Of the mortification of sin in believers: the 1. Necessity, 2. Nature, and 3. Means of it. With a resolution of sundry cases of conscience thereunto belonging. By John Owen, D.D. a servant of Jesus Christ in the work of the Gospel.

CHAP. IX. (Book 9)

Particular Directions in relation to the fore∣going Case proposed. First, Consider the dan∣gerous Symptoms of any Lust: 1. Invete∣rateness. 2. Peace obtained under it; the several wayes whereby that is done. 3. Fre∣quency of success in its seductions. 4. The Soul's fighting against it, with Arguments only taken from the Event. 5. Its being at∣tended with Judiciary Hardness. 6. Its withstanding particular dealings from God. The State of Persons in whom these things are found.

THE foregoing General Rules being sup∣posed, Particular Directions to the Soul, for its guidance under the sense of a disquiet∣ing lust or distemper, (being the main thing I aym at) come next to be proposed. Now of these some are previous and preparatory, and in some of them the work it self is con∣tained. Of the first sort are these ensuing:

First, Consider what dangerous symptoms thy Lust hath attending or accompanying it. Whether it hath any deadly Mark on it or no: If it hath, extraordinary Remedies are to

be used; an ordinary course of Mortification will not do it.

You will say, what are these dangerous Marks and symptoms, the desperate Atten∣dances of an indwelling Lust that you intend? Some of them I shall name.

(1) Inveterateness; if it hath lyen long cor∣rupting in thy Heart, if thou hast suffered it to abide in Power and prevalency, without at∣tempting v••gorously the killing of it, and the healing of the wounds thou hast received by it, for some long season, thy Distemper is dangerous. Hast thou permitted Worldliness, Ambition, Greediness of Study, to eat up other Duties; the Duties wherein thou ought∣est to hold constant Communion with God, for some long season? Or Ʋncleanness to de∣file thy Heart, with vain, and foolish, and wicked Imaginations, for many dayes? Thy Lust hath a dangerous symptom. So was the Case with David, Psal. 38.5. My wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my foolishness. When a Lust hath layen long in the Heart, corrupting, festering, cankering, it brings the Soul to a wofull Condition. In such a case an ordinary course of humiliation will not do the work: Whatever it be, it will by this Means insinuate it self more or less into all the Fa∣culties of the Soul, and habituate the Affecti∣ons to its Company and society; it growes

familiar to the Mind and Conscience, that they do not startle at it as a strange thing, but are bold with it as that which they are wonted unto; yea it will get such advantage by this Means, as often-times to exert and put forth it self, without having any notice taken of it at all; as it seems to have been with Joseph in his swearing by the Life of Pharaoh. Un∣less some extraordinary Course be taken, such a person hath no ground in the world to expect that his latter End shall be Peace.

For first, How will he be able to distinguish between the long abode of an unmortified lust, and the dominion of Sin which cannot befall a Regenerate person? Secondly, How can he promise himself, that it shall ever be otherwise with him, or that his lust will cease tumultu∣ating and seducing, when he sees it fixed and abiding, and hath done so for many dayes, and hath gone through variety of Conditions with him. It may be it hath tryed mercyes and afflictions, and those possibly so remark∣able, that the Soul could not avoyd the taking special notice of them; it may be it hath weathered out many a thorn; and passed un∣der much variety of Gifts in the Administra∣tion of the Word; and will it prove an easie thing to dislodge an Inmate pleading a title by Prescription? Old neglected wounds are often mortal, alwayes dangerous, Indwelling

Distempers grow resty, and stubborn, by con∣tinuance in ease and quiet. Lust is such an In∣mate, as, if it can plead Time and some Pre∣scription, will not easily be ejected. As it never dyes of it self, so if it be not daily killed, it will alwayes gather strength.

(2) Secret Pleas of the Heart for the coun∣tenancing of it self, and keeping up its peace, notwithstanding the abiding of a Lust, without a vigorous Gospel Attempt for its Mortificati∣on, is another dangerous symptome of a deadly Distemper in the Heart. Now there be several wayes whereby this may be done, I shall name some of them. As,

1. When upon Thoughts, perplexing Thoughts about Sin, instead of applying him∣self to the Destruction of it, a man searches his Heart to see what Evidences he can find of a good Condition, notwithstanding that sin and Lust, so that it may go well with him.

