agreeable and useful office of seizing a few of the most interesting memoranda of his narrative, with a view to present to our readers the portrait of a man, who, with all his faults, civil or religious, was still truly "a master in Israel." But we will not take our temporary leave of our biographer without very cordially thanking him for the patience and diligent research with which he has accumulated the materials necessary to his narration. These appear to have been widely scattered, and never before to have been attempted to be collected. Several of his facts would, certainly, admit of being placed in a very different light to that which he has bestowed upon them; and some of his inferences appear to us quite gratuitous, or inconclusive. This, however, in matters that concern church principles and dissent, was to be expected; and we would rather profit from censure than grow tumid with false praise. The work is also some what heavy in the perusal, often presenting a mountain of comment for a small portion of fact. Still, with all these deductions, it is the life of no less a man than Dr. John Owen, and has been compiled, as we have stated, with diligence; and, we fully believe, with an honest, religious, and not willingly uncandid

denominated upright,' it is added, that he'feared God.' Cornelius too, although he was a stranger to the covenant, was called 'just;' but to that testimony of his faith it is also added, that he feared God.'

"The same character is given to another faithful person. Joseph, of Arimathea, has this mark of distinction: he is called just;' and immediately it follows, that he also waited for the kingdom of the Lord. The consent and harmony of Scripture language, concurring thus in so many different persons, flourishing in different periods of the world, and living under different dispensations of revealed truth, cannot be merely accidental: it leads us to conclude that none are just, in any sound sense of the word, but such as fear God and take him for the great object of their faith and hope."

purpose. A large part of the work cannot fail to interest and edify Christians of every name: whatever may be of a less valuable character we leave to float noiseless down the stream of time, or to be corrected in that world of light and truth where "we shall see and know even as we are seen and known," and where we ask for no brighter place for ourselves or our author than that which we doubt not is at the present moment the happy lot of the memorable subject of his narrative.

John Owen was born at Stadham, in the county of Oxford, in the year 1616. He was the second son of Henry Owen, a strict and zealous Puritan minister. "My father," says his son, "was a Nonconformist all his days, and a painful labourer in the vineyard of his Lord." John was educated at a private academy in Oxford, and made such rapid progress in his studies that he was qualified for the university at twelve years of age, and was actually admitted at Queen's college, Oxford, at that early period of life. At college he studied mathematics and philosophy for profit, and music for recreation. So ardent were his literary pursuits that for several years he allowed himself only four hours sleep in the twenty-four. He at a later period of life, declared that he would gladly relinquish all the learning he had acquired in younger life by sitting up late at study, if he could but regain the health he had lost by the practice. His constitution

was, however,

originally so sound and vigorous that he does not appear for many years to have felt the natural consequences of his inordinate application. When fatigued with study, he recreated himself with his flute, or invigorated his frame with robust exercises, such as leaping, throwing the bar, and bell-ringing; diversions which our author appears somewhat fearful should derogate from the dignity of his young hero; and which he takes the tempting opportunity of contrasting with "fashionable

levities and amusements," for the purpose, it would seem, of adding the tasteful remark, that "it is much more gratifying to see the academic robes waving in the wind than shining at the midnight dance, or adorning the front ranks of a theatre."

Without detaining our readers to settle the knotty litigation between bell-ropes and quadrilles, we hasten to inform them, that the youthful

student took his bachelor of arts' degree in 1632, and his master's in 1635, being then only nineteen years of age. The circumstance furnishes a bait for the remark, that to be designated a Master of Arts, in those days, was more declarative of learning and diligence than it has since become;" an assertion of the truth of which, in the present improved state of Oxford studies, we are by no means convinced ;but it serves with "academic robes shining in the midnight dance," to help to load the scale; and, where a good bite cannot be obtained, a nibble is not to be despised.

During this period of his life, Dr. Owen seems to have been scarcely, if at all, influenced by strict religious principle. His whole ambition, as he afterwards acknowledged, was to raise himself to some eminent station in society, but whether in the church or the state was to him at that time a matter of indifference. The great change which took place in his sentiments and character, is described as follows by his biographer.

