A Complete Christian Dictionary, Dictionary · Part OP
O P.
Open]
Is all one with Manifest, evident, plain, cleer. … put for whole, Isa. 9. 12. marg. Face, Ezek. 29. 5. marg. Openings, 1 King. 6. 18, 29, 32.
An open dore]
;;The liberty and faculty which is given to the Church for preaching pure doctrine, exerciseing sound worship, and an holy disciplin, with great readinesse and joy, both of Ministers and People. Revel. 3. 8. I have set before thee an open dore. Some do too narrowly restrain this to the preaching of the gospel onelyonly, which indeed is a dore, whereby an entrance is given into heaven. It is better more largely to take it, for the joyning together of word, worship, discipline, zeal of Ministers, Magistrates, and people. When all this meets (as in the Church of Philadelphia it did) there in a large and ready way for piercing into mens consciences.
Open …]
;;The parting of the firmament. Act. 7. 56. He saw the Heavens open.
Open]
Heb. 6. 6. put him to an open shame, To make him a mocking stock to all the world. Jones.
To open]
;;To unlock something shut up and lockt fast from us, Act. 16. 26.
;;2. To give unto us what we desire in prayer: Thus God openeth to us. Matth. 7. 7. Knock, and it shall be opened.
;;3. To let in and receive Christ, to dwel in our hearts by faith. Thus we open unto Christ. Rev. 3. 20. I stand at the dore and knock, if any man open, &c. Psal. 24. 9.
4. To make, Exod. 21. 33.
5. To be born, Numb. 8. 16.
6. To reveal, or uncover, Job. 33. 16. marg.
7. To dig, Psal. 40. 6. marg.
8. To cleave or rend, Mar. 1. 10.
9. To interpret, Luk. 24. 32.
To open]
;;To receive Christ into the heart by faith, to be joyned more neer unto him, that he might work more mightily, Cant. 5. 2. Open to me my Sister, my Spouse. God … doores to us, when he bestoweth his blessings on us, Psal. 78. 23, 24. Isa. 45. 1, 2, 3. and spiritually when he giveth grace to utter his Word, and to believe the same, Col. 4. 3. Act. 14. 27. So we open the dore unto him, when we give him entrance into our heart, he calling upon us by his Word and works; when we repent, believe, and accept Christ with his graces, &c. Rev. 3. 20. Aynsw.
But can we open? Is it in our power? Hath not he the keys himself, and is not he the doore himself? Doth not he shut and none can open? Yes, but when he bids thee to open, he lends thee a key; and when he infuseth grace and faith, he inables thee to open. It is his gift, but thy grace; his inspiration, but thy improvement; and oh! how blessed are they that are but his turne-keys, his Doorkeepers. Is there a greater honour or happinesse then to cooperate with God in that which of all others is the most Godlike work, the salvation of souls. Annot.
And what shall we lose by it? Doe we entertain Christ to our losse? doth he come empty? No, he comes with all grace; his goodnesse is a communicative, diffusive goodnesse. He comes to spread his Treasures, to inrich the heart with all grace and strength to bear all afflictions, to encounter all dangers, to bring peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost, he comes indeed to make our hearts (as it were) a Heaven. As the Church in her right temper hath never enough of Christ, but desires … union & communion still, so Christ also, he is as desirous of them, yea they are his desires that breed their desires. Christ had the heart of the Spouse in some measure already, but yet there were some corners of the heart that were not so filled with Christ as they should be, he was not so much in her understanding, will, joy, delight, and love, as he would be, all which he would have her to open. Sibs.
To open the Book]
;;To unseall the Book, by declareing and revealing unto John, and by him to the Church, such secret mysteries as were before hidden in Gods counsel. This no creature could do: Christ the Mediatour he was onelyonly able for he came out of the bosome of the Father, to declare him to us, haveing all power. Rev. 5. 2, 3, 5. Who is worthy to open the Book? Such a treasure is this book of Revelation, which is not otherwise communicated to the Church, but by the mediation of Christ, who is the onelyonly Interpreter of his Fathers will, and Doctor of his Church.
To open the bottom lesse pit]
;;To set abroach, publish, and manisest such devillish errors and heresies as came from the deep pit of hell, which was done, when Antichrist got power and strength to obscure the truth of heavenly doctrine, and to deceive the world with strong delusions. Rev. 9. 2. And he opened the bottomlesse pit.
Now false doctrine came forth abundantly, as if hell had been let loose, or broke up, and the gates of it set wide open, to let it out at large: for now Mahomet setteth forth his Alcoran for Divine Scripture, the like whereof no Heretick durst attempt before, or at least could not prevail with multitudes of men to believe him, as Mahomet did. So that the opening of the bottomless pit, is the Apostata's using their power to let in such grosse errours into the world, as could come from none, as their author, but from the devill of hell Annot.