For a man to gather up his Experiences of God, to call them to mind, to collect them, consider, trye, improve them, is an excellent thing; a Duty practised by all the Saints; com∣mended in the Old Testament and the New. This was Davids work, when he communed with his own heart, and called to remembrance the former loving kindness of the Lord, Psal. 77.6, 7, 8, 9. This is the Duty that Paul sets us to practise, 2 Cor. 13.5. And as it is in it self

excellent, so it hath beauty added to it, by a proper Season. A time of Tryal, or Tempta∣tion, or Disquietness of the Heart about Sin, is a picture of Silver to set off this Golden Apple, as Solomon speaks: But now, to do it for this End, to satisfie Conscience, which cryes and calls for another purpose, is a desperate De∣vice of an heart in love with Sin. When a mans Conscience shall deal with him, when God shall rebuke him for the sinfull distemper of his Heart, if he, instead of applying himself to get that Sin pardoned in the Blood of Christ, and mor∣tified by his Spirit, shall relieve himself, by any such other Evidences as he hath, or thinks himself to have, and so disintangle himself from under the yoke, that God was putting on his neck; his Condition is very dangerous, his Wound hardly curable. Thus the Jews un∣der the gallings of their own Consciences, and the convincing preaching of our Saviour, sup∣ported themselves with this, that they were Abraham's Children, and on that account ac∣cepted with God; and so countenanced them∣selves in all abominable wickedness to their utter ruine.

This is in some degree, a Blessing of a mans self, and saying that upon one account or other he shall have peace, although he addes drunkenness to thirst; love of Sin, undervalu∣ation of Peace, and of all tastes of Love from

God, are enwrapped in such a Frame: Such a one plainly shews, that if he can but keep up hope of escaping the wrath to come, he can be well content to be Unfruitfull in the world, at any Distance from God that is not final sepa∣ration. What is to be expected from such an Heart?

2. By applying Grace and Mercy to an unmortified sin, or one not sincerely endeavour∣ed to be mortified, is this Deceit carried on. This is a sign of an Heart greatly entangled with the Love of Sin. When a man hath se∣cret thoughts in his Heart, not unlike those of Naaman,* 1.1 about his worshipping in the House of Rimmon; in all other things I will walk with God; but in this thing, God be mercifull un∣to me; his Condition is sad. It is true indeed, a Resolution to this purpose, to indulge a mans self in any sin on the account of Mercy, seems to be (and doubtless in any course, is) altogether inconsistent with Christian Since∣rity, and is a badge of an Hypocrite, and is the turning of the Grace of God into wanton∣ness, Jude 4. but yet I doubt not but through the craft of Sathan, and their own remaining unbelief, the Children of God may themselves sometimes be ensnared with this Deceit of sin; or else Paul would never have so cautioned them against it as he doth, Rom. 6.1, 2. Yea

indeed there is nothing more Natural, than for fleshly reasonings to grow high and strong upon this account. The flesh would fain be indulged unto upon the account of Grace: and every word that is spoken of mercy, it stands ready to catch at, and to pervert it to its own corrupt ayms and purposes. To apply Mercy then to a sin not vigorously mortified, is to fulfill the End of the flesh upon the Gospel.

These and many other wayes and wiles, a deceitfull Heart will sometimes make use of, to countenance it self in its Abominations. Now when a man with his sin is in this Con∣dition, that there is a secret liking of the sin prevalent in his Heart, and though his Will be not wholly set upon it, yet he hath an imper∣fect velleity towards it, he would practise it were it not for such and such Considerations, and hereupon relieves himself other wayes than by the Mortification and Pardon of it in the Blood of Christ, that mans wounds stink and are corrupt, and he will, with∣out speedy Deliverance, be at the door of Death.

(3) Frequency of success in Sins seduction in obtaining the prevailing Consent of the Will unto it, is another dangerous symptome. This is that I mean: When the sin spoken of gets the Consent of the Will with some de∣light,

though it be not actually outwardly per∣petrated, yet it hath success. A man may not be able upon outward Considerations to goe along with Sin, to that which James calls the finishing of it, Jam. 1.14, 15. as to the outward Acts of Sin, when yet the will of sinning may be actually obtained: Then hath it I say success. Now if any lust be able thus far to prevail in the Soul of any man, as his Condition may possibly be very bad and him∣self be unregenerate, so it cannot possibly be very good, but dangerous. And it is all one upon the matter, whether this be done by the choice of the Will, or by Inadvertency; For that Inadvertency it self is in a manner chosen. When we are inadvertent and negligent, where we are bound to watchfulness, and care∣fulness, that inadvertency doth not take off from the voluntariness of what we doe thereupon; for although men do not choose and resolve to be negligent and inadvertent, yet if they choose the things that will make them so, they choose inadvertency it self, as a thing may be chosen in its cause.

