PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Works of John Owen — Volume 13
John Owen · 215,009 words · 212 reading sections
Section 181
BEING SPIRITUALLY IMINDED. 423 the means appointed and blessed of God, for the exercise and increase of faith and love, with an experience of their efficacy unto that end. The second is, because they are the means of the com- munication of a sense of divine love, and supplies of divine grace unto the souls of them th…
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Believers have other designs herein; and among the rest, this in the first place, that they may be afresh made par- takers of refreshing, comforting pledges of the love of God in Christ; and thereby of their adoption, of the pardon of their sins, and acceptance of their persons. According as they meet with these things…
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All grace and spiritual strength is originally seated in the nature of God ; ver. 28. But what relief can that afford unto us who are weak, feeble, fainting ? He will act suitably unto his nature, in the communication of this grace and power ; ver. 29. But how shall we have an interest in this grace, in these operation…
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And as it is with believers, as unto the hearing of the word in general, so it is as unto the degrees of advantage which they find by it. When men have enjoyed the dispen- sation of the word in a peculiar manner, spiritual and eficc- 430 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF tual, if they can be content to forego it for that which i…
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There are yet other things accompanied with the same evidence of the difference between affections spiritually re- newed, and those which have only a general change wrought in them, by convictions and some outward occasions, which must in one or two instances more be insisted on, with the consideration of such cases as…
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Wherefore after their affections have been tossed up and down for a season, under the power and torment of this con- viction, they come unto one or other of these issues with them. For either they utterly decay, and the mind loseth all sense of any impressions from them, so as that they wonder in them- selves whence th…
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2. Gradual as unto its increase; and therein faith works in and by the affections. Whenever the affections do cleave intensely unto any ob- ject, they receive an impression from it, as the wax doth from the seal when applied unto it, which changeth them into its own likeness. So the apostle affirms of sensual unclean …
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BEING SPIRITUALLY MINDED. 439 somewhat inconsistent with their present occasions and af- fairs. By this means hath religion lost much of its glory, and the souls of men have been deprived of the principal ad- vantap;es of it in this world. Such persons are like unto men who live in a country wherein they are not onl…
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3. It is repugnant unto the honour of gospel grace, as though it would carry us so far, and no farther, in the way to glory. For it must be known that this sort of persons who sit down in their present measures and attainments, either really have no true grace at all, or that which is of the lowest, meanest, and most i…
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That which men pretend and complain of herein, is the difficulty of the work. They can as they suppose preserve their present station, but to press forward, to grow in grace, to thrive in their affections, this is too hard for them. But this complaint is unequal and unjust, and adds unto the 444 . THE GRACE AND DUTY O…
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446 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF fections. But in general, when men are careless as unto that continual watch which they ought to keep over their hearts ; whilst they are negligent in holy duties, either as unto the seasons of them, or the manner of their perform- ance ; when they are strangers unto holy meditation and self-…
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2. There may be a decay in affections themselves as unto their actings towards any objects whatever; at least as unto the outward symptoms and effects of them, and on this ground, their operations toward spiritual things may be less sensible. So men in their younger days may be more ready to express their sorrow by tea…
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BEING SPIKirUALLY MINDED. 451 heavenly affections, so as that their delights were in, and their thoughts much upon, the things that are above, to become earthly or sensual, to have no sensible actings of any of his graces in them, which is the state of them who are under the power of spiritual decays ? And this is the…
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454 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF 6. Persons in such an estate are apt to deceive them- selves with false hopes and notions, whereby the deceit- fulness of sin doth put forth its power, to harden them unto their ruin. Two ways there are whereby this perni- cious effect is produced. The one by the prevalency of a particular lu…
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3. They judge it no hard matter to retrieve themselves out of this state, but that which they can easily do, when there is an absolute necessity of it. But this is a false no- tion also. Recovery from backsliding is the hardest task in Christian religion, and which few make either comfortable or honourable work of. In…
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And if you can be no way affected with the remembrance of former things ; then one of these two great evils you are certainly under. For either, 1. You never had a true and real work on your souls, whatever you professed; and so never had true and real communion with God in any duties. You had only a temporary work, wh…
