that there shall be a time and season,
during the continuance of the kingdom of the Messiah in this world,
wherein
the generality of the nation of the Jews, all the world over, shall be
called and effectually brought unto the knowledge of the Messiah, our
Lord
Jesus Christ; with which mercy they shall also receive deliverance from
their captivity, restoration unto their own land, with a blessed,
flourishing,
and happy condition therein. I shall not here engage into a
confirmation
of this concession or assertion.
If repentance is a necessary precondition to land possession, is man glorified?