And let not men think that the evil of their hearts is in any measure extenuated, because they seem for the most part to be surprized into that consent which they seem to give unto it; for it is Negligence of their Duty in watching over their Hearts, that betrayes them into that surprizal.

(4) When a man fighteth against his sin onely with Arguments from the Issue, or the punishment due unto it; this is a sign that sin hath taken great possession of the Will, and that in the Heart there is a superfluity of naughtiness. Such a man as opposes nothing to the seduction of Sin and Lust in his Heart, but fear of shame among men, or Hell from God, is sufficiently resolved to do the sin, if there were no punish∣ment attending it; which what it differs from living in the practice of Sin, I know not. Those who are Christs, and are acted in their Obedience upon Gospel Principles, have the Death of Christ, the Love of God, the de∣testable Nature of Sin, the preciousness of Com∣munion with God, a deep grounded Abhor∣rency of sin as Sin, to oppose to any seducti∣on of Sin, to all the workings, strivings, fightings of Lust in their Hearts. So did Jo∣seph, How shall I doe this great evil (saith he) and sin against the Lord,* 1.2 my good and gracious God? And Paul,* 1.3 The love of Christ constrains us:* 1.4 And having received these Promises, let us cleanse our selves from all pollutions of flesh and Spirit. But now if a man be so under the power of his Lust, that he hath nothing but Law to oppose it withall, if he cannot fight against it with Gospel weapons, but deals with

it altogether with Hell and Judgement, which are the proper Arms of the Law, it is most evident, that sin hath possessed it self of his Will and Affections, to a very great preva∣lency and conquest.

Such a Person hath cast off (as to the par∣ticular spoken of) the Conduct of Renewing Grace, and is kept from ruine onely by re∣straining Grace; and so far is he fallen from Grace, and returned under the Power of the Law; and can it be thought that this is not a great provocation to Christ, that men should cast off his easie gentle Yoke and Rule, and cast themselves under the Iron yoke of the Law, meerly out of indulgence unto their Lusts?

Try thy self by this also: When thou art by Sin driven to make a stand, so that thou must either serve it, and rush at the command of it into folly, like the horse into the battel, or make head against it to suppress it; what doest thou say to thy Soul? what doest thou expostulate with thy self? is this all? Hell will be the end of this course, Vengeance will meet with me, and find me out; it is time for thee to look about thee, evil lyes at the door. Pauls main Argument to evince, that sin shall not have dominion over Believers, is, that they are not under the Law, but under Grace, Rom. 6.14. If thy contendings against Sin be all

on legal Accounts, from legal Principles and motives, what assurance canst thou attain un∣to, that sin shall not have dominion over thee, which will be thy ruine?

Yea know that this Reserve will not long hold out: if thy Lust hath driven thee from stronger Gospel Forts, it will speedily prevail against this also; do not suppose that such Considerations will deliver thee, when thou hast voluntarily given up to thine Enemy those Helps and Means of Preservation which have a thousand times their Strength. Rest assuredly in this, that unless thou recover thy self with speed from this Condition, the thing that thou fearest will come upon thee; what Gospel Principles do not, legal Motives cannot doe.

(5) When it is probable that there is, or may be somewhat of judiciary hardness, or at least chastening Punishment in thy Lust as disquieting; This is another dangerous sym∣ptome. That God doth sometimes leave even those of his own, under the perplexing power at least of some Lust or Sin, to correct them for former sins, Negligence and Folly, I no way doubt. Hence was that complaint of the Church, Why hast thou hardened us from the fear of thy Name, Isa. 63.17. That this is his way of dealing with unregenerate men, no man questions. But how shall a man know

whether there be any thing of Gods chastening hand, in his being left to the disquietment of his distemper?

Answ. Examine thy Heart and Wayes: What was the state and Condition of thy Soul before thou fellest into the Intanglements of that sin which now thou so complainest of? Hadst thou been negligent in Duties? hadst thou lived inordinately to thy self? is there the guilt of any great sin lying upon thee unre∣pented of? A new Sin may be permitted, as well as a new Affliction sent to bring an Old sin to remembrance?

