Oscar Wilde, Dorian Gray, and John Owen on Sin

From Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray we read,

Basil would have helped him resist Lord Henry's influence, and the still more poisonous influences that came from his own temperament.

For those of you unfamiliar with this story, here is a quick summary:

The novel tells of a young man named Dorian Gray, the subject of a painting by artist Basil Hallward. Basil is impressed by Dorian's beauty and becomes infatuated with him, believing his beauty is responsible for a new mode in his art. Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Basil's, and becomes enthralled by Lord Henry's world view. Espousing a new hedonism, Lord Henry suggests the only things worth pursuing in life are beauty and fulfillment of the senses. Realizing that one day his beauty will fade, Dorian (whimsically) expresses a desire to sell his soul to ensure the portrait Basil has painted would age rather than he. Dorian's wish is fulfilled, plunging him into debauched acts. The portrait serves as a reminder of the effect each act has upon his soul, with each sin displayed as a disfigurement of his form, or through a sign of aging.

The quote above is an indication of Dorian's recognition that his friend and artist Basil was certainly a better influence than was the despicable Lord Henry. However, this line intrigued me for a different reason. I was interested in the fact that Wilde, through his character Dorian, realized that the "more poisonous influences" do not come from outside of us but instead are generated within us.

I think this is exactly right. We often want to blame external things for our sins: "This person's actions caused me to sin"; "I wouldn't have acted in such an inappropriate manner if this didn't happen to me first"; or "I'm the way I am because of my parents".

When it comes to sin, we so often want to play the victim.

However, the Bible directs our hypocritical gaze in another direction. James 1:14-15 is as follows, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."(James 1:14-15 ESV)

The Bible says the desire, or in Wilde's words the "evil influence", to sin is our own. It does not come from without but from within. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick".

The remedy for sin is not a finger-pointing, blame-directing attributing of culpability to something outside of ourselves. This will never free us. We need to realize that sin dwells within us. But the remedy cannot be found with this recognition alone.

John Owen, in his classic The Mortification of Sin in Believers, directs us well:

Set faith at work on Christ for the killing of thy sin. His blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls. Live in this, and thou wilt die a conqueror; yea, thou wilt, through the good providence of God, live to see thy lust dead at thy feet.

Reading the Classics with Challies - The Bruised Reed - Post 2

We are considering chapters 2 and 3 of Richard Sibbes book The Bruised Reed in this installment of Reading the Classics with Challies.

I would like to comment on a section of chapter 2 that I found both interesting and helpful. It pertains to the bruising we receive as Christians and we ought to think about it. Sibbes gives us instructions saying, "First, we must conceive of bruising either as a state into which God brings us, or as a duty to be performed by us. Both are here meant." Sibbes teaches us that the bruising we encounter is and should be initiated by God and performed by us. Interesting.

The bruising we do towards ourselves is, according to Sibbes, very much like mortification. "We must lay siege to the hardness of our own hearts, and aggravate sin all we can." This aggravation of sin and laying siege to our own hearts points towards the killing of sin. I am reminded of John Owen's saying "Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you."

Our performance of self-bruising has in mind two goals according to this Puritan author: "(1) that we may prize Christ above all, and see that a Saviour must be had; and (2) that we reform that which is amiss". This reforming what is amiss is followed by the staement that drew my attention to the parallels 'bruising' has with mortification; "... though it be to the cutting off of our right hand, or pulling out of our right eye."

Whether we administer our own duty of bruising or are under God's hand in the bruising, Sibbes would counsel us "Therefore let us not take off ourselves too soon, nor pull off the plaster before the cure be wrought, but keep ourselves under this work till sin be the sourest, and Christ the sweetest, of all things." That sin would be sour and nothing would compare to the sweetness of Christ! With those ends in sight, the bruising does not seem so intimidating, does it?

Even as we experience sorrow and grief, we can direct those affections to a Godly profit for our souls: "And when God's hand is upon us in any way, it is good to divert our sorrow for other things to the root of all, which is sin. Let our grief run most in that channel, that as sin bred grief, so grief may consume sin." Directing grief to consume sin is another motivating idea to consider when one finds themselves under a work of bruising.

One of the enjoyable and helpful aspects of many of the Puritan works I have read is there sensibility and practical advice. These men did not live in ivory towers or let their minds wander in ethereal, fantastical realms. They were 'down to earth' and acquainted with sorrows and difficulties; at least their advice points towards that.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 14 Summary

The final chapter of The Mortification of Sin in the Believer begins with Owen declaring that the previous chapter's directions are only preparatory work in mortification. "Now, the considerations which I have hitherto insisted on are rather of things preparatory to the work aimed at then such as will it effect. It is the heart's due preparation for the work itself, without which it will not be accomplished, that hitherto I have aimed at."

For Owen, the actual means of mortification are few:

1. Set faith at work on Christ for the killing of thy sin. His blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls. Live in this, and thou wilt die a conqueror; yea, thou wilt, through the good providence of God, live to see thy lust dead at thy feet.
2. I have only, then, to add the heads of the work of the Spirit in this business of mortification, which is so peculiarly ascribed to him.

Fortunately for the reader, Owen explains each of these two points. In regards to the first point, Owen anticipates a question from the reader, "But thou wilt say, "How shall faith act itself on Christ for this end and purpose?" " Owen's answer to this question is twofold.

(1.) By faith fill thy soul with a due consideration of that provision which is laid up in Jesus Christ for this end and purpose, that all thy lusts, this very lust wherewith thou art entangled, may be mortified.

(2.) Raise up thy heart by faith to an expectation of relief from Christ.

Let this, then, be fixed upon thy heart, that if thou hast not relief from him thou shalt never have any. All ways, endeavours, contendings, that are not animated by this expectation of relief from Christ and him only are to no purpose, will do thee no good; yea, if they are any thing but supportments of thy heart in this expectation, or means appointed by himself for the receiving help from him, they are in vain.

Owen encourages the reader to expect Christ to work in such a manner with the following:

(1.) Consider his mercifulness, tenderness, and kindness, as he is our great High Priest at the right hand of God.

(2.) Consider His faithfulness who hath promised; which may raise thee up and confirm thee in this waiting in an expectation of relief.

Expecting Christ to engage in such a fashion has its advantages:

[1.] It engages him to a full and speedy assistance. Nothing doth more engage the heart of a man to be useful and helpful to another than his expectation of help from him, if justly raised and countenanced by him who is to give the relief. Our Lord Jesus hath raised our hearts, by his kindness, care, and promises, to this expectation; certainly our rising up unto it must needs be a great engagement upon him to assist us accordingly.

[2.] It engages the heart to attend diligently to all the ways and means whereby Christ is wont to communicate himself to the soul; and so takes in the real assistance of all graces and ordinances whatever. He that expects any thing from a man, applies himself to the ways and means whereby it may be obtained.

Two final suggestions for point #1, "First, act faith peculiarly upon the death, blood, and cross of Christ; that is, on Christ as crucified and slain. Mortification of sin is peculiarly from the death of Christ, which shall assuredly be accomplished by it. He died to destroy the works of the devil ... Secondly, then act faith on the death of Christ, and that under these two notions, -- first, In expectation of power; secondly, In endeavours for conformity."

As to point #2, Owen emphasizes that this, mortification, is our duty and it is empowered by the Spirit.

(1.) He alone clearly and fully convinces the heart of the evil and guilt and danger of the corruption, lust, or sin to be mortified. Without this conviction, or whilst it is so faint that the heart can wrestle with it or digest it, there will be no thorough work made.
(2.) The Spirit alone reveals unto us the fullness of Christ for our relief; which is the consideration that stays the heart from false ways and from despairing despondency
(3.) The Spirit alone establishes the heart in expectation of relief from Christ; which is the great sovereign means of mortification, as hath been discovered
(4.) The Spirit alone brings the cross of Christ into our hearts with its sin-killing power; for by the Spirit are we baptized into the death of Christ
(5.) The Spirit is the author and finisher of our sanctification; gives new supplies and influences of grace for holiness and sanctification, when the contrary principle is weakened and abated
(6.) In all the soul's addresses to God in this condition, it hath supportment from the Spirit. Whence is the power, life, and vigour of prayer? whence its efficacy to prevail with God? Is it not from the Spirit?

Hearing God speak...according to Owen

Owen, in chapter 13 of The Mortification of Sin in the Believer, directs the one who desires to mortify sin to only speak 'peace' to one's own soul when God speaks 'peace' to you. To quote Owen directly, "take heed thou speakest not peace to thyself before God speaks it; but hearken what he says to thy soul."

At the very end of the chapter Owen relays a question the reader may, and likely should, have; "When God speaks it, we must receive it, that is true; but how shall we know when he speaks?"

I found Owen's reply absolutely fascinating!

(1.) I would we could all practically come up to this, to receive peace when we are convinced that God speaks it, and that it is our duty to receive it. But, --

(2.) There is, if I may so say, a secret instinct in faith, whereby it knows the voice of Christ when he speaks indeed[emphasis mine]; as the babe leaped in the womb when the blessed Virgin came to Elisabeth, faith leaps in the heart when Christ indeed draws nigh to it. "My sheep," says Christ, "know my voice," John 10:4; -- "They know my voice; they are used to the sound of it;" and they know when his lips are opened to them and are full of grace. The spouse was in a sad condition, Cant. 5:2, -- asleep in security; but yet as soon as Christ speaks, she cries, "It is the voice of my beloved that speaks!" She knew his voice, and was so acquainted with communion with him, that instantly she discovers him; and so will you also. If you exercise yourselves to acquaintance and communion with him, you will easily discern between his voice and the voice of a stranger. When he doth speak, he speaks as never man spake; he speaks with power, and one way or other will make your "hearts burn within you," as he did to the disciples, Luke 24. He doth it by "putting in his hand at the hole of the door," Cant. 5:4, -- his Spirit into your hearts to seize on you.

He that hath his senses exercised to discern good or evil, being increased in judgement and experience by a constant observation of the ways of Christ's intercourse, the manner of the operations of the Spirit, and the effects it usually produceth, is the best judge for himself in this case.