To open the dore or the gate]
;;To receive and admit into the heart, the grace and power of Christ. Rev. 3. 20. If any man hear and open the dore. See Dore. Some understand this of admitting and receiveing all such ordinances of Christ, whereby the dore of our hearts may be most … and forcibly cast open.
To open the eat]
;;To give power unto our soul to understand and obey what we hear of Gods will out of his Word, Psal. 40. 6.
To open the eyes]
;;To give light of Divine knowledge to such as were wholly blinde before, through ignorance, Act. 26. 18. To open the eyes of the blinde.
2. To help and increase their knowledge which do already see, that they may know the truth more fully then before. Psal. 119. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law. Luk. 24. 45. He opened their understanding, & c. See further for this phrase in Eyes.
;;There is a double opening of the eyes, one proper, when the fleshly eye of the body is made to see that which before was not seen. The other improper, or Metaphorical, which is the opening of the minde, by which it … things which before lay hid. And this cometh two wayes: either of grace, when the holy Ghost enlighteneth the minde to see that which is good pertaining to happiness and perfection, by an illumination immediate and extraordinary, as Luk. 24. 45. and mediate and ordinary, to wit, by Doctrine, as Act. 26. 18. Or it cometh of Divine judgement, when one hath given him a sense and conscience of his own sin, being presented to his minde before by Satan blinded, as it hapned to Adam, Gen. 3. and Jud. is, Mat. 27. 5. This is sometime done, as by the inward work of the Spirit in the soul, (as in the two former) so by affliction men are made to understand their fault, as Joseph's brethren, Gen, 42. 21. and in the prodigal Son, Luk. 15. 17.
To open the hand]
;;The large bounty and rich liberality of God, distributing good things to all living creatures. Psal. 104. 28. Thou openest thy hand, and fillest all things with thy blessing.
To open the heart]
;;To enable and give power unto the soul to behold, and through faith, to embrace as Christ our Saviour, with good feeling of his saving mercies. Act. 16. 14. God oppened the heart of Lydia. Our hearts are lockt up by unbelief, and opened by faith.
To open the lips]
;;To give sufficient matter by blessings from God and ability by the Spirit of God to utter the praises of God, Psal. 51. 15. Our wickedness locks our lips, which are set open by grace: this is one Key. The second Key is Gods benefits.
To open the mouth]
;;To begin to speak after some deliberation, Mat. 5. 2. Act. 10. 34. Then Peter opened his mouth. And by a Metaphor, when life, and sense, and motion is attributed unto things senselesse and livelesse; as the earth, in Gen. 4. 10. to exaggerate and increase the inhumanity of Cain more ungentle and fierce then the brutish and unreasonable earth, which kindly received in Abel's blood, to hide that from the eyes of men, which he had cruelly shed and spilled: The earth opened her mouth.
;;1. To speak aloud.;;
;;2. To preach boldely, openly, and plainly, the Word and Will of God, Psal. 77. 2. Mat. 13. 35. & 5. 2. Act. 10. 34.;;
;;3. To pray to God with a loud voyce or cry, shewing the necessity of the wants, and the faith and fervour of the person, Psal. 8. 1, 10.;;
;;4. To receive something into the mouth, or into that which supplyeth the place of a mouth, Gen. 4. 10.;;
To open the mouth to blasphemies]
;;To utter and belch forth reproachfull and contumelious words (as Antichrist doth, boasting that he is God above all Kings and Emperors.) Rev. 13. 6. He opened his mouth to blaspheme.
At first he counterfeited himself holy, when the power was newly given him; but now by degrees he commeth to blaspheme God himself with full mouth. Psal. 73. 9. 2 Thess. 2. 4. Opening the mouth is the beginning to speak. Mat. 5. 2. Annot.
In the former verse, a mouth is given to the Beast, and here he openeth his mouth to blaspheme. The time and power which is lent to Satan and his beastly instruments, they use it, or rather abuse it, with diligence, they are loath to loose it. It should teach us by the contrary, to use our time well, and to make vantage of every good thing that our God hath given us. Cowper.
To open the Scriptures]
;;To interpret and make plain the true meaning of the Scripture. Luk. 24. He opened unto them the Scriptures.
Opened]
When he had opened the book, Luk. 4. 17. Opened it by way of unfolding and unrolling, which refers to the manner of writing among the Jews, which was not in parchments or papers sewed together, as we now use, but in one continued page, or long roll, and that folded up, to save it from dust, or other harm. Dr. Ham. Annot. a.