Hast thou received any eminent Mercy, Protection, Deliverance, which thou diddest not improve in a due Manner, nor wast thank∣full for? or hast been exercised with any Af∣fliction, without labouring for the appointed End of it? or hast thou been wanting to the Opportunities of glorifying God in thy Gene∣ration, which in his good Providence he had graciously afforded unto thee? or hast thou conformed thy self unto the World and the men of it, through the abounding of Temptations in the dayes wherein thou livest?

If thou findest this to have been thy State, awake, call upon God; thou art fast asleep in a storm of Anger round about thee.

(6) When thy Lust hath already withstood particular dealings from God against it. This

Condition is described, Isa. 57.17. For the Iniquity of his Coveteousness I was wroth, and smote him, I hid me and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. God had dealt with them about their prevailing Lust, and that several wayes, by Affliction and De∣sertion. But they held out against all: This is a sad Condition which nothing but meer sove∣raign Grace (as God expresses it in the next verse,) can relieve a man in, and which no man ought to promise himself, or bear him∣self upon. God oftentimes in his providential Dispensations meets with a man, and speaks particularly to the Evil of his Heart, as he did to Joseph's Brethren in their selling of him into Egypt. This makes the man reflect on his sin, and judge himself in particular for it. God makes it to be the voice of the Danger, Affliction, Trouble, Sickness that he is in, or under. Sometimes in Reading of the Word, God makes a man stay on something that cuts him to the Heart, and shakes him as to his present Condition. More frequently in the Hearing of the Word preached (his great Or∣dinance for Conviction, Conversion and Edi∣fication) doth he meet with men. God often hews men by the Sword of his Word in that Ordinance; strikes directly on their bosome beloved Lust; startles the Sinner, makes him engage into the Mortification and Relinquish∣ment

of the Evil of his Heart. Now if his Lust have taken such hold on him, as to en∣force him to break these bonds of the Lord, and to cast these cords from him; If it overcomes these Convictions, and gets again into its old posture; if it can cure the wounds it so receives, that Soul is in a sad Condition.

Unspeakable are the Evils which attend such a Frame of Heart: Every particular Warning to a man in such an Estate, is an in∣estimable Mercy; how then doth he despise God in them, who holds out against them; and what infinite Patience is this in God, that he doth not cast off such an one, and swear in his wrath, that he shall never enter into his Rest.

These and many other Evidences are there of a Lust that is dangerous, if not mortal. As our Saviour said of the evil Spirit, This kind goes not out but by Fasting and Prayer: So say I of Lusts of this kind; an ordinary Course of Mortification will not doe it, extraordinary wayes must be fixed on.

This is the First particular Direction; Con∣sider whether the Lust or Sin you are contend∣ing with, hath any of these dangerous symptoms attending of it.

Before I proceed, I must give one Caution by the way, lest any be deceived by what hath been spoken. Whereas I say, the things and

evils above mentioned may befall true Be∣lievers, let not any that finds the same things in himself, thence or from thence conclude that he is a true Believer. These are the Evils that Believers may fall into, and be ensnared with∣all, not the things that Constitute a Believer. A man may as well conclude that he is a Be∣liever, because he is an Adulterer; because David that was so, fell into Adultery; as con∣clude it from the signs foregoing, which are the evils of Sin and Sathan in the Hearts of Believers. The seventh of the Romans contains the Description of a Regenerate man. He that shall consider what is spoken of his dark side, of his unregenerate part, of the indwelling Power and Violence of Sin remaining in him, and because he finds the like in himself, con∣clude that he is a regenerate man, will be de∣ceived in his Reckoning. It is all one as if you should argue, A wise man may be sick and wounded, yea do some things foolishly, There∣fore every one who is sick and wounded and does things foolishly, is a wise man. Or as if a silly deformed Creature hearing one speak∣ing of a beautifull Person, should, say that he had a mark or a Scarre that much disfigured him, should conclude that because he hath him∣self scarres, and moles, and warts, that he also is beautifull. If you will have Evidences of your being Believers, it must be from those

things that constitute men Believers. He that hath these things in himself, may safely conclude, If I am a Believer, I am a most miserable one. But that any man is so, He must look for other Evidences, if he will have Peace.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2 King. 5.18.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 39.9.
• * 1.3

  2 Cor. 5.14.
• * 1.4

  2 Cor. 7.1.