(Owen, Gospel Grounds & Evidences... part 5)

consist,--how faith works it in the soul. 
  (1.) What it does respect; and it has a twofold object:-- 
  [1.] Such past sins as, by reason of their own nature or their 
aggravations, have left the greatest impression on the conscience. It 
respects, indeed, in general, all past and known sins that can be called 
to remembrance; but usually, in the course of men's lives, there have 
been some sins whose wounds, on various accounts, have been most deep and 
sensible: these are the especial objects of this godly sorrow. So was it 
with David; in the whole course of his life, after his great fall, he 
still bewailed his miscarriage therein; the like respect he had unto the 
other sins of his youth. And none have been so preserved but they may fix 
on some such provocation as may be a just cause of this sorrow all their 
days. 
  [2.] It respects the daily incursions of infirmities, in failings, 
negligence in our frames or actions,--such as the best are subject to. 
These are a matter of continual sorrow and mourning to a gracious soul 
that is engaged in this duty and way of repentance. 
  (2.) Wherein it does consist; and the things following do concur 
therein:-- 
  [1.] Self judging. This is the ground and spring of all godly sorrow, 
and thereon of repentance, turning away the displeasure of God, 1 
Cor.11:31. This the soul does continually with reference unto the sins 
mentioned; it passes sentence on itself every day. This cannot be done 
without grief and sorrow; for although the soul finds it a necessary 
duty, and is thereon well pleased with it, yet all such self-reflections 
are like afflictions, not joyous, but grievous. 
  [2.] The immediate effect hereof is constant humiliation. He that so 
judges himself knows what frame of mind and spirit becomes him thereon. 
This takes away the ground from all pride, elation of mind, 
self-pleasing: where this self judging is constant they can have no 
place. This is that frame of mind which God approves so highly, and has 
made such promises unto; the humble are everywhere proposed as the 
especial object of his own care; his respect is to them that are of a 
broken heart, and of a contrite spirit: and this will grow on no other 
root. No man, by his utmost diligence, on any argument or consideration, 
shall be able to bring himself into that humble frame wherein God is 
delighted, unless he lay the foundation of it in continual self-judging 
on the account of former and present sins. Men may put on a fashion, 
frame, and garb of humility; but really humble they are not. Where this 
is wanting, pride is in the throne, in the heart, though humility be in 
the countenance and deportment. And herein does this godly sorrow much 
consist. 
  [3.] There is in it a real trouble and disquietment of mind: for sorrow 
is an afflictive passion; it is contrary to that composure which the mind 
would constantly be at. Howbeit, this trouble is not such as is opposed 
unto spiritual peace and refreshment; for it is an effect of faith, and 
faith will produce nothing that is really inconsistent with peace with 
God, or that shall impeach it: but it is opposite unto other comforts. It 
is a trouble that all earthly things cannot take off and remove. This 
trouble of his mind, in his sorrow for sin, David on all occasions 
expresses unto God; and sometimes it rises to a great and dreadful 
height, as it is expressed, Ps.88 throughout. Hereby the soul is 
sometimes overwhelmed; yet so as to relieve itself by pouring out its 
complaint before the Lord, Ps.102:1. 
  [4.] This inward frame of trouble, mourning, and contriteness, will 
express itself on all just occasions by the outward signs of sighs, 
tears, and mournful complaints, Ps.31:10. So David continually mentions 
his tears on the like account; and Peter, on the review of his sin, wept 
bitterly; and Mary washed the feet of Christ with her tears;--as we 
should all do. A soul filled with sorrow will run over and express its 
inward frame by these outward signs. I speak not of those self-whole, 
jolly professors which these days abound with; but such as faith engages 
in this duty will on all occasions abound in these things. I fear there 
is amongst us too great a pretence that men's natural tempers and 
constitutions are uncompliant with these things. Where God makes the 
heart soft, and godly sorrow does not only sometimes visit it, but dwell 
in it, it will not be wholly wanting in these expressions of it; and what 
it comes short of one way it may make up in another. Whatever the case be 
as to tears, it is certain that to multiply sighs and groans for sin is 
contrary to no man's constitution, but only to sin ingrafted in his 
constitution. 
  [5.] This godly sorrow will constantly incite the mind unto all duties, 
acts, and fruits of repentance whatever; it is never barren nor 
heartless, but being both a grace and a duty, it will stir up the soul 
unto the exercise of all graces, and the performance of all duties that 
are of the same kind. This the apostle declares fully, 2 Cor.7:11. 