Temple opened in heaven]
;;The triumphant celestiall Church opened by the death of Christ to all which beleeve in him, before be came in the flesh; and to all, who since his coming are reconciled to God, through faith in his bloud. Rev. 11. 19. Then the Temple of God was opened in heaven. Some understand this Temple opened (not of heaven) but to receive a multitude of Saints, through Gods good providence, scattering persecutions raised by Satan against the Church, being by his fury shut up for a time, none or few entring.
The felicity of Saints, and that joyful and special sight they shall have of Gods merciful face in Christ, is here expressed. Cowper.
The Church now appearing again openly, is compared to the Temple of Jerusalem, wherein the Ark was. It was shut up before, as that of Jerusalem under Ahaz, 2 Chr. 28. 24. and this, when it was measured, vers. 1. and the court given to the Gentiles, vers. 2. Now is it set open, as that was by Hezekiah, 2 Chr. 29. 3. not to receive a few Saints, as before in times of persecution, but whole multiudes of Believers. Th…s noteth the free exercise of Religion which was establisned. Annot.
At this time the mysteries of salvation (shut up before by the Antichristian darkness) should now be made known, and become common to all Gods people, as they were before to the learned Ecclesiastical persons. And therefore the 24. Elders (without mentioning the four Beasts) a type of all faithful Christians, do praise God (vers. 16.) as being now to be enriched with heavenly graces, to know the holy things of God hid before. Bernard.
The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven was opened, Rev. 15. 5. that is, the innermost part of the Tabernacle, called the holy of holiest, and he most holy place; which Tabernacle is termed, The Tabernacle of the Testimony, Numb. 1. 50 & 17. 7. in regard of the two tables of stone so called, Exod. 25. 21. because on them was written the law of God, the testimony of his will, Exod. 34. 28. Psal. 19. 7. & 119. 14, 22. which tables were put in the Ark, Deut. 10. 5. 1 King. 8. 5. and that Ark placed in the innermost part of the Tabernacle or Temple, 1 King. 8. 6. Heb. 9. 3, 4. The Temple was so open, that men might see into it out of the Court, now, which in the old Testament they could not. Annot.
After the two Prophets were ascended up (chap. 11. 12.) and that now the Church became visible, the Temple, that is, the hidden things of God formerly unknown, became now to be manifest in the true visible Church of Christ, by those Angels, (chap. 14. 6, 8, 9.) who taught what this true testimony of God was unto the people. Bernard.
The true Temple of God, even his holy Church was visible and patent, and the Gospel publickly preached, among his heavenly elect of the primitive Church. Napier.
And I saw heaven opened, Revel. 19. 11. free accesse to Gods publick worship every where. Or, the Church opened, that Christ may stir up his people, vers. 14. to go to fight against Antichrist, who after Romes fall, will be for a time somewhere else gathering new forces, vers. 19. A door was opened in heaven before the rising of Antichrist. Chap. 4. 1. The Temple was open in heaven after the death of the witnesses. Chap. 11. 19. Now, heaven it self; that is, the Church is set wide open, that Christs armies may go forth to destroy the Beast and false Prophet, vers. 20. So the great gates of a City are opened, when Armies go forth to battel, 2 Sam. 18. 4. Annot.
He that openeth and no man shutteth, &c. Revel. 3 7. Such is the power and Soveraignty given to Christ over his Church; that he admitteth and excludeth; forbiddeth and commandeth; saveth and destroyeth whom he pleaseth. Hall.
Openings]
In the openings of the gates, Prov. 1. 21. The wonted place of publick appearance in those dayes, it being the place for Courts of Justice, and Tryals at Law, which brought great resort of people. Annot. on Psal. 127. 5.
Openly]
Before the sun, 2 Sam. 12. 12. In the gates, Prov. 31. 31. Before all men, 1 Tim. 5. 20.
Operation]
1. Of God, Psal. 28. 5. namely, Gods purpose and counsel to bring David to the Crown, manifested and brought about by many notable events, and particular providences and dispensations. This was in mercy, Isa. 5. 12. His judgements either incumbent or impendent. Such may be said not to regard nor consider them, which oppose to the manifestation of Gods will, and clear demonstration of his divine dispensation, the counsels of humane wit and policy; or, who being taken up with other cares, as the ambitious, and covetous; or excluding all care from themselves, and therein placing greatest happiness, neither of what happens to themselves, in the course of their lives, nor what happens to others, either publickly or privately, thereby to understand the wayes of God, and of his providence, make any observation at all; or who are altogether for the present, and judge of men generally as good or bad, in favour, or out of favour with God, from their present condition, and what happens to them in this world.