Secondly, If the word of the Lord doth good to your souls, he speaks it; if it humble, if it cleanse, and be useful to those ends for which promises are given, -- namely, to endear, to cleanse, to melt and bind to obedience, to self-emptiness, etc. But this is not my business; nor shall I farther divert in the pursuit of this direction. Without the observation of it, sin will have great advantages towards the hardening of the heart.

I found this short discussion on God speaking very surprising and incredibly interesting. I am definitely going to try and find out if Owen writes more about this.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 13 Summary

The ninth direction for the mortification of sin, as delivered in the 13th chapter of The Mortification of Sin in the Believer, is "In case God disquiet the heart about the guilt of its distempers, either in respect of its root and indwelling, or in respect of any eruptions of it, take heed thou speakest not peace to thyself before God speaks it; but hearken what he says to thy soul."

Owen elaborates on this direction:

1. That as it is the great prerogative and sovereignty of God to give grace to whom he pleases ... so among those so called and justified, and whom he will save, he yet reserves this privilege to himself, to speak peace to whom he pleaseth, and in what degree he pleaseth, even amongst them on whom he hath bestowed grace.
2. As God creates it for whom he pleaseth, so it is the prerogative of Christ to speak it home to the conscience.
3. We speak peace to ourselves when we do it slightly.
4. Whoever speaks peace to himself upon any one account, and at the same time hath another evil of no less importance lying upon his spirit, about which he hath had no dealing with God, that man cries "Peace" when there is none.
5. When men of themselves speak peace to their consciences, it is seldom that God speaks humiliation to their souls.

In regards to #1 and #2 above, Owen wants to clarify his position concerning "rules whereby men may know whether God speaks peace to them, or whether they speak peace to themselves only."

1. Men certainly speak peace to themselves when their so doing is not attended with the greatest detestation imaginable of that sin in reference whereunto they do speak peace to themselves, and abhorrency of themselves for it. When men are wounded by sin, disquieted and perplexed, and knowing that there is no remedy for them but only in the mercies of God, through the blood of Christ, do therefore look to him, and to the promises of the covenant in him, and thereupon quiet their hearts that it shall be well with them, and that God will be exalted, that he may be gracious to them, and, yet their souls are not wrought to the greatest detestation of the sin or sins upon the account whereof they are disquieted, -- this is to heal themselves, and not to be healed of God ... When God comes home to speak peace in a sure covenant of it, it fills the soul with shame for all the ways whereby it hath been alienated from him ... Let a man make what application he will for healing and peace, let him do it to the true Physician, let him do it the right way, let him quiet his heart in the promises of the covenant; yet, when peace is spoken, if it be not attended with the detestation and abhorrency of that sin which was the wound and caused the disquietment, this is no peace of God's creating, but of our own purchasing. It is but a skinning over the wound, whilst the core lies at the bottom, which will putrefy, and corrupt, and corrode, until it break out again with noisomeness, vexation, and danger.

2. When men measure out peace to themselves upon the conclusions that their convictions and rational principles will carry them out unto, this is a false peace, and will not abide. I shall a little explain what I mean hereby. A man hath got a wound by sin; he hath a conviction of some sin upon his conscience; he hath not walked uprightly as becometh the gospel; all is not well and right between God and his soul. He considers now what is to be done. Light he hath, and knows what path he must take, and how his soul hath been formerly healed. Considering that the promises of God are the outward means of application for the healing of his sores and quieting of the heart, he goes to them, searches them out, finds out some one or more of them whose literal expressions are directly suited to his condition. Says he to himself, "God speaks in this promise; here I will take myself a plaster as long and broad as my wound;" and so brings the word of the promise to his condition, and sets him down in peace. This is another appearance upon the mount; the Lord is near, but the Lord is not in it. It hath not been the work of the Spirit, who alone can "convince us of sin, and righteousness, and judgement," but the mere actings of the intelligent, rational soul.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 12 Summary

CHAPTER XII

The eighth direction which John Owen gives the reader for the mortification of a sin is "Use and exercise thyself to such meditations as may serve to fill thee at all times with self-abasement and thoughts of thine own vileness." He proceeds to explain how one might do this through the rest of the chapter.

1. Be much in thoughtfulness of the excellency of the majesty of God and thine infinite, inconceivable distance from him.

Many thoughts of it cannot but fill thee with a sense of thine own vileness, which strikes deep at the root of any indwelling sin ... Be much in thoughts of this nature, to abase the pride of thy heart, and to keep thy soul humble within thee. There is nothing will render thee a greater indisposition to be imposed on by the deceits of sin than such a frame of heart. Think greatly of the greatness of God.

2. Think much of thine unacquaintedness with him.

Though thou knowest enough to keep thee low and humble, yet how little a portion is it that thou knowest of him ... Labour with this also to take down the pride of thy heart. What dost thou know of God? How little a portion is it! How immense is he in his nature! Canst thou look without terror into the abyss of eternity? Thou canst not bear the rays of his glorious being.

