Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 42.djvu/433

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Owen
427
Owen

interred on 4 Sept., with many tokens of public respect, in Bunhill Fields, his funeral sermon being preached by David Clarkson [q. v.] His library was sold by auction on 6 May 1684.

Owen married twice. By his first wife (married at Fordham, died 1676) he had eleven children, all of whom died in his lifetime. By his second wife (who survived him), Dorothy, widow of Thomas D'Oyley of Chiselhampton, near Stadhampton, married at London, by license, dated 21 June 1677, he had no children. She brought him a considerable fortune, which enabled him to keep his carriage and a villa, first at Kensington, and afterwards at Ealing.

Owen was a tall and strong man, the dignity of whose appearance was not diminished by a slight scholar's stoop. His somewhat irregular features were animated by a smile of extreme sweetness. Portraits of him, by Ryley, are in the Baptist College, Bristol, and the Lancashire Independent College; another, by an unknown painter, is in the National Portrait Gallery, London: this has been engraved in line for Thane's series of historical portraits. For other engravings see his ‘Sermons,’ ed. 1721, fol., and the collective editions of his works, Palmer's ‘Nonconformists' Memorial,’ and Middleton's ‘Biographia Evangelica’ (cf. Bromley, Cat. of Portraits, p. 137).

Owen ranks with Baxter and Howe among the most eminent of puritan divines. A trenchant controversialist, he distinguished himself no less by temperateness of tone than by vigour of polemic. His learning was vast, various, and profound, and his mastery of calvinistic theology complete. On the other hand, his style is somewhat tortuous and his method unduly discursive, so that his works are often tedious reading. His only essay in elegant scholarship consists of some poor elegiacs in Cromwell's honour, published in the ‘Musarum Oxoniensium Ἐλαιοφόρια’ in 1654.

The ‘Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ,’ which he was revising at the time of his death, appeared at London in two parts; pt. i. in 1684 (fol.), and pt. ii. in 1691 (fol.). Both parts were reprinted in one volume in 1696, 8vo; 2nd edit. 1717, 12mo; later reprints Glasgow, 1790; Sheffield, 1792, 8vo; London, 1830? and 1856? 8vo. A manuscript, ‘Answer unto Two Questions; with Twelve Arguments against any Conformity to Worship not of Divine Institution,’ found among his papers upon his death, fell into Baxter's hands, and occasioned his ‘Catholick Communion defended,’ 1684. The tract thus answered before it was printed was first published in 1720 (London, 8vo). Other posthumous works appeared at London as follows: ‘The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ unfolded in two short Catechismes,’ 1684, 12mo; ‘A Treatise on the Dominion of Sin and Grace,’ 1688 (Edinburgh, 1739, 12mo); ‘The True Nature of a Gospel Church and its Government,’ 1689, 4to; ‘A Guide to Church Fellowship and Order according to the Gospel-Institute,’ 1692, 12mo; ‘Two Discourses concerning the Holy Spirit and His Work—the one of the Spirit as a Comforter, the other as He is the Author of Spiritual Gifts,’ 1693 (Glasgow, 1792), 8vo [see Clagett, William]; ‘The Gospel Grounds and Evidences of the Faith of God's Elect,’ 1709, 8vo; Twenty-five Discourses suitable to the Lord's Supper,’ ed. R. Winter, 1760 (Leeds, 1806), 12mo.

Owen's ‘Works’ (including, however, only the Χριστολογία, the treatises on communion with God, sin, temptation, the death of Christ, and the ‘Display of Arminianism’) and sermons (including tracts, Latin orations during his vice-chancellorship, with his ‘Life’ by Asty) were published at London in 1721, 2 vols. fol. Two collective editions, including sermons, appeared during the nineteenth century: (1) by T. Russell, with ‘Life’ by W. Orme, London, 1826, 28 vols. 8vo (the last seven volumes being the ‘Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews,’ ed. Orme); (2) by W. H. Goold, with ‘Life’ by A. Thomson, London, 1850–5, 24 vols. 8vo.

Particular treatises have appeared, where not otherwise specified, at London, as follows:

  • ‘Certaine Treatises formerly published at severall times now reduced into One Volume, viz. (i.) “A Display of the Errours of the Arminians concerning Free-will;” (ii.) “A Treatise of the Redemption and Reconciliation that is in the Blood of Christ;” (iii.) “The Duty of Pastors and People distinguished,”’ 1649, 4to.
    1. ‘Eshcol,’ 1655? 1700, 1764, 12mo.
    2. ‘Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers,’ 1668, 1783, 12mo; and in John Wesley's ‘Christian Library,’ vol. x. 1820, 8vo.
    3. ‘The Nature, &c., of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers,’ 1675, 1792, 1805, 1826, 12mo; Paisley, 1772, 12mo; Glasgow, 1825, 12mo.
    4. ‘A Brief Declaration and Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity,’ 1676, 1719, 8vo.
    5. Θεολογούμενα Παντοδαπά, Bremen, 1684, 4to.
    6. ‘A Brief Instruction in the Worship of God and Discipline of the Churches of the New Testament,’ 1688, 8vo.
    7. ‘Meditations and Discourses of the Glory of Christ,’ 1717, 1830? 12mo; Glasgow, 1790, 8vo; Sheffield, 1792, 8vo; Edinburgh, 1856? 8vo.
    8. ‘Salus Electorum Sanguis Jesu,’