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. X. (Book 10)

The Second particular Direction. Get a clear Sense of (1) The Guilt of the Sin perplex∣ing. Considerations for Help therein propo∣sed. (2) The Danger manifold: 1. Harden∣ing. 2. Temporal Correction. 3. Loss of Peace and Strength. 4. Eternal Destructi∣on. Rules for this Management of the Consideration. (3) The Evil of it: 1. In Grieving the Spirit. 2. Wounding the New Creature.

THE Second Direction is this, Get a clear and abiding Sense upon thy Mind and Conscience of the (1) Guilt, (2) Danger, (3) Evil of that Sin wherewith thou art perplexed.

(1) Of the Guilt of it. It is one of the D••ceits of a prevailing Lust, to extenuate its

own Guilt. Is it not a little one? When I go and bow my self in the House of Rimmon, God be mercifull to me in This thing. Though this be bad, yet it is not so bad as such and such an Evil, others of the People of God have had such a Frame; yea what dreadful Actual sins have some of them fallen into! Innumerable wayes there are whereby Sin diverts the Mind from a right and due Apprehension of its Guilt. Its noysom Exhalations darken the Mind, that it cannot make a right Judgment of things; Perplexing Reasonings, extenua∣ting Promises, tumultuating Desires, treache∣rous Purposes of ••••linquishment, hopes of Mer∣cy; all have a share in disturbing the Mind, in its Consideration of the Guilt of a prevailing Lust. The Prophet tells us, that Lust will do thus wholly, when it comes to the height: Hos. 4.11. Whoredom and Wine and new Wine take away the heart: The Heart, (i.e.) the under∣standing, as it is often used in the Scripture. And as they accomplish this work to the height in unregenerate Persons, so in part in rege••••∣rate also. Solomon tells you of him who was enticed by the lewd Woman, that he was among the simple ones, he was a young man voyd of un∣derstanding, Prov. 7.7. And wherein did his folly appear? Why sayes he, in the 23^d vers. He knew not that it was for his Life; He con∣sidered not the Guilt of the Evil that he was

involved in. And the Lord rendring a Reason why his dealings with Ephraim took no better Effect, gives this Account: Ephraim is like a silly Dove without heart, Hos. 7.11. had no understanding of his own miserable Condition. Had it been possible that David should have lain so long in the Guilt of that abominable Sin, but that he had innumerable corrupt Rea∣sonings, hindering him from taking a clear View of its Ugliness and Guilt in thc Glass of the Law? This made the Prophet that was sent for his awaking, in his dealings with him, to shut up all subterfuges and Pretences, by his Parable; that so he might fall fully under a sense of the Guilt of it. This is the proper issue of Lust in the heart, it darkens the Mind that it shall not judge aright of its Guilt; And ma∣ny other Wayes it hath for its own Extenua∣tion, that I shall not now insist on. Let this then be the first care of him that would mor∣tifie Sin, to fix a right Judgement of its Guilt in his Mind. To which end take these Conside∣rations to thy assistance:

1. Though the Power of Sin be weakened by inherent Grace in them that have it, that Sin shall not have dominion over them, as it hath over others, yet the Guilt of Sin that doth yet abide and remain, is aggravated and heightned by it, Rom. 6.1, 2. What shall we say then? shall we continue in Sin that Grace

may abound? God forbid, how shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? How shall we that are dead; the Emphasis is on the word We. How shall we do it, who (as he afterwards describes it,) have received Grace from Christ to the contrary? We (doubtless) are more evil than any, if we do it. I shall not insist on the special Aggravations of the Sins of such Persons; how they sin against more Love, Mercy, Grace, Assistance, Relief, Means and Deliverances, than others. But let this Consideration abide in thy Mind. There is inconceivably more Evil and Guilt in the Evil of thy Heart, that doth remain, than there would be in so much Sin, if thou hadst no Grace at all. Observe,

2. That as God sees abundance of beauty and Excellency in the desires of the Hearts of his Servants, more than in any the most glori∣ous works of other men, yea more than in most of their own outward Performances, which have a greater mixture of Sin than the desires and Pantings of Grace in the Heart have: So God sees a great deal of Evil in the working of Lust in their Hearts, yea and more than in the open notorious Acts of wicked men, or in many outward Sins whereinto the Saints may fall; seeing against them there is more Oppo∣sition made, and more Humiliation generally followes them. Thus Christ, dealing with his

decaying Children, goes to the root with them; layes aside their profession, Rev. 3.15. I know thee, thou art quite another thing than thou professest, and this makes thee abo∣minable.

