(2.) Beyond bare voivs and promises, with some Avatchfulness to observe them in a rational use of ordinary means, men have put, and some do yet put, themselves on extraordinary ways of mortifying sin. This is the foundation of all that hath a show of wisdom and religion in the Papacy : their hours of prayer, fastings ; their immuring and cloistering themselves ; their pilgrimages, penances, and self- toi-turing discipline, — spring all from this root. I shall not speak of the innumerable evils that have attended these self-invented ways of mortification, and how they all of them have been turned into means, occasions, and advantages of sinning ; nor of the horrible hypocrisy which evidently cleaves unto the most of their observers ; nor of that superstition which gives life to them all, being a thing rivetted in the natures of some and their constitutions, fixed on others by inveterate prejudices, and the same by others taken up for secular advantages. But I will suppose the best that can be made of it, and it will be found to be a self-invented design of men ignorant of the righteous- ness of God, to give a check to this power of indwelling sin Avhereof we speak. And it is almost incredible what fearful self-macerations and horrible sufferings this design hath carried men out unto ; and, undoubtedly, their blind zeal and superstition will rise in judgment and condemn the hori'ible sloth and negligence of the most of them to whom the Lord hath granted the saving light of the gospel. But Avhat is the end of these things ? The apostle, in brief, gives us an account, Bom. ix. 31, 32. They attain not the righteousness aimed at ; they come not up unto a conformity to the law : sin is not mortified, no, nor the power of it weakened ; but what it loses in sensual, in carnal pleasures, it takes up with great advantage in blindness, darkness, superstition, self-righteousness, and soul- pride, contempt of the gospel and the righteousness of it, and reigns no less than in the most profligate sinners in the world.
2. The strength, efficacy, and power of this law of sin may be farther evidenced from its life and in-being in the soul, notwith- standing the wound that is given unto it in the first conversion of the soul to God ; and in the continual opposition that is made unto
VOL. VL 21
822 THE NATURE AND POWER OF INDWELLING SIN.
it by grace. But this is the subject and design of another endea- vour.
It may now be expected that we should here add the especial uses of all this discovery that hath been made of the power, deceit, prevalence, and success of this great adversary of our souls. But as for what concerns that humility, self-abasement, watchfulness, diligence, and application unto the Lord Christ for relief, Avhich will become those who find in themselves, by experience, the power of this law of sin, [these] have been occasionally mentioned and incul- cated through the whole preceding discourse ; so, for what concerns the actual vioi^tification of it, I shall only recommend unto the reader, for his direction, another small treatise, written long since, unto that purpose, which I suppose he may do well to consider together with this, if he find these things to be his concernment.
" To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, domi- nion and power, both now and ever. Amen."
PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. ;
THE NATURE OF THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN IS DECLARED ; THE TRUTH AND REALITY
OF IT ASSERTED; AND THE CASE OF A SOUL DISTRESSED AVITII THE GUILT
OP SIN, AND RELIEVED BY A DISCOVERY OF FOKGIVENESS WITH
GOD, IS AT LARGE DISCOURSED.
" Search the h'cripturcs.'* — John v. 39.
Imprimatur,
KoB. Groa'e, E. p. Hiunph. Odoh. 1 2, Dom. Episc. Lond. a Sac
1668. Dom.
PREFATORY NOTE.
The circumstances in whicB tliis Exposition of Psalm cxxx. originated arc peculiarly in- teresting. Dr Owen himself, in a statement made to Mr Kichard Davis, wlio ultimately became pastor of a church in Rowel, Northamptonshire, explains the occasion which led him to a very cai'cful examination of the fourth verse in the psalm. Mr Da^-is, being under religious impressions, had sought a conference with Owen. In the coui'sc of the conversation, Dr Owen put the question, " Young man, pray in what manner do you think to go to God ?" " Through the Mediator, sii-," answered ilr Davis. " That is easily said," rej^lied the Doctor, "but 1 assure you it is another thing to go to God through the Mediator tlian many who make use of the expi-ession are aware of I myself preached Christ," he continued, " some years, when I had but very little, if any, exi^erimental acquaintance with access to God through Christ ; until the Lord was pleased to visit me with sore affliction, whereby I was Ijrought to the mouth of the grave, and under which my soul was oppressed with horror and darkness; but God graciously relieved my spirit by a powerful application of Psalm cxxx. 4, ' But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared ; ' from whence 1 received special instruction, peace, and comfort, in drawing near to God through the Mediator, and preached there- upon immediately after my recovery." The incident to which he refers had occur- red at an early period in his public life; and it is probable this Exposition is the sub- stance of the discourse;^ which he j^reached on his recovery from affliction, under the influence of enlivened faith in the mediation of Christ. We cannot wonder that the particular verso which Lad proved to Owen a spring of refreshment in a weary place, should receive prominent and prolonged consideration in this work. The exposition of it constitutes neai-ly thrce-foru-ths of the whole treatise. These facts, moreover, account for its prevailing character. It is hardly a specimen of j^ure commentary, so nmch as a series of discourses, with the verses of the psalm, and more especially the fourth verse, as the texts selected. The charge of prolixity and diffuseness, urged against this work, applies only if it be tried by the rules according to which we estimate the merits of a commentary. There are, for example, thirteen sepai'atc facts and arguinents, illustra- tive of the great doctrine that there is forgiveness with God, each opening up very pre- cious mines of thought and inquiry, but all of them out of place, at least in the length to which they extend, if viewed simply as the exposition of a verse. The reader bent on his own edification, rather than on judging of the work by the standard of a very rigid criticism, not unthankful for what of commentary proper it contains, will be happy that the author took a course leaving him free to indulge in that teeming opulence of evan- gelical illustration, and frequency of awakening appeals, Avhich imiiart a distinctive character and peculiar interest to the work.