Owen continues throughout most of the chapter on the theme of 'how little we really know' God. His purpose in this is primarily to exalt God and humble human beings. That being said, near the end of the chapter he realizes that this lack of acquaintedness we have with God may lead one to suggest that we are not responsible for our actions due to this distance from Him.

To this, Owen retorts,

The truth is, we all of know enough of him to love him more than we do, to delight in him and serve him, believe him, obey him, put our trust in him, above all that we have hitherto attained. Our darkness and weakness is no plea for our negligence and disobedience. Who is it that hath walked up to the knowledge that he hath had of the perfections, excellencies, and will of God? God's end in giving us any knowledge of himself here is that we may "glorify him as God;" that is, love him, serve him, believe and obey him, -- give him all the honour and glory that is due from poor sinful creatures to a sin-pardoning God and Creator. We must all acknowledge that we were never thoroughly transformed into the image of that knowledge which we have had. And had we used our talents well, we might have been trusted with more.

He also adds,

Comparatively, that knowledge which we have of God by the revelation of Jesus Christ in the gospel is exceeding eminent and glorious. It is so in comparison of any knowledge of God that might otherwise be attained, or was delivered in the law under the Old Testament, which had but the shadow of good things, not the express image of them; this the apostle pursues at large, 2 Cor. 3. Christ hath now in these last days revealed the Father from his own bosom, declared his name, made known his mind, will, and counsel in a far more clear, eminent, distinct manner than he did formerly, whilst he for the most part, is intended in the places before mentioned. The clear, perspicuous delivery and declaration of God and his will in the gospel is expressly exalted in comparison of any other way of revelation of himself.

Finally, I enjoyed this quote from the chapter,

The excellency of a believer is, not that he hath a large apprehension of things, but that what he doth apprehend, which perhaps may be very little, he sees it in the light of the Spirit of God, in a saving, soul-transforming light; and this is that which gives us communion with God, and not prying thoughts or curious-raised notions.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 11 Summary

In Chapter XI, Owen continues on with his directions for the mortification of a sin. In fact, this chapter contains 5 directions, numbers 3 through 7:

3. Load thy conscience with the guilt of it.
4. Being thus affected with thy sin, in the next place get a constant longing, breathing after deliverance from the power of it.
5. Consider whether the distemper with which thou art perplexed be not rooted in thy nature, and cherished, fomented, and heightened from thy constitution. A proneness to some sins may doubtless lie in the natural temper and disposition of men.
6. Consider what occasions, what advantages thy distemper hath taken to exert and put forth itself, and watch against them all.
7. Rise mightily against the first actings of thy distemper, its first conceptions; suffer it not to get the least ground.

Under direction #3, load thy conscience with the guilt of it, Owen gives an interesting sub-point to light. He says,

Bring thy lust to the gospel, -- not for relief, but for farther conviction of its guilt; look on Him whom thou hast pierced, and be in bitterness. Say to thy soul, "What have I done? What love, what mercy, what blood, what grace have I despised and trampled on! Is this the return I make to the Father for his love, to the Son for his blood, to the Holy Ghost for his grace? Do I thus requite the Lord? Have I defiled the heart that Christ died to wash, that the blessed Spirit hath chosen to dwell in? And can I keep myself out of the dust? What can I say to the dear Lord Jesus? How shall I hold up my head with any boldness before him? Do I account communion with him of so little value, that for this vile lust's sake I have scarce left him any room in my heart? How shall I escape if I neglect so great salvation? In the meantime, what shall I say to the Lord? Love, mercy, grace, goodness, peace, joy, consolation, -- I have despised them all, and esteemed them as a thing of nought, that I might harbour a lust in my heart. Have I obtained a view of God's fatherly countenance, that I might behold his face and provoke him to his face? Was my soul washed, that room might be made for new defilements? Shall I endeavour to disappoint the end of the death of Christ? Shall I daily grieve that Spirit whereby I am sealed to the day of redemption?" Entertain thy conscience daily with this treaty. See if it can stand before this aggravation of its guilt. If this make it not sink in some measure, I fear thy case is dangerous.

I loved that first line; "Bring thy lust to the gospel". I also liked what Owen wrote about the seventh direction as well.

Rise mightily against the first actings of thy distemper, its first conceptions; suffer it not to get the least ground. Do not say, "Thus far it shall go, and no farther." If it have allowance for one step, it will take another. It is impossible to fix bounds to sin. It is like water in a channel, -- if it once break out, it will have its course. Its not acting is easier to be compassed than its bounding. Therefore doth James give that gradation and process of lust, chap 1:14,15, that we may stop at the entrance. Dost thou find thy corruption to begin to entangle thy thoughts? Rise up with all thy strength against it, with no less indignation that if it had fully accomplished what it aims at. Consider what an unclean thought would have; it would have; -- murder and destruction is at the end of it. Set thyself against it with no less vigour than if it had utterly debased thee to wickedness. Without this course thou wilt not prevail. As sin gets ground in the affections to delight in, it gets also upon the understanding to slight it.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 10 Summary

In Chapter X of The Mortification of Sin in Believers author John Owen continues with his 'directions' concerning practical considerations in the mortification of sin. Chapter IX contained his first direction whereas Chapter X is concerned with his second direction which is:

Get a clear and abiding sense upon thy mind and conscience of the guilt, danger, and evil of that sin wherewith thou are perplexed.