So then; let these things and the like Con∣siderations lead thee to a clear sense of the Guilt of thy indwelling Lust, that there may be no room in thy Heart for extenuating or excusing thoughts, whereby Sin insensibly will get strength and prevail.

(2) Consider the danger of it, which is ma∣nifold:

1. Of being hardened by its Deceitfulness: This the Apostle sorely charges on the He∣brews, ch. 3. v. 12, 13. Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of un∣belief, in departing from the living God: But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceit∣fulness of sin. Take heed (saith he) use all means, consider your Temptations, watch dili∣gently, there is a Treachery, a deceit in Sin, that tends to the hardening of your Hearts from the Fear of God. The hardening here men∣tioned is to the utmost; utter Obduration; Sin tends to it, and every Distemper and Lust will make at least some progress towards it. Thou that wast tender, and did'st use to melt under the Word, under Afflictions, wilt grow

(as some have profanely spoken,) Sermon-proof, and Sickness-proof; Thou that did'st tremble at the presence of God, thoughts of Death, and Appearance before him, when thou hadst more Assurance of his Love than now thou hast, shalt have a Stoutness upon thy Spirit, not to be moved by these things. Thy Soul and thy sin shall be spoken of, and spo∣ken to, and thou shalt not be at all concern∣ed; But shalt be able to pass over Duties, Praying, Hearing, Reading, and thy Heart not in the least affected. Sin will grow a light thing to thee; thou wilt pass by it as a thing of nought; This it will grow to, and what will be the End of such a Condition? Can a sadder thing befall thee? Is it not enough to make any heart to tremble, to think of being brought into that Estate, wherein he should have slight thoughts of Sin; slight thoughts of Grace, of Mercy, of the Blood of Christ, of the Law, Heaven and Hell, come all in at the same season? Take heed, this is that thy Lust is working towards; the hardening of the Heart, searing of Conscience, blinding of the Mind, stupifying of the Affections, and deceiving of the whole Soul.

2. The danger of some great temporal Cor∣rection, which the Scripture calls Vengeance, Judgement, and Punishment, Psal. 89.30, 31, 32, 33, Though God should not utterly cast

thee off for this Abomination that lyes in thy Heart, yet he will visit with the Rod; though he pardon and forgive, he will take vengeance of thy Inventions. O remember David and all his troubles; look on him flying into the Wil∣derness, and consider the hand of God upon him. Is it nothing to thee, that God should kill thy Child in anger, ruine thy Estate in anger, break thy Bones in anger, suffer thee to be a Scandal and Reproach in anger, kill thee, destroy thee, make thee lye down in darkness in anger? Is it nothing that he should punish, ruine, and undoe others for thy sake? Let me not be mistaken, I do not mean, that God doth send all these things alwayes on his in Anger; God forbid. But this I say, That when he doth so deal with thee, and thy Con∣science bears witness with him, what thy Pro∣vocations have been, thou wilt find his deal∣ings full of bitterness to thy Soul. If thou fearest not these things, I fear thou art under hardness.

3. Loss of Peace and Strength all a mans dayes. To have peace with God, to have strength to walk before God, is the summe of the great Promises of the Covenant of Grace. In these things is the Life of our Souls. With∣out them in some comfortable measure, to Live, is to Dye. What good will our Lives do us, if we see not the face of God some∣times

in peace? If we have not some strength to walk with him? Now both these will an unmortified Lust certainly deprive the Souls of men of. This case is so evident in David, as that nothing can be more clear. How often doth he complain that his bones were broken, his Soul disquieted, his wounds grievous on this account? Take other Instances, Isa. 57.18. For the Iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth, and hid my self. What peace I pray is there to a Soul while God hides himself? Or strength whilest he smites? Hos. 5.15. I will goe and return to my place, untill they acknow∣ledge their Offence, and seek my face. I will leave them, hide my Face, and what will be∣come of their peace and strength? If ever then thou hast enjoyed peace with God, if ever his Terrours have made thee afraid, if ever thou hast had strength to walk with him, or ever hast mourned in thy Prayer, and been troubled because of thy weakness, think of this danger that hangs over thy head. It is perhaps but a little while and thou shalt see the Face of God in Peace no more: Perhaps by to mor∣row thou shalt not be able to pray, read, hear, or perform any Duties with the least chear∣fulness, Life or Vigour; and possibly thou mayst never see a quiet hour whilest thou livest; That thou mayst carry about thee bro∣ken bones full of pain and terrour all the dayes

of thy Life; yea perhaps God will shoot his Arrowes at thee, and fill thee with Anguish and disquietness, with Fears and Perplexities, make thee a Terror and an Astonishment to thy self and others, shew thee Hell and Wrath every moment; frighten and scare thee with sad Ap∣prehensions of his Hatred, so that thy sore shall run in the Night season, and thy Soul shall re∣fuse Comfort; so that thou shalt wish Death ra∣ther than Life, yea thy Soul may choose strang∣ling. Consider this a little, though God should not utterly destroy thee, yet he might cast thee in∣to this condition, wherein thou shalt have quick and living Apprehensions of thy Destruction. Wont thy Heart to thoughts hereof: Let it know what is like to be the Issue of its State, leave not this Consideration untill thou hast made thy Soul to tremble within thee.

4. There is the Danger of eternal Destructi∣on. For the due Management of this Conside∣ration, observe,

I. That there is such a connexion between a Continuance in Sin and eternal Destruction, that though God do's resolve to deliver some from a Continuance in Sin, that they may not be destroyed, yet he will deliver none from Destruction that continue in sin. So that whilest any one lyes under an Abiding power of sin, the Threats of Destruction and everlasting Seperation from God are to be held out to him:

So Heb. 3.12. to which adde Heb. 10.38. This is the Rule of Gods proceeding: If any man depart from him, draw back through Unbelief, Gods Soul hath no pleasure in him; that is, his Indignation shall pursue him to Destruction; so evidently, Gal. 6.8.

II. That he who is so intangled (as above described) under the Power of any Corrupti∣on, can have at that present no clear prevailing Evidence of his Interest in the Covenant, by the Efficacy whereof he may be delivered from Fear of Destruction. So that Destruction from the Lord may justly be a Terrour to him; And he may, he ought to look upon it, as that which will be the End of his Course and wayes. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8.1. True! but who shall have the comfort of this Assertion? Who may assume it to himself? They that walk after the Spirit, and not after the Flesh. But you will say, Is not this to perswade men to unbelief? I an∣swer, No; there is a twofold Judgement that a man may make of himself; 1. Of his Person, and 2. Of his Wayes. It is the judgment of his Wayes, not his Person that I speak of; Let a man get the best Evidence for his Person that he can, yet to judge that an evil Way will end in Destruction, is his Duty; not to do it, is Atheism. I do not say, that in such a Condition a man ought to throw away the Evidences of

his personal Interest in Christ; but I say, he cannot keep them. There is a two-fold con∣demnation of a mans self:

First, In respect of Desert, when the Soul concludes, that it Deserves to be cast out of the presence of God; and this is so far from a business of Ʋnbelief, that it is an Effect of Faith.

Secondly, With respect to the Issue and Event; when the Soul concludes it shall be Damned. I do not say this is the Duty of any one, nor do I call them to it. But this I say, that the End of the way wherein a man is, ought by him to be concluded to be death, that he may be provok'd to fly from it; And this is another Consideration, that ought to dwell upon such a Soul, if it de∣sire to be freed from the intanglement of its Lusts.

(3) Consider the Evils of it. I mean its present Evils. Danger respects what is to come; Evil what is present: Some of the ma∣ny Evils that attend an unmortified Lust, may be mentioned.

1. It grieves the Holy and Blessed Spirit, which is given to Believers to dwell in them and abide with them. So the Apostle, (Ephes. 4.25, 26, 27, 28, 29.) dehorting them from many Lusts and Sins, gives this as the great Motive of it, vers. 30. Grieve not the holy

Spirit, whereby you are sealed to the day of Re∣demption. Grieve not that Spirit of God (saith he) whereby you receive so many and so great Benefits; of which he instances in one signal and comprehensive one, Sealing to the day of Redemption. He is grieved by it, as a tender and loving Friend is grieved at the unkindness of his Friend, of whom he hath well deserved; so is it with this tender and loving Spirit, who hath chosen our Hearts for an Habitation to dwell in, and there to do for us all that our Souls desire. He is grieved by our harbouring his Enemies, and those whom he is to destroy in our Hearts with him. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve Us, Lam. 3.33. and shall we daily grieve Him? Thus is he said some∣times to be vexed, sometimes grieved at his heart, to express the greatest sense of our pro∣vocation. Now if there be any thing of graci∣ous Ingenuity left in the Soul, if it be not ut∣terly hardened by the Deceitfulness of Sin, this Consideration will certainly affect it. Con∣sider Who and What thou art, who the Spirit is that is grieved, what he hath done for thee, what he comes to thy Soul about, what he hath already done in thee; and be ashamed. Among those who walk with God, there is no groater Motive and Incentive unto universal Holi∣ness, and the preserving of their Hearts and Spirits in all Purity and Cleanness, than this,

That the blessed Spirit who hath undertaken to dwell in them as Temples of God, and to preserve them meet for him who so dwells in them, is continually considering what they give Entertainment in their Hearts unto; and rejoyceth when his Temple is kept undefiled; that was an high Aggravation of the Sin of Zimri, that he brought his Adulteress into the Congregation in the sight of Moses, and the rest, who were weeping for the Sins of the people, Numb. 25.6. and is it not an high Aggravation of the countenancing a Lust, or suffering it to abide in the Heart, when it is (as it must be, if we are Believers) entertained under the peculiar Eye and View of the Holy Ghost; taking care to preserve his Tabernacle pure and holy?

2. The Lord Jesus is wounded afresh by it; His new Creature in the heart is wounded. His Love is foil'd, his adversary gratified. As a total relinquishment of him by the Deceitful∣ness of Sin, is the crucifying him afresh, and the putting of him to open shame, so every har∣bouring of Sin that he came to destroy, wounds and grieves him.

3. It will take away a mans usefulness in his Generation. His Works, his Endeavours, his Labours seldom receive Blessing from God. If he be a Preacher, God commonly blows upon his Ministry, that he shall labour in the

Fire, and not be honoured with any success, or doing any work for God; and the like may be spoken of other Conditions. The world is at this day full of poor withering Professors; how few are there that walk in any Beauty, or Glo∣ry; how barren, how useless are they for the most part ••. Amongst the many Reasons that may be assigned of this sad Estate, it may just∣ly be feared, that this is none of the least ef∣fectual; many men harbour Spirit-devouring Lusts in their bosomes, that lye as Worms at the Root of their Obedience, and corrode and weaken it day by day. All Graces, all the Wayes and Means whereby any Graces may be exercised and improved, are prejudiced by this Means; and as to any success, God blasts such mens undertakings.

This then is my second Direction, and it re∣gards the Opposition that is to be made to Lust, in respect of its habitual residence in the Soul; keep alive upon thy Heart these or the like Considerations, of its Guilt, Danger and Evil; be much in the meditation of these things; cause thy Heart to dwell and abide upon them. In∣gage thy Thoughts into these Considerations; let them not go off, nor wander from them, untill they begin to have a powerfull Influ∣ence upon thy Soul; untill they make it to tremble.