This operation of God, is such a working which hath efficacy to the bringing forth the being of that which it worketh; such a working that notes the most lively activity that may be, as the original word foreign, Col. 2. 12. importeth. This effectual working manifests it self in afflictions, temptations, the difficulties of an holy life, and in the use of his ordinances.
Hereof see Byfield on Col. 2. 12. p. 58.
2. Of Man, but through God. An inwrought work, a work wrought by us, so as in us also, 1 Cor. 12. 6. The Spirit of God manifested his divine power in the miraculous works which were wrought by his servants.
Opbel]
A tower, darkness, or a little white cloud. A City, or Town, 2 Chr. 27. 3. & 33. 14.
Ophin]
Fleeing, or wearinesse; or after the Syrian, a folding together. A City, Josh. 18. 24.
Ophir]
Ashes; or a fructifying. The Son of Joktan, Gen. 10. 29. A Countrey abounding with gold, 1 King. 10. 11. which was very precious, Isa. 13. 12. Hereupon the finest gold is styled Gold of Ophir, Job. 22. 24. & 28. 16. This is supposed to be in Havilah, Gen. 2. 11. It takes the name from Ophir the Son of Joktan, who dwelt in a part of India, saith Mr. Aynsworth on Psal. 45. 10. Hereof see the Annotations on Isa. 13. 12. & Sir. Water Raleigh his History of the world lib. 1. c. 8. sect 5. p. 175.
Ophrah]
Dust, lead; or, a sawne. A City, Josh. 18. 23. The Son of Meonothai, 1 Chr. 4. 14.
Opinion]
Thought, 1 King. 18. 21. marg. Minde, or judgement, Job 32. 6, 10, 17.
Opportunity]
;;The fittest and most meet for the doing of any thing. Rom. 13. 11. … the opportunity, or season. The time of preaching the Gospel, is our opportunity or season, wherein to seek our own salvation.
The word in Mat. 26. 16. is, foreign, which signifieth the opportunity both of time and place. The word in Gal. 6. 10. is foreign, which is put for mature and seasonble time.
Opportunity]
Ye lacked opportunity, Phil. 4. 10. Ye wanted ability. So Gal. 6. 10. Not as we have opportunity, but as we have ability, (all one with give almes of such things as you are able, Luk. 11. 41.) for indeed that is an opportunity, when the want of others, and our plenly meet together. Dr. Ham. Annot. d.
Oppose]
To resist, or in order to set against, as in battel aray, Act. 18. 6. To lie against, as a souldier in a trench against a …, 2 Thess. 2. 4. To be affected with a contrary minde, 2 Tim. 2. 25.
… of science]
Falsly so called, 1 Tim. 6. 20. that is, made against sound doctrine, out of erroneous grounds and principles of sciences, so termed, but falsly. The Greek Fathers conceive that in these words the Apostle pointeth at the Gnosticks, a certain sort of Hereticks, who have their name from science and profound knowledge, which they arrogated to themselves.
Oppresse]
To afflict, trouble, Exod. 22. 21. To cousen, or defraud. Lev. 25. 14. To crush, Judg. 8. 10. marg. 2 Chr. 16. 10. marg. Violently to take away, Job 20. 19. To defraud, Mal. 3. 5. marg. To break, Isa. 58. 6. marg. To terrifie, Psal. 10. 18. marg. To waste, Psal. 17. 9. marg. To break in judgement, Hos. 5. 11. To subdue, or bring under ones power, Jam. 2. 6.
…]
;;The wringing and crushing of others, when great ones of the world deal extremely and cruelly with the poor and needy; or when one over-reacheth another in bargains. Isa. 5. 7. Behold oppression. 1 Thes. 4. 3. The word in Isaiah is a scab in the original Text. Oppressors be like scabs, which do molest men.
;;2. Any violence offered, either to mens bodies, estates, or consciences. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Before I was an oppressor of them.
;;3. The sin of adultery or fornication, whereby the innocent is robbed of his right in his wife, daughter, &c. 1 Thes. 4. 6.;;
;;4. The sin of …, extortion, unjust war, &c.;;
;;It is properly the spoyling or takeing away of mens goods or estates by constraining, terror, strength, &c. without any right thereto; working on the ignorance, weaknesse, wit, wealth, friends, &c. fearfulnesse of them whom they oppresse; which is, as if one should make one drunken and then … him, or rob him being asleep, or sick, &c. or as Ravens fall on young Lambs or weak sheep.;;
5. Deceit, Isa. 33. 15. marg. Ezek. 22. 29. marg.
Oppressour]
A man of violence, Prov. 3. 31. marg. A treader down, Isa. 16. 4. marg.