Concerning the his admonition to "get a clear sense" of the guilt of one's sin he writes, "Innumerable ways there are whereby sin diverts the mind from a right and due apprehension of its guilt. Its noisome exhalations darken the mind, that it cannot make a right judgment of things. Perplexing reasonings, extenuating promises, tumultuating desires, treacherous purposes of relinquishment, hopes of mercy, all have their share in disturbing the mind in its consideration of the guilt of a prevailing lust." Owens sense of the value of guilt is not one I have been taught in my walk of faith. It is something I need to study and understand more.

To this seeking of a clear sense of guilt, Owen adds some considerations. First, Owen suggests that the fact that we have grace in our lives points to the fact the abiding sin should and does increase and aggravate our guilt.

Second, Owen wants the reader to consider that though God sees more excellency in the motives of the heart and the actions of His servants, He also suggests God also 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 opposition made, and more humiliation generally follows them."

His next point is in regards to getting a clear sense of the danger of the sin in our hearts. The danger lies in 4 areas:

1. The danger of being hardened by its deceitfulness. "Sin will grow a light thing to thee; thou wilt pass it by as a thing of nought; this it will grow to."
2. The danger of a great temporal correction from God because of it. "I do not mean that God doth send all these things always on his in anger; God forbid! but this I say, that when he doth so deal with thee, and thy conscience bears witness with him what thy provocations have been, thou wilt find his dealings full of bitterness to thy soul."
3. The danger of loss of 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 thou mayst carry about thee broken bones, full of pain and terror, all the days of thy life."
4. The danger of eternal destruction. "[1.] That there is such a between a connection between a continuance in sin and eternal destruction, that though God does 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 whilst any one lies under an abiding power of sin, the threats of destruction and everlasting separation from God are to be held out to him. [2.] That he who is so entangled, as above described, under the power of any corruption, 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 terror to him; and he may, he ought to look upon it, as that which will be the end of his course and ways."

Finally, Owen implores the reader to consider the evils of indwelling sin in the heart. In this, Owen stresses 3 things:

1. It grieves the holy and blessed Spirit, which is given to believers to dwell in them and abide with them.
2. The Lord Jesus Christ is wounded afresh by it; his new creature in the heart is wounded; his love is foiled; his adversary gratified.
3. It will take away a man's usefulness in his generation.

This chapter is a difficult one for me. I certainly do not take my sin into account the way Owen suggests we ought to. As a matter of fact, much of the teaching I have received is contrary to what Owen teaches here. I have much to learn in this area and this study on mortification is helping significantly. Owen sums up this chapter with these words,

This, then, is my second direction, and it regards 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; engage thy thoughts into these considerations; let them not go off nor wander from them until they begin to have a powerful influence upon thy soul, -- until they make it to tremble.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 9 Summary

In Chapter IX of The Mortification of Sin in the Believer, John Owen begins to speak about the practical application of mortification. His previous chapters had to do with "general rules"; the following chapters have to do with "particular directions to the soul for its guidance under the sense of a disquieting lust or distemper." Owen is moving on to practical steps one can take in dealing with sin.

Chapter IX

Owen begins with the following direction:

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.

So, first we are to consider whether or not the lust we intend to mortify is of the ordinary sort or if it is more dangerous and deadly. Owen gives us several symptoms to consider in order to make this determination.

You will say, "What are these dangerous marks and symptoms, the desperate attendancies of an indwelling lust, that you intend?" Some of them I shall name:

1. Inveterateness.-- If it hath lain long corrupting in thy heart, if thou hast suffered it to abide in power and prevalency, without attempting vigorously the killing of it, and the healing of the wounds by it, for some long season, thy distemper is dangerous ... Old neglected wounds are often mortal, always dangerous. Indwelling distempers grow rusty and stubborn by continuance in ease and quiet. Lust is such an inmate as, if it can plead time and some prescription, will not easily be ejected. As it never dies of itself, so if it be not daily killed it will always gather strength.

2. Secret please of the heart for the countenancing of itself, and keeping up its peace, notwithstanding the abiding of a lust, without a vigorous gospel attempt for its mortification, is another dangerous symptom of a deadly distemper in the heart ... When upon thoughts, perplexing thoughts about sin, instead of applying himself 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 ... By applying grace and mercy to an unmortified sin, or one not sincerely endeavoured to be mortified, is this deceit carried on. This is a sign of a heart greatly entangled with the love of sin.

3. Frequency of success in sin's seduction, in obtaining the prevailing consent of the will unto it, is another dangerous symptom ... When we are inadvertent and negligent, where we are bound to watchfulness and carefulness, that inadvertency doth not take off from the voluntariness of what we do 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 itself as a thing may be chosen in its cause.

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 ... 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 it altogether with hell and judgement, which are the proper arms of the law, it is most evident that sin hath possessed itself of his will and affections to a very great prevalency and conquest.