"Previously to his leaving the university, which took place in his twenty-first year, he appears to have become the subject of religious convictions. By what means these were produced, it is now impossible to ascertain. He had received a religious education in his father's house; and early impressions then made may have been revived and deepened by circumstances which afterwards occurred. The impressions were very powerful, and appear to have deeply affected his mind, and even his health. The course of spi

ritual conflict through which he passed, undoubtedly fitted him for what he was to do at a future period; and probably his soul which runs through all his writinfused that tone of spiritual feeling into ings. The words of the Apostle are no less applicable to mental than to bodily sufferings; who comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.' If the spiritual physician knows nothing, from experience, of

the malady of the patient, he is but imperfectly qualified to administer relief.

"As it was while under these religious convictions that Owen left the university, and as they chiefly led to this event, it is necessary to notice the circumstances which occasioned it. For several years things had been gradually coming to a crisis between the court and the country. The aggressions of the of the latter, had become so numerous, former on the civil and religious liberties and so flagrant, as to occasion a very general spirit of discontent. In an evil day, Charles had advanced to the primacy of England William Laud, a man of un doubted talents and learning, but of high monarchical principles; fond of pomp and ceremony; and, though no friend to the pope at Rome, having little objection to be pope in England. His arbitrary conduct in the star chamber, his passion for ceremony in the church, and his love of Arminianism in the pulpit, hastened his own fate, and promoted that of his master. The best of the clergy were either silenced, or obliged to leave the country. High churchmen were engrossing almost every civil as well as ecclesiastical office, to the disappointment of many, and to the vexation of all.

"The same year, 1637, that produced the celebrated resistance of Hampden to illegal taxation, drove Owen from Oxford, in consequence of the ecclesiastical tyranny of Laud. Among the other situations which that ambitious churchman had monopolized was that of chancellor of Oxford. In virtue of his office he caused a new body of statutes to be drawn up for the university; in the preface to which he clearly intimates that he considered the days of Mary better than those of Edward. In these statutes, obedience to some superstitious rites was required of the members of the university, on pain of being expelled. Though the mind of Owen was not sufficiently enlightened to

see the glory of the Gospel, his conscience was brought so far under the authority of Divine revelation, that he could not submit to these human exactions. On the one side lay all his worldly prospects, on the other the approbation of Heaven. He had the faith and courage to embrace the choice of Moses; and relinquished the pleasures of the world, rather than sacrifice the honour of his God.

"This change of feeling and sentiment was soon discovered by his former friends; who, as usually happens in such cases, forsook the man whom neither the king nor the primate would delight to honour. The result of his refusing to submit, and of the opposition of Laud's party, was his leaving the university, never to return, until He who disposes equally the lot of nations and of individuals sent Haman [Laud] to a scaffold, and raised Mordecai [Owen] to fill his place. During this struggle, the mind of Owen appears to have been in awful spiritual perplexity: this, combined with his external circumstances, and the discouraging prospects which were presented, threw him into a state of profound melancholy. For a quarter of a year he avoided almost all intercourse with men; could scarcely be induced to speak; and, when he did say any thing, it was in so disordered a manner as rendered him a wonder to many." pp. 15-18.

There is much in this extract that would furnish ample range for comment, if we had not determined to restrict ourselves, especially in the article of animadversion. We admire the spirit and the proceedings of Laud as little as our author; but the remark about the Almighty sending him to the scaffold, and raising Mordecai to fill his place, might very well have been spared. Laud's arbitrary conduct was certainly well calculated to drive a young man of spirit into voluntary banishment from the bosom of his no longer alma mater; but we are not prepared to justify, to its extent, the abstract principle upon which Owen is elsewhere stated to have acted on this occasion. He does not seem to have objected against a rite or ceremony that it was wrong or unprofitable in itself, but simply that it was enjoined by authority. But if