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CHAP. XVIII. It remains only as unto this head now spoken unto, that we briefly consider what is the state of spiritual affections thus daily exercised and improved. And this we shall do by shewing, First, What is their pattern. Secondly, What is their rule. Thirdly, What is their measure, or w hereunto they may at…
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BEING SPIRITUALLY MINDED. 463 world is filled withal, owe their original principally unto men's affections set at loose from the rule of the word. There is nothing so fond, absurd, and foolish, but they have im- bondaged the souls of men unto, nothing so horrid and dif- ficult but they have engaged them in. And having…
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466 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF for there is room in them for all the graces of the Spirit to inhabit; and do readily comply with the light and direction of faith unto their exercise. When faith discerns and de- termines that there is any thing to be done or suffered in a way of duty unto the glory of God, the affections th…
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This is the first thing that is required to render our affec- BEING SPIRITUALLY MINDED. 460 tions in such a state and condition, as that from and by them we may be spiritually minded, namely, that they themselves are spiritually and savingly renewed. The things that remain will admit of a speedy despatch as I suppos…
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But I say unto such, and to all others, that if we would have refreshing evidences of our love unto God, that it is sin- cere, if we would have it thrive and flourish, be fervent and constant, we ai'e to exercise ourselves unto the contempla- tion of the divine goodness, and the suitableness of it unto our souls in and…
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But all spiritual things derive from, and lead unto, that which is infinite, which is therefore able to fill all our af- fections, and to give them full satisfaction with rest and peace. They all lead us to the fountain of living waters, the eternal spring of goodness and blessedness. I do not say that our affections …
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47G THE GRACE AND DUTY OF thing here below, it is easy to discern how he goes off from his native worth, and debaseth himself therein. But the fixing of spiritual affections on spiritual objects is perfective of our present state and condition. Not that we can attain perfection by it; but that therein our souls are i…
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CHAP. XX. Having considered the nature of spiritual affections as re- newed by grace, and those notions of their objects under which they cleave unto them, it remains only that we in- quire into the way of the soul's applicationof itself unto those objects by its affections, which belong also unto our being spirituall…
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As a man under a languishing sickness, or when he is chastened with strong pain, so as that his soul abhorreth bread, and his daily meat, can remember what appetite he had, with what gust and relish he was wont to take in his food in the days of his health, which makes him to know that there is such a condition, and to…
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BEING SPIRITUALLY MINDED. 483 draw all others into a defection from Christ and the gospel. He that loves his life shall lose it. Wherefore, it is no ordinary nor easy thing to preserve our affections pure, entire, and steady, in their vigorous adherence unto spiritual things, against all these solicitations. Watch- f…
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CHAP. XXI. Having declared wherein this duty of being spiritually minded doth consist, that which remains in compliance with the text, from whence the whole is educed, is to manifest how it is life and peace, which is afiirmed by the apostle. This shall be done with all brevity, as having passed through that which was…
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Peace is twofold. 1. General and absolute, that is, peace with God through Jesus Christ, which is celebrated in the Scripture, and which is the only original spring and fountain of all consolation unto believers ; that which virtually con- tains in it every thing that is good, useful, or desirable unto them. But it is …
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Secondly, Our next inquiry is. How this spiritual minded- ness is life and peace, or what it contributes unto them ; how it produceth the frame of heart and mind so expressed. And this it doth several ways, 1. It is the only means on our part, of retaining a sense of divine love. The love of God in a gracious sense of…
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4. Such persons only know how to use and improve all communications of a sense of divine love. These things are not granted unto us to lie by us, without any use of them. They are gracious provisions wherewith we are fur- nished to enable us unto all other duties, conflicts, and trials. On all occasions are they to be …
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3. It is that whereby our hearts and minds are taken off from the world, and all inordinate love tliereunto. Where this is in prevalent degree, there is neither life nor peace; and every excess in it both weakens spiritual life, and dis- 494 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF turbs, yea, destroys all solid spiritual peace. I have…
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4. The unreadiness of grace for its due and proper exer- cise, is another thing which defeats us of the benefit of holy duties. The seasons of them are come, sense of duty car- ries men unto an attendance unto them, and the performance of them. But when they should enter upon them, those graces of faith, love, fear, an…
412 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1850–1870); OCR text from Internet Archive. OCR may contain scanning/transcription errors. Verify quotations against page images when precision matters.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.