5. When it is probable that there is, or may be, somewhat of judiciary hardness, or at least of chastening punishment, in thy lust as disquieting. This is another dangerous symptom ... Hast thou received any eminent mercy, protection, deliverance, which thou didst not improve in a due manner, nor wast thankful for? or hast thou been exercised with any affliction without labouring for the appointed end of it? or hast thou been wanting to the opportunities of glorifying God in thy generation, which, in his good providence, he had graciously afforded unto thee? or hast thou conformed thyself unto the world and the men of it, through the abounding of temptations in the days 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 ... Unspeakable are the evils which attend such a frame of heart. Every particular warning to a man in such an estate is an inestimable 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 a one, and swear in his wrath that he shall never enter into his rest!

Owen ends with some instruction considering these symptoms: "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 do it; extraordinary ways must be fixed on. This is the first particular direction: Consider whether the lust or sin you are contending with hath any of these dangerous symptoms attending of it."

This is the first practical consideration for the mortification of sin from Edwards; consider whether or not the lust you intend to mortify is a regular sort or one which is more dangerous and deadly.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 9 Wordle

Here is a Wordle created with the text of Chapter 9 of The Mortification of Sin in Believers.

The futility of mortification for the unregenerate

Chapter VII of The Mortification of Sin in the Believer focuses on some universal truths about mortification, some general rules as it were. The author, John Owen, focuses on the inability of unregenerate persons to mortify sin. Essentially, mortification of sins is a work of the Spirit and, to those who have no interest in the Spirit, Owen determines that they are without the ability to mortify their sins.

Unless a man be a believer, -- that is, one that is truly ingrafted into Christ, -- he can never mortify any one sin; I do not say, unless he know himself to be so, but unless indeed he be so.

Mortification is the work of believers ... An unregenerate man may do something like it; by the work itself, so as it may be acceptable with God, he can never perform ... There is no death of sin without the death of Christ.

It is true, it is, it will be, required of every person whatever that hears the law or gospel preached, that he mortify sin. It is his duty, but it is not his immediate duty; it is his duty to do it, but to do it in God's way ...

A man may easier see without eyes, speak without a tongue, than truly mortify one sin without the Spirit. ... All attempts, then, for mortification of any lust, without an interest in Christ, are vain. Many men that are galled with and for sin, the arrows of Christ for conviction, by the preaching of the word, or some affliction having been made sharp in their hearts, do vigorously set themselves against this or that particular lust, wherewith their consciences have been most disquieted or perplexed. But, poor creatures! they labour in the fire, and their work consumeth ...

I say, then, mortification is not the present business of unregenerate men. God calls them not to it as yet; conversion is their work, -- the conversion of the whole soul, -- not the mortification of this or that particular lust. ...

This is that I aim at: unless a man be regenerate, unless he be a believer, all attempts that he can make for mortification, be they never so specious and promising, -- all means he can use, let him follow them with never so much diligence, earnestness, watchfulness, and intention of mind and spirit, -- are to no purpose. In vain shall he use many remedies; he shall not be healed.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 5 Summary

Chapter 5

I. Show what it is to mortify any sin, and that both negatively and positively, that we be no mistaken in the foundation.

II. Give general directions for such things as without which it will be utterly impossible for any one to get any sin truly and spiritually mortified.

III. Draw out the particulars whereby this is to be done; in the whole carrying on this consideration, that it is not of the doctrine of mortification in general, but only in reference to the particular case before proposed, that I am treating.

I. Show what it is to mortify any sin, and that both negatively and positively, that we be no mistaken in the foundation.

1. To mortify a sin is not utterly to kill, root it out, and destroy it, that it should have no more hold at all nor residence in our hearts.
2. I think I need not say it is not the dissimulation of a sin.
3. The mortification of sin consists not in the improvement of a quiet, sedate nature.
4. A sin is not mortified when it is only diverted.
5. Occasional conquests of sin do not amount to a mortifying of it. There are two occasions or seasons wherein a man who is contending with any sin may seem to himself to have mortified it:

[1.] When it hath had some sad eruption, to the disturbance of his peace, terror of his conscience, dread of scandal, and evident provocation of God. This awakens and stirs up all that is in the man, and amazes him, fills him with abhorrency of sin, and himself for it; sends him to God, makes him cry out as for life, to abhor his lust as hell, and to set himself against it.

[2.] In a time of some judgement, calamity, or pressing affliction; the heart is then taken up with thoughts and contrivances of flying from the present troubles, fears, and dangers.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 4 Summary

Chapter 4

III. That the life, vigour, and comfort of our spiritual life depend much on our mortification of sin.

Strength and comfort, and power and peace, in our walking with God, are the things of our desires. Now, all these do much depend on a constant course of mortification, concerning which observe, --

1. I do not say they proceed from it, as though they were necessarily tied to it.
2. In the ways instituted by God for to give us life, vigour, courage, and consolation, mortification is not one of the immediate causes of it. They are the privileges of our adoption made known to our souls that give us immediately these things.
3. In our ordinary walking with God, and in an ordinary course of his dealing with us, the vigour and comfort of our spiritual lives depend much on our mortification, not only as a "causa sine qua non," but as a thing that hath an effectual influence thereinto.