a law, civil or ecclesiastical, be good, (we do not mean that all the laws of that day were so,) we cannot discern any shadow of reason why its merely being a law should render it an act of duty to disobey it. The whole spirit both of the Old and New Testament bends the opposite way, rendering obedience to public authority the rule, and dissent only the exception; an exception never to be admitted without adequate reason, deducible from the individual circumstances of the case. If a hood or a surplice, a square cap or a cassock, was made the subject of authoritative legislation, conformity became a duty, unless specific cause for non-conformity could be shewn from the impropriety of the enactment. We wish that public authorities had always employed themselves better than in such insect labours; but it must be either a very narrow conscience, or a very proud spirit, that for mere trifles will violate the laws of the land, or the unity of the church of Christ. "Whereas God created man's head round, the universities have invented to themselves a square cap," might be a very good reason for procuring an alteration of the academic fashion, but was a poor plea for a national feud. We however cannot but give Dr. Owen credit for more than he was willing to receive credit for; believing as we do that the broad principle of Independency was his last discovery, and that the real original cause of his Non-conformity was the exceptionable character, as he conceived, of some of the impositions attempted to be laid upon him, and not the unlawfulness of all public ecclesiastical regulations abstractedly considered. He first dissented in detail, and found the abstract reason afterwards. One point, however, is clear, that, in the first instance at least, he sacrificed his worldly interests by the step which he took; and we are therefore bound to conclude that

his conduct was the result of principle, and indicated an honourable, however mistaken, determination of character. He certainly could not at that time have anticipated that this very step would, a few years after, conduct him to the deanery of Christ-church, and the vice-chancellorship of the university which he thus exprobrated and forsook.

Before leaving college, Owen received holy orders from Dr. Bancroft, bishop of Oxford, and nephew to the celebrated Archbishop of that name. On his retirement, he lived for some time in the family of Sir Robert Dormer of Ascot, in Oxfordshire, as chaplain and tutor to his son. He afterwards became chaplain to Lord Lovelace of Hurby in Berkshire, who, on the breaking out of the civil war, embraced the cause of the king, and Owen that of the parliament, which caused their separation. Owen's uncle, a zealous royalist, from whom his nephew had considerable expectations, was so incensed at the young man's conduct, that he bequeathed his property in another quarter.

It was one of the many unhappy circumstances of those anomalous times, that religion and politics were most strangely and unnaturally blended together; besides which, the dissensions of the realm were carried into every village and family, separating the dearest friends and connexions, and forcing even those who were most averse to political strife, to make choice between the contending parties, and to be prepared for the consequences of their election. Looking back, in the calm sunshine of public tranquillity, to those days of perturbation and disaster, it is difficult to enter fully into the feelings peculiar to such a period; and we are therefore often disposed to throw more blame on the conduct of individuals on either side, than, under all the conflicting circumstances of the case, it perhaps deserved. Our author has, upon the whole, not

unfairly stated the dilemma to which such men as Owen were unavoidably reduced.—

pecially to those who possessed rank or Neutrality was scarcely possible, esheld office in the country. Those who joined the king were counted enemies to the liberty of England: those who joined the parliament were reckoned enemies to legitimate authority. Politics, however unfriendly to the growth of religion, required to be studied, that the subject might know his duty. All the Non-conHouse of Commons, as they saw clearly formists naturally took part with the that nothing short of their ruin was determined by the king. Most of those who wished well to true religion, though attached to the church, acted in the same manner, as it was evident that religion was more at heart with the parliamentary party than with the king's. The friends pular side of the constitution, against the of liberty, of course, supported the poencroachments of prerogative. It is exceedingly unfair to charge those who acted in this manner with rebellion. The House of Commons forms an essential part of the British Constitution, as well as the monarch. At this lamentable peitself. War was openly maintained on riod, the constitution was divided against both sides, between the king and the parliament. Liberty and redress were the professed objects of the one party, power that of the other. If you took part with the king, you were liable to be punished by the parliament; and, if you supported the parliament, you were in danger from the wrath of the king. So long as the constitution was thus divided, no man could be justly chargeable with crime, in following either the one party or the other, as his conscience dictated." pp. 25, 26.

Whether, however, notwithstanding these circumstances, it was quite necessary for Owen, as a minister of Christ, to enter so fully as he did into the disputes of the age, we shall not pause to inquire: we certainly believe him to have been fully entitled to the praise of sincerity; and we are quite ready to admit, that though many who joined the side of the Puritans, were men of factious temper, anarchists in politics and hypocrites in religion, there were others, of whom doubtless Dr. Owen was one, of a