A53715:207
Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers
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.
London: printed for Nathanael Ponder, 1668
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
(4) When a man fighteth against his sin only 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 punishment 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 detestable Nature of Sin, the preciousness of Communion with God, a deep grounded Abhorrency of sin as Sin, to oppose to any seduction of Sin, to all the workings, strivings, fightings of Lust in their Hearts. So did Joseph, How shall I do this great evil (saith he) and sin against the Lord, 1my good and gracious God? And Paul, 2The love of Christ constrains us: 3And 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 withal, if he cannot fight against it with Gospel weapons, but deals with ⟨p. 94⟩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 prevalency and conquest.
(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 punishment 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 detestable Nature of Sin, the preciousness of Communion with God, a deep grounded Abhorrency of sin as Sin, to oppose to any seduction of Sin, to all the workings, strivings, fightings of Lust in their Hearts. So did Joseph, How shall I doe this great evil (saith he) and sin against the Lord,