  This, therefore, is another thing which belongs unto that state of 
repentance which faith will bring the soul unto, and whereby it will 
evidence itself on the occasions before mentioned; and indeed, if this 
sorrow be constant and operative, there is no clearer evidence in us of 
saving faith. They are blessed who thus mourn. I had almost said, it is 
worth all other evidences, as that without which they are none at all; 
where this frame is not in some good measure, the soul can have no 
pregnant evidence of its good estate. 
  4. Another thing that belongs to this state, is outward observances 
becoming it; such as abstinence, unto the due mortification of the 
flesh,--not in such things or ways as are hurtful unto nature, and really 
obstructive of greater duties. There have been great mistakes in this 
matter; most men have fallen into extremes about it, as is usual with the 
most in like cases. They did retain in the Papacy, from the beginning of 
the apostasy of the church from the rule of the Scripture, an opinion of 
the necessity of mortification unto a penitent state; but they mistook 
the nature of it, and placed it for the most part in that which the 
apostle calls the "doctrine of devils," when he foretold believers of 
that hypocritical apostasy, 1 Tim.4:1-3. Forbidding to marry, engaging 
one sort of men by vows against the use of that ordinance of God for all 
men, and enjoining abstinence from meats in various laws and rules, under 
pretence of great austerity, was the substance of their mortification. 
Hereunto they added habits, fasting disciplines, rough garments, and the 
like pretended self-macerations innumerable. But the vanity of this 
hypocrisy has been long since detected. But therewithal most men are 
fallen into the other extreme. Men do generally judge that they are at 
their full liberty in and for the use of the things esteemed refreshments 
of nature; yea, they judge themselves not to be obliged unto any 
retrenchment in garments, diet, with the free use of all things in 
themselves lawful, when they are under the greatest necessity of godly 
sorrow and express repentance. But there is here a no less pernicious 
mistake than in the former excess; and it is that which our Lord Jesus 
Christ gives us in charge to watch against, Luke 21:34-36. 
  This, therefore, I say, is required unto the state we inquire after: 
Those things which restrain the satisfaction of the appetite, with an 
aversation of the joyous enticements of the world, walking heavily and 
mournfully, expressing an humble and afflicted frame of spirit, are 
necessary in such a season. The mourners in Zion are not to be ashamed of 
their lot and state, but to profess it in all suitable outward 
demonstration of it;--not in fantastical habits and gestures, like sundry 
orders of the monks; not in affected forms of speech, and uncouth 
deportments, like some among ourselves; but in such ways as naturally 
express the inward frame of mind inquired after. 
  5. There is required hereunto a firm watch over solitudes and 
retirements of the night and day, with a continual readiness to conflict 
temptations in their first appearance, that the soul be not surprised by 
them. The great design, in the exercise of this grace, is to keep and 
preserve the soul constantly in an humble and contrite frame; if that be 
lost at any time, the whole design is for that season disappointed. 
Wherefore, faith engages the mind to watch against two things:--(1.) The 
times wherein we may lose this frame; (2.) The means whereby. And,-- 
  (1.) For the times. There are none to be so diligently watched over as 
our solitudes and retirements by night or by day. What we are in them, 
that we are indeed, and no more. They are either the best or the worst of 
our times, wherein the principle that is predominant in us will show and 
act itself. Hence some are said "to devise evil on their beds, and when 
the morning is light they practice it," Mic.2:1. Their solitude in the 
night serves them to think on, contrive, and delight in, all that 
iniquity which they intend by day to practice, according to their power. 
And on the other side, the work of a gracious soul in such seasons is to 
be seeking after Christ, Cant.3:1,--to be meditating of God, as the 
psalmist often expresses it. This, therefore, the humble soul is 
diligently watchful in, that at such seasons vain imaginations, which are 
apt to obtrude themselves on the mind, do not carry it away, and cause it 
to lose its frame, though but for a season; yea, these are the times 
which it principally lays hold on for its improvement: then does it call 
over all those considerations of sin and grace, which are meet to affect 
it and abase it. 
