A53715:96
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.
2. It will darken the Soul, and deprive it of its Comfort and Peace.
(1.) It weakens the Soul, and deprives it of its Strength: when David had for a while harboured an unmortified Lust in his heart, it broke all his Bon•s, and left him no spiritual strength; hence he complained that he was ⟨p. 39⟩sick, weak, wounded, faint; there is (saith he) no soundness in me, Psal. 38.3. I am feeble and sore broken, vers. 8. Yea I cannot so much as look up, Psal. 40.12. An unmortified Lust will drink up the Spirit, and all the vigour of the Soul, and weaken it for all Duties. For,
1. It untunes and unframes the Heart it self, by entangling its Affections. It diverts the heart from that spiritual Frame that is required for vigorous Communion with God. It lays hold on the Affections, rendering its Object beloved and desirable; so expelling the love of the Father, 1 Joh. 2.1. Chap. 3.17. So that the Soul cannot say uprightly and truly to God, Thou art my portion, having something else that it loves. Fear, Desire, Hope, which are the choice Affections of the Soul, that should be full of God, will be one way or other entangled with it.
1. It untunes and unframes the Heart it self, by entangling its Affections. It diverts the heart from that spiritual Frame that is required for vigorous Communion with God. It layes hold on the Affections, rendring its Object beloved and desirable; so expelling the love of the Father,