The Mortification of Sin (John Owen)

John Owen's The Mortification of Sin is considered a classic, and 350 years after it was published, is still probably one of the best books on hamartiology (the doctrine of sin) and specifically, how to mortify sin. It has taken me far too long to read it; I purchased it three years ago, and it has remained in my "to read" stack. But no more. I finished it today, and it will undoubtedly be one that I return to again and again to digest all its contents.

There are many useful statements in it — as one friend told me, "it is very quotable." It is also very helpful and practical.

Roughly half the book focuses on nine "particular directions" for mortifying sin. They were helpful in his day and they are helpful in ours —

1. Consider what dangerous symptoms thy lust hat attending or accompanying it: whether it hath any deadly mark or no. If it hath, extraordinary remedies are to be used; an ordinary course of mortification will not do it.
2. Get a clear and abiding sense upon thy mind and conscience, first, of the guilt, secondly, of the danger, thirdly, of the evil, of that sin wherewith thou are perplexed.
3. Load thy conscience with the guilt of it. Not only consider that it hath a guilt, but load thy conscience with the guilt of its actual eruptions and disturbances.
4. Get a constant longing and breathing after deliverance from the power of it. Suffer not thy heart one moment to be contented with thy present frame and condition.
5. Consider whether the distemper with which thou are perplexed, be not rooted in thy nature, and cherished, fomented and heightened from thy constitution.
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: 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.
8. 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. As, (1) Be much in thoughtfulness of the excellency of the majesty of God and thine infinite, inconceivable distance from him.…(2) Think much of thine unacquaintedness with him: though thou knowest enough to keep thee low and humble, yet how little a portion it is that thou knowest of him!
   
9. In case God disquiet the heart about the guilt of its distempers, either in respect of its root and indwelling, or in repect of any eruptions of it, take heed that thou speakest not peace to thyself before God speaks it; but hearken what he says to thy soul.
   

How is this mortification done? Is it merely an act of self-will and self-improvement? Never! The "[Holy Spirit] only is sufficient for this work.…Mortification of any sin must be by a supply of grace. Of ourselves we cannot do it." So, he concludes,

"Act faith particularly 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.…He died to destroy the works of the devil; whatever came upon our natures by his first temptation, whatever receives strength in our persons by his daily suggestions, Christ died to destroy it all.…(Titus 2:14). This was his aim and intention, wherein he will not fail, in his giving himself for us. That we might be freed from the power of our sins, and purified from all our defiling lusts was his design.…Then, act faith on the death of Christ, and that under these two notions: [i] In expectation of power; [ii] In endeavours for conformity (Phil. 3:10; Col. 3:3; 1 Pet. 1:15-19)."

I highly commend this book to you. It will take some time and effort to make your way through the old English, but it is well worth the effort — to paraphrase Thomas Watson, digging for gold is difficult, but worth the reward. So is this. [Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor have recently produced a compilation of three of Owen's works, including this one; the language remains the same, but they have provided helpful outlines, definitions