  (2.) For the means of the loss of an humble frame. They are 
temptations; these labour to possess the mind either by sudden surprisals 
or continued solicitations. A soul engaged by faith in this duty is aware 
always of their deceit and violence; it knows that if they enter into it, 
and do entangle it, though but for a season, they will quite cast out or 
deface that humble, contrite, broken frame, which it is its duty to 
preserve. And there is none who has the least grain of spiritual wisdom, 
but may understand of what sort these temptations are which he is 
obnoxious unto. Here, then, faith sets the soul on its watch and guard 
continually, and makes it ready to combat every temptation on its first 
appearance, for then it is weakest and most easily to be subdued; it will 
suffer them to get neither time, nor ground, nor strength: so it 
preserves an humble frame,--delivers it frequently from the jaws of this 
devourer. 
  6. Although the soul finds satisfaction in this condition, though it be 
never sinfully weary of it, nor impatient under it, yea, though it labour 
to grow and thrive in the spirit and power of it, yet it is constantly 
accompanied with deep sighs and greenings for its deliverance. And these 
greenings respect both what it would be delivered from and what it would 
attain unto; between which there is an interposition of some sighs and 
groans of nature, for a continuance in its present state. 
  (1.) That which this groaning respects deliverance from is the 
remaining power of sin; this is that which gives the soul its distress 
and disquietment. Occasionally, indeed, its humility, mourning, and 
self-abasement are increased by it; but this is through the efficacy of 
the grace of Christ Jesus,--in its own nature it tends to hurt and ruin. 
This the apostle emphatically expresses in his own person, as bearing the 
place and state of other believers, Rom.7:24. 
  And this constant groaning for deliverance from the power of sin 
excites the soul to pursue it unto its destruction. No effect of faith, 
such as this is, is heartless or fruitless; it will be operative towards 
what it aims at,--and that in this case is the not-being of sin: this the 
soul groans after, and therefore contends for. This is the work of faith, 
and "faith without works is dead:" wherefore it will continually pursue 
sin unto all its retirements and reserves. As it can have no rest from 
it, so it will give neither rest nor peace unto it; yea, a constant 
design after the not-being of sin, is a blessed evidence of a saving 
faith. 
  (2.) That which it looks after is the full enjoyment of glory, 
Rom.8:23. This, indeed, is the grace and duty of all believers, of all 
who have received the first-fruits of the Spirit; they all in their 
measure groan that their very bodies may be delivered from being the 
subject and seat of sin,--that they may be redeemed out of that bondage. 
It is a bondage to the very body of a believer, to be instrumental unto 
sin. This we long for its perfect deliverance from, which shall complete 
the grace of adoption in the whole person. But it is most eminent in 
those who excel in a state of humiliation and repentance. They, if any, 
groan earnestly,--this they sigh, breathe, and pant after continually; 
and their views of the glory that shall be revealed give them refreshment 
in their deepest sorrows; they wait for the Lord herein more than they 
that wait for the morning. Do not blame a truly penitent soul if he longs 
to be dissolved; the greatness and excellency of the change which he 
shall have thereby is his present life and relief. 
  (3.) But there is a weight on this desire, by the interposition of 
nature for the continuation of its present being, which is inseparable 
from it. But faith makes a reconciliation of these repugnant 
inclinations, keeping the soul from weariness and impatience. And this it 
does by reducing the mind unto its proper rock: it lets it know that it 
ought not absolutely to be under the conduct of either of these desires. 
First, it keeps them from excess, by teaching the soul to regulate them 
both by the word of God: this it makes the rule of such desires and 
inclinations; which whilst they are regulated by, we shall not offend in 
them. And it mixes a grace with them both that makes them useful,-- 
namely, constant submission to the will of God. "This grace would have, 
and this nature would have; but," says the soul, "the will and sovereign 
pleasure of God is my rule: 'Not my will, holy Father, but thy will be 
done.'" We have the example of Christ himself in this matter. 
  7. The last thing I shall mention, as that which completes the state 
described, is abounding in contemplations of things heavenly, invisible, 
and sternal. None have more holy and humble thoughts than truly penitent 
souls, none more high and heavenly contemplations. You would take them to 
be all sighs, all mourning, all dejection of spirit; but none are more 
above,--none more near the high and lofty One. As he dwells with them, 
Isa.57:15, so they dwell with him in a peculiar manner, by these heavenly 
contemplations. Those who have lowest thoughts of themselves, and are 
most filled with self-abasement, have the clearest views of divine glory. 
The bottom of a pit or well gives the best prospect of the heavenly 
luminaries; and the soul in its deepest humiliations has for the most 
part the clearest views of things within the vail. 
 
 
  End of - Owen, Evidences of the Faith of God's Elect 



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