A53715:231
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.
3. Loss of Peace and Strength all a mans days. To have peace with God, to have strength to walk before God, is the sum of the great Promises of the Covenant of Grace. In these things is the Life of our Souls. Without 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 sometimes ⟨p. 107⟩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 whilst he smites? Hos. 5.15. I will go and return to my place, until they acknowledge their Offence, and seek my face. I will leave them, hide my Face, and what will become of their peace and strength? If ever then thou hast enjoyed peace with God, if ever his Terrors 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 morrow thou shalt not be able to pray, read, hear, or perform any Duties with the least cheerfulness, Life or Vigour; and possibly thou mayst never see a quiet hour whilst thou livest; That thou mayst carry about thee broken bones full of pain and terror all the days ⟨p. 108⟩of thy Life; yea perhaps God will shoot his Arrows 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, show thee Hell and Wrath every moment; frighten and scare thee with sad Apprehensions of his Hatred, so that thy sore shall run in the Night season, and thy Soul shall refuse Comfort; so that thou shalt wish Death rather than Life, yea thy Soul may choose strangling. Consider this a little, though God should not utterly destroy thee, yet he might cast thee into this condition, wherein thou shalt have quick and living Apprehensions of thy Destruction. Wont thy Heart to thoughts hereof: