PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Works of John Owen — Volume 7
John Owen · 292,509 words · 290 reading sections
Section 241
And if you can be no way affected with the remembrance of for- VOL. VIL 30 466 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART II. mer 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 w…
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First, The pattern which we ought continually to bear in our eyes, whereunto our affections ought to be conformed, is Jesus 468 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART II. Christ and the affections of his holy soul. The mind is the seat of all our affections; and this is that we ought continually to design and endeavour, name…
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Thirdly, There is considerable concerning them the measure of 4.70 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART IL. their attainments, or what, through due exercise and holy diligence, they may be raised unto. Now, this is not absolute perfection: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow aft…
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3. They are ajust repository of all graces, and therein the treasury of the soul. There are graces of the Spirit whose formal direct resi- dence is in the understanding and the will, as faith itself, and therein are all other graces radically comprised; they grow from that root, Howbeit, the most of them have their pri…
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Lastly, Where affections are spiritually renewed, the person of Christ is the centre of them; but where they are changed only, they tend unto an end in self. Where the “new man” is put on, “Christ is all, and in all,” Col. iii. 10, 11. He is the spring, by his Spirit, that gives them life, light, and being; and he is t…
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476 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART IL. goodness and love of God in Christ, as thereby alone to be drawn after him, and to delight in him! yet is this the ground of all sin- cere, real love unto God. Two things are required that we may apprehend an amiable goodness in any thing, and cleave unto it with sincere affectio…
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478 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART II. and approve of a goodness and excellency in spiritual things above all others. (3.) A due consideration is required hereunto, that all spiritual things do proceed from and are resolved into an infinite Fountain of goodness, so as that our affections may absolutely come unto rest…
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Unto the most this wisdom of God is foolishness. It was so of old, as the apostle testifieth, 1 Cor. i. 23, 24; and so it continues yet to be. And therefore is the mystery of the gospel despised by them; they ean see neither form nor comeliness in it for which it should be de- sired. Nor will ever any man have sincere …
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482 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART II. . interest nor concern. But this is that which giveth life unto the af- fections of believers; they know that in the enjoyment of God in Christ their eternal blessedness doth consist. How this is their hap- piness and glory, how it will give them an everlasting, overflowing satis…
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AS 4 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART IL. is pleased with them, as the palate with suitable and proper food, when he finds that he receives nourishment by them in the inward | man, then doth he adhere unto them in a due manner. This spiritual taste is the ground of all experience. It is not what we have heard or unders…
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And it is almost incredible how apt we are to be beguiled by the specious pretences wherewith we are solicited. That our affections, in the degree treated about,—suppose of love unto the world and the things of it,—are lawful and allowable, is one of the sophisms and artifices wherewith many are deluded. Hereon, provi…
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Moreover, this frame of spirit alone will keep us on our watch against all those ways and means whereby the vanity of the mind is excited and maintained. Such are the wandering and roving of the outward senses. The senses, especially that of the eye, are ready to become purveyors to make provision for the vanity and lu…
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[2.] It is the proper adjunct and evidence of it. Would any one know whether he be spiritually alive unto God with the life of sanc- tification and holiness? The communication of it unto him being by an almighty act of creating power, Eph. ii. 10, it is not easily discernible, so as to help us to make a right judgment …
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_ under a profession of it shall never be unto them an occasion of fall- ing, or being offended at Christ. And I look upon it as a sign of a very evil frame of heart, when men are concerned in the miscarriages of some that have made profession, whereby they are, it may be, damaged in their outward concerns, so as that …
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(2.) It will fiw our thoughts and affections upon the grace and love of God, in communicating such an inestimable mercy unto us as is a sense of his love; which is the only means for the preservation of a relish of it in our hearts. He who is in this frame of mind will remember, call over, and ruminate upon, all such g…
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CHAP, XXI.] SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS LIFE AND PEACE. 495 Can we think that life and peace do inhabit that soul wherein anger, wrath, envy, excess in love unto earthly things, do dwell, and on all occasions exert themselves? there where there is a continual tumult, fighting, and rebellion, as there is where the passions of…
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(3.) Weariness in, and of, spiritual duties abates their tendency unto the improvement of life and peace in us. This evil ariseth from the same cause with that of distraction before mentioned; and it is ofttimes increased by the weakness and indispositions of the flesh, or of the outward man. Sometimes the spirit is wi…
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We have had access to a manuscript which belonged to Dr Owen’s friend, Sir John Hartopp, and which contains a large portion of this treatise. It serves to show how - many obscure passages in the writings of Owen might have been elucidated and rendered perfectly clear, if the same advantage had been enjoyed in the prepa…
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Moreover, trials of this nature are often of a marvellous awakening and con- vineing nature unto poor secure sinners, formal and hypocritical professors, for many of them hold true with great demonstration in the negative: 1 John iii. 14, ‘He that loveth not his brother abideth in death;” and verse 10, “ In this the ch…
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TO THE SERIOUS READER. 503 in vain.” Dost thou groan under the usurpation and oppression of remaining sin? And is this the dominion of it? is there no difference between sin’s dominion and sin’s tyranny and usurpation? Dominion is upon account of right of conquest or subjection. There is upon both that sin reigns in c…
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CHAPTER I. What sin is consistent with the state of grace, and what not—Sin’s great design in all to obtain dominion: it hath it in unbelievers, and contends for it in believers—The ways by which it acts. THE psalmist, treating with God in prayer about sin, acknowledgeth that there are in all men unsearchable errors …
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This, therefore, is the general design of sin in all its actings. These actings are various, according to the variety of lusts in the minds of men; but its general design - in them all is dominion. Where any one is tempted and seduced of his own lusts, as the apostle James speaks, be it in a matter never so small or so…
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(1.) The great aggravation of the evil of a state of sin. Men who live therein do voluntarily wrest themselves, what lieth in them, from under the rule of the law of God, and give up themselves to be slaves unto this tyrant. Could it lay any claim to this dominion, had it any title to plead, it were some alleviation of…
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NATURE OF THE DOMINION OF SIN. 511 and so he continues to deal with the like profligate sinners; so he acts towards the generality of the antichristian world, 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12, and with many despisers of the gospel, Isa. vii 9,10. When it is come to this, men are cast at law, and have lost all right and title unto …
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Secondly, This dominion of sin is not a mere force against the will and endeavours of them that are under it. Where all the power and interest of sin consist in putting a force on the mind and soul by its temptations, there it hath no dominion. It may perplex them, it doth not rule over them. Where it hath dominion, it…
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2. It doth so by keeping up @ constant exercise of grace in all religious duties, or at least a sincere endeavour that so it may be. Where sin hath the dominion, it can allow the soul to perform reli- _ gious duties, yea, in some cases to abound in them; but it will take care that divine grace be not exercised in them.…
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2. Sin will make those in whom it hath dominion sensible of its power, by its continual solicitation of the mind and affections with respect unto that sin or those sins wherein it principally exerciseth its rule. Having possessed the will and inclinations of the mind with the affections,—as it doth wherever its dominio…
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Secondly, But there are many in whom the case is dubious and not easily to be determined; for, on the one hand, they may have sundry things in them which may seem repugnant unto the reign of sin, but indeed are not inconsistent with it. All arguments and pleas from them in their vindication may fail them on a trial. An…
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This is the first and proper effect of that vanity of mind whereby the soul is alienated from the life of God. The mind being turned off from its proper object, with a dislike of it, applies itself by its thoughts and imaginations unto the pleasures and advantages of sin, seeking in vain to recover the rest and satisfa…
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If it be inquired how the mind may be freed and cleared ef these perplexing, defiling imaginations, which arise from the urgency of some present temptation,—suppose about earthly affairs, or the like, —I say it will never be done by the most strict watch and resolution against them, nor by the most. resolute rejection …
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(4.) Sometimes evil thoughts are the immediate injections of Satan, and they are on many accounts most terrible unto the soul. Usually, for the matter of them, they are dreadful, and ofttimes blas- phemous; and as unto the manner of their entrance into the mind, it is, for the most part, surprising, furious, and irresi…
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3. It is a dangerous sign of the dominion of sin, when, after a con- viction of their necessity, it prevaileth unto @ neglect of those ways and duties which are peculiarly suited, directed, and ordained, unto its mortification and destruction. This may be cleared in some particulars :— (1.) Mortification of sin is the…
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[3.] Faith herein gives us communion with him in his death, and unites the soul unto it in its efficacy. Hence we are said to be “buried with him into death,” and to be “ planted together in the likeness of his death,’ Rom. vi. 4, 5. Our “old man is crucified with him,” verse 6. We have by faith communion with him in h…
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VOL. VII. 34 530 OF THE DOMINION OF SIN AND GRACE. [2.] A constant attendance unto this duty in a due manner will pre- serve the soul in such a frame as wherein sin cannot habitually prevail in it. He that can live in sin and abide in the ordinary duties of prayer doth never once pray as he ought. Formality, or some …
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Now, when I place this as an effect of the prevalency of sin,— namely, a relinquishment of the duty of prayer,—I do not intend that persons do wholly and absolutely, or as to all ways of it, public and private, and all seasons or occasions of it, give it over utterly. Few rise to that profligacy in sin, unto such despe…
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4, A reserve for any one known sin, against the light and effi- cacy of convictions, is an argument of the dominion of sin. So was it in the case of Naaman. He would do all other things, but put in an exception for that whereon his honour and profit did depend. Where there is sincerity in conviction, it extends itself …
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2. There belongs unto it an [un]affectedness with the guilt of sin, as unto the sorrow and repentance that it doth require. There is none in whom there is any spark of saving grace but hath a gracious sorrow for sin, in some degree or other. But there is a proportion required between sin and sorrow. Great sins require …
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2. There is such a dangerous hardness of heart, where the guilt of one sin makes not the soul watchful against another of another sort. Wherever the heart is tender, upon a surprisal into sin, it will not only watch against the returns thereof or relapses into it, but will be made diligent, heedful, and careful against…
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(2.) The admission of an habitual formality into the performance of religious duties is of the same nature. In some the power of sin, as we observed before, prevails unto the neglect and omission of such duties. Others continue the observation [of them], but are so formal and lifeless in them, so careless as unto the e…
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But, on the other hand, there are uncontrollable evidences of the dominion of sin in men, some whereof I shall mention, and only mention, because they need neither proof nor illustration :— 1. It is so where sin hath possessed the will. And it hath pos- sessed the will when there are no restraints from sinning taken f…
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This law falls under a double consideration, but im neither of them was designed to give power or strength against sin :— 1. As i was given unto mankind in the state of innocency; and- it did then absolutely and exactly declare the whole duty of man, whatever God in his wisdom and holiness did require of us. It was Go…
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In such seasons, men under the law will attend unto their convic- tions, and endeavour for a while to shake off the yoke of sin. They will attend unto what the law saith, under whose power they are, and endeavour a compliance therewith; many duties shall be per- formed, and many evils abstained from, in order to the qu…
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This is one principal difference between the law and the gospel, GROUNDS OF THE ASSURANCE GIVEN IN THE TEXT. BAT and was ever so esteemed in the church of God, until all communi- cation of efficacious grace began to be called in question; The law guides, directs, commands, all things that are against the interest and…
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4. Make especial application unto the Lord Christ, unto whom the administration of all spiritual supplies is committed, for the com- munication of them unto you, according unto all especial occasions. Hath sin got the advantage of a powerful temptation, so as that it seems to put hard for dominion in the soul; as it wa…
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THIRDLY, The law doth not supply us with effectual motives and encouragements to endeavour the ruin of the dominion of sin in a way of duty; which must be done, or in the end it will prevail. It works only by fear and dread, with threatenings and terrors of de- struction; for although it says also, “Do this, and live,”…
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First, It appears so to be from the causes of tt. It is that which no man can by his own power and the utmost of his endeavours attain unto. Men by them may grow rich, or wise, or learned; but no man by them can shake off the yoke of sin. If aman had all the wealth of the world, he could not by it purchase this liberty…
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3. The instrumental cause of this freedom is the duty of believers themselves in and for the destruction of sin. And this also manifests the importance of this privilege. This is one of the principal ends of all our religious duties,—of prayer, of fasting, of meditation, of watchfulness unto all other duties of obedien…
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All these things, and sundry others of the like sort, might be in- sisted on and enlarged, to manifest the greatness of the mercy and privilege which is in a freedom from the dominion of sin, as it is here proposed by the apostle; but the principal design I intended is accomplished, and I do but touch on these things. …
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558 OF THE DOMINION OF SIN AND GRACE. affections, will be continually rebelling against it. Now this, we say, is the interest of all, namely, to inquire of what sort and kind that conflict with sin is which is in them. If it be of the first sort, they may yet be under the dominion of sin; if of the latter, they are fr…
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4, Abhor that peace of mind which 1s consistent with any known sin. Men may have frequent surprisals into known sins, but if, whilst it is so with them, they refuse all inward peace but what comes in by most fervent and sincere desires of deliverance from them and repentance for them, they may be safe from the domi- ni…
332 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.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.