Every unmortified sin will certainly do two things:--

1. It will weaken the soul, and deprive it of its vigour. 1st. It untunes and unframes the heart itself, by entangling its affections. 2dly. It fills the thoughts with contrivances about it. 3dly. It breaks out and actually hinders duty.
2. It will darken the soul, and deprive it of its comfort and peace. As sin weakens, so it darkens the soul. It is a cloud, a thick cloud, that spreads itself over the face of the soul, and intercepts all the beams of God's love and favour. It takes away all sense of the privilege of our adoption; and if the soul begins to gather up thoughts of consolation, sin quickly scatters them: of which afterward.

• Mortification prunes all the graces of God, and makes room for them in our hearts to grow.
• As to our peace; as there is nothing that hath any evidence of sincerity without it, so I know nothing that hath such an evidence of sincerity in it; -- which is no small foundation of our peace.
• Mortification is the soul's vigorous opposition to self, wherein sincerity is most evident.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 3 Summary

Chapter 3

II. He only is sufficient for this work; all ways and means without him are as a thing of nought; and he is the great efficient of it, -- he works in us as he pleases.

1.In vain do men seek other remedies; they shall not be healed by them.

Now, the reasons why Papists can never, with all their endeavours, truly mortify any one sin, amongst others, are, --

1. 1.Because many of the ways and means they use and insist upon for this end were never appointed of God for that purpose.
2. 2.Because those things that are appointed of God as means are not used by them in their due place and order, -- such as are praying, fasting, watching, meditation, and the like.

2.It is, then, the work of the Spirit. For, --

1. 1.He is promised of God to be given unto us to do this work.
2. 2.We have all our mortification from the gift of Christ, and all the gifts of Christ are communicated to us and given us by the Spirit of Christ: "Without Christ we can do nothing," John 15:5.

The resolution of one or two questions will now lead me nearer to what I principally intend.

The first is, How doth the Spirit mortify sin? I answer, in general, three ways:--

1. By causing our hearts to abound in grace and the fruits that are contrary to the flesh, and the fruits thereof and principles of them. For, saith the apostle, "These are contrary one to another," verse 17; so that they cannot both be in the same subject, in any intense of high degree. This "renewing of us by the Holy Ghost," as it is called, Tit. 3:5, is one great way of mortification; he causes us to grow, thrive, flourish, and abound in those graces which are contrary, opposite, and destructive to all the fruits of the flesh, and to the quiet or thriving of indwelling sin itself.
2. By a real physical efficiency on the root and habit of sin, for the weakening, destroying, and taking it away. Hence he is called a "Spirit of judgement and burning," Isa. 4:4, really consuming and destroying our lusts. He takes away the stony heart by an almighty efficiency; for as he begins the work as to its kind, so he carries it on as to its degrees. He is the fire which burns up the very root of lust.
3. He brings the cross of Christ into the heart of a sinner by faith, and gives us communion with Christ in his death, and fellowship in his sufferings: of the manner whereof more afterward.

Secondly. If this be the work of the Spirit alone, how is it that we are exhorted to it? -- seeing the Spirit of God only can do it, let the work be left wholly to him.

1. [1.] It is no otherwise the work of the Spirit but as all graces and good works which are in us are his. He "works in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure," Phil. 2:13; he works "all our works in us," Isa. 26:12, -- "the work of faith with power," 2 Thess. 1:11, Col. 2:12; he causes us to pray, and is a "Spirit of supplication," Rom. 8:26, Zech. 12:10; and yet we are exhorted, and are to be exhorted, to all these.
2. [2.] He doth not so work our mortification in us as not to keep it still an act of our obedience.
   

The Holy Ghost works in us and upon us, as we are fit to be wrought in and upon; that is, so as to preserve our own liberty and free obedience. He works upon our understandings, wills, consciences, and affections, agreeably to their own natures; he works in us and with us, not against us or without us; so that his assistance is an encouragement as to the facilitating of the work, and no occasion of neglect as to the work itself.

This is the saddest warfare that any poor creature can be engaged in. A soul under the power of conviction from the law is pressed to fight against sin, but hath no strength for the combat.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 2 Summary

Chapter 2

I. The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.

“Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.”

“And if this were the work and business of Paul, who was so incomparably exalted in grace, revelations, enjoyments, privileges, consolations, above the ordinary measure of believers, where may we possibly bottom an exemption from this work and duty whilst we are in this world? Some brief account of the reasons hereof may be given:”

1. Indwelling sin always abides whilst we are in this world; therefore it is always to be mortified. “Now, it being our duty to mortify, to be killing of sin whilst it is in us, we must be at work. He that is appointed to kill an enemy, if he leave striking before the other ceases living, doth but half his work, Gal. 6:9; Heb 12:1; 2 Cor. 7:1.”

2. Sin doth not only still abide in us, but is still acting, still labouring to bring forth the deeds of the flesh. “I shall discharge him from this duty who can bring sin to a composition, to a cessation of arms in this warfare; if it will spare him any one day, in any one duty (provided he be a person that is acquainted with the spirituality of obedience and the subtlety of sin), let him say to his soul, as to this duty, "Soul, take thy rest." The saints, whose souls breathe after deliverance from its perplexing rebellion, know there is no safety against it but in a constant warfare.”

3. Sin will not only be striving, acting, rebelling, troubling, disquieting, but if let alone, if not continually mortified, it will bring forth great, cursed, scandalous, soul-destroying sins. “There is not the best saint in the world but, if he should give over this duty, would fall into as many cursed sins as ever any did of his kind.”

4. This is one main reason why the Spirit and the new nature is given unto us, -- that we may have a principle within whereby to oppose sin and lust. “His graces, as well as his gifts, are bestowed on us to use, exercise, and trade with. Not to be daily mortifying sin, is to sin against the goodness, kindness, wisdom, grace, and love of God, who hath furnished us with a principle of doing it.”

5. Negligence in this duty casts the soul into a perfect contrary condition to that which the apostle affirms was his, 2 Cor. 4:16, "Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." “Exercise and success are the two main cherishers of grace in the heart; when it is suffered to lie still, it withers and decays: the things of it are ready to die, Rev. 3:2; and sin gets ground towards the hardening of the heart, Heb. 3:13.”

6. It is our duty to be "perfecting holiness in the fear of God," 2 Cor. 7:1; to be "growing in grace" every day, 1 Pet. 2:3, 2 Pet 3:18; to be "renewing our inward man day by day," 2 Cor. 4:16. “He who doth not kill sin in his way takes no steps towards his journey's end.”

“This, then, is the first general principle of our ensuing discourse: Notwithstanding the meritorious mortification, if I may so speak, of all and every sin the cross of Christ; notwithstanding the real foundation of universal mortification laid in our first conversion, by conviction of sin, humiliation for sin, and the implantation of a new principle opposite to it and destructive of it; -- yet sin doth so remain, so act and work in the best of believers, whilst they live in this world, that the constant daily mortification of it is all their days incumbent on them.”

There are two evils which certainly attend every unmortified professor; -- the first, in himself; the other, in respect of others:
1. In himself. Let him pretend what he will, he hath slight thoughts of sin; at least, of sins of daily infirmity. The root of an unmortified course is the digestion of sin without bitterness in the heart. When a man hath confirmed his imagination to such an apprehension of grace and mercy as to be able, without bitterness, to swallow and digest daily sins, that man is at the very brink of turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, and being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. neither is there a greater evidence of a false and rotten heart in the world than to drive such a trade.
2. To others. It hath an evil influence on them on a twofold account:--
(1.) It hardens them, by begetting in them a persuasion that they are in as good condition as the best professors.
(2.) They deceive them, in making them believe that if they can come up to their condition it shall be well with them; and so it grows an easy thing to have the great temptation of repute in religion to wrestle withal, when they may go far beyond them as to what appears in them, and yet come short of eternal life.

Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 1 Summary

Chapter 1

Concerning Romans 8:13

1.Concerning the "if you mortify..."

• the conditional is one in which there is certainty and coherence as in “If you will take such a potion or remedy, you will be well.”
• thus there is a “certain infallible connection and coherence between true mortification and eternal life: if you use this means, you shall obtain that end; if you do mortify, you shall live.”
• this is the main motivation of and reason for encouraging mortification

2.Mortification is a duty of believers - “The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.”


3.The principle efficient cause of the performance of this duty is the Spirit

1. other means of mortification are vain
2. “Mortification from a self-strength, carried on by ways of self-invention, unto the end of a self-righteousness, is the soul and substance of all false religion in the world.”

4.The duty: what is meant by the body, the deeds of the body, and mortify them.

i)The body...the flesh...the old man...the body of sin

• “The body, then, here is taken for that corruption and depravity of our natures whereof the body, in a great part, is the seat and instrument, the very members of the body being made servants unto unrighteousness thereby, Romans 6:19. It is indwelling sin, the corrupted flesh or lust, that is intended.”
• “ ... it may synecdochically express the whole person considered as corrupted, and the seat of lusts and distempered affections.”

ii) the deeds of the body

• the outward action is chiefly denoted but the inward causes are mainly intended
• the causes of the deeds are to be mortified
• Paul makes it clear that indwelling lust and sin are the fountain and principle of all sinful actions

iii) to mortify

• a metaphorical expression - “To kill a man, or any other living thing, is to take away the principle of all his strength, vigour, and power, so that he cannot act or exert, or put forth any proper actings of his own; so it is in this case.”
• the cross utterly mortifies the old man, but the work is to be carried on - “The intendment of the apostle in this prescription of the duty mentioned is, -- that the mortification of indwelling sin remaining in our mortal bodies, that it may not have life and power to bring forth the works or deeds of the flesh is the constant duty of believers.”

5.the promise – ye shall live

• the life promised is opposed to the death threatened - means eternal life and perhaps Christian life as to the joy, comfort, and vigour - “The vigour, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh.