Grounds of miscarriages when persons are convinced of sin and humbled — Resting
in that state— Resting on it ........ 373
VERSE FOURTH.
The words explained, and the design or scope of the psalmist in them discovered . 379
Propositions or observations from the former exposition of the words — The first pro- posed to confirmation —No encouragement for any sinner to approach unto God without a discovery of forgiveness ....... 383
Greatness and rareness of the discovery of forgiveness in God — Reasons of it — Testi- monies of conscience and law against it, etc. ..... 386
i'alse presumptions of forgiveness discovered— Diflcrences between them and faith evangelical .......... 393
The tnie nature of gospel forgiveness — Its relation to the goodness, grace, and will of God; to the blood of Christ; to the promise of the gospel — The considerations of faith about it ......... . 398
Forgiveness discovered or revealed only to faith — Reasons thereof . . . 410
Discovery of forgiveness in God a great supportment to sin-entangled souls — Par- ticular assurance attainable ........ 412
Evidences of forgiveness in God— No inbred notions of any free acts of God's will — Forgiveness not revealed by the works of uatui-e nor the law . . .427
Discovery of foi'giveness in the first promise — The evidence of the truth that lies therein — And by the institution of sacrifices— Their use and end— Also by the prescription of repentance unto sinners ...... 433
Farther evidences of forgiveness with God — Testimonies that God was well pleased with some that were sinners — The patience of God towards the world an evi- dence of forgiveness — Experience of the saints of God to the same purpose , 443
Institution of leligious worship an evidence of forgiveness .... 461
The giving and establishing of the new covenant another evidence of forgiveness with God— The oath of God engaged in the confirmation thereof . . . 470
The name of God confiiming the truth and reality of forgiveness with him — As also the same is done by the properties of his natirre ..... 478
Forgiveness manifested in the sending of the Son of God to die for sin — And from
the obligation that is on us to forgive one another ..... 487
Properties of forgiveness — The greatness and freedom of it . . . . 498
Evidences that most men do not believe forgiveness . . . . • 505
X CONTENTS.
Page
Exhortation unto the belief of the forgiveness that is with God — Reasons for it, and the necessity of it ......... 515
Rules to be observed by tliein who would come to stability in obedience . . 541
RuLK I. — Christ the only infallible judge of our spiritual condition — How he judgeth
by his word and Spirit ........ 542
RuLK II.— Self condemnation and abhorrency for sin consistent with gospel justifica- tion and peace— Tlie nature of gospel assurance— What is consistent with it — What are tlie effects of it ........ 547
Rule III. — Continuance in waiting necessary unto peace and consolation . . 553
Role IV.— Remove the hinderances of believing by a searching out of sin— Rules and directions for that duty ........ 555
Role V. — Distinction between unbelief and jealousy . . . . .558
Rule VI.— Distinction between faith and spiritual sense . . . .561
Rule VII.— Mix not foundation and building work together . . . .564
Rule VIII.— Spend not time in lieartless complaints ..... 566
Rule IX. — Take heed of undue expressions concerning God and his ways in distress 570 Rule X. — Duly improve the least appearances of God in a way of grace or pardon . 573 Rule XI. — [Consider where lies the hinderance to peace] .... 574
Second general head of the application of the truth insisted on— Grounds of spiritual disquictments considered — Tlie first, aiHictjons— Ways and means of the aggra- vation of afflictions — Rules about them ...... 575
Objections against believing from things internal — The person knows not whether he be regenerate or no— State of regeneration asserted — Diffei'ence of saving and common grace— Tliis difference discernible — Men may know themselves to be regenerate — The objection answered ...... 584
Rule I. ........... 593
Rule II 594
Rule III. ........... 594
Rule IV. . . . . . . . . . .595
Objections from the present state and condition of the soul — Weakness and imper- fection of duty— Opposition from indwelling sin . . . . . COO
VERSES FIFTH AND SIXTH.
[The words explained] ......... 606
God the proper object of the soul's waiting in its distresses and dcptlis . . 018
Considerations of God rendering our waiting on him reasonable and necessary — Ilis
glorious being .......... 620
Influence of the promises into the soul's waiting in time of trouble — The nature of
them . , ..... ""^ . . 637
VERSES SEVENTH AND EIGHTH.
[The words explained] ... ...... 641
[Doctrinal observations on them] ....... 647
OF THE
MOETIFICATION OF SIX IN BELIEYERS;
THE NECESSITY, NATURE, AND MEANS OF IT:
WITU
A EESOLTJTION OP SUNDEY CASES OP CONSCIENCE THEREUNTO EELONGINO.
BY JOHK 0^\TEN, D.D.,
A SERVANT OF JESIS CDKIST IK TUB WOUK OF THE COSPEL.
VOL. \X
PREFATORY NOTE.
It sheds interesting lighten the character and resources of Owen, if the circum- stances in which the following treatise was composed are borne in mind. It was published in 1656, and its author was at the time Dean of Clirist Church and Vicc-Ciiancellor of the University of Oxford, restoring it, by a course ofniinj,'led kindliness and decision, from the ruinous condition into which it had lapsed during tlie civil wars, and raising it to such prosperity as to extort tlie praises of Clarendon. lie was preaching, each alternate Sabbath, those sermons whicli lingered in the memory and strengthened the piety of Philip Henry. lie was frequently summoned to London on momentous consultations respecting public affairs, and to preach before the Parliament. As if this amount of toil were not sufficient to occiqiy him, — toil so great that, in his noble address on resigning the vice-chancellorship of the University, he describes himself as having been "sfcpius niorti ])roxinius" — the Council of State had imposed on him the task of replying to Diddle the Socinian; and lie fulfilled it by the production of his elaborate and masterly work, " Vindicia^ Evangelical," — a bulwark of the faith, so solid in its foundation, and so massy in its proportions, that the entire phalanx of Socinian authorship has shrunk from the attempt to assail it. In the next year, and but a few months after this great work iiad appeared, as if his secular labours in the management of the University, his own heavy share in the burden of public affairs, and the rough duties of controversy, could not arrest the pro- gress of grace in his own soul, or deaden his zeal for the promotion of vital god- liness around him, he gave to the world this treatise, " On the Mortification of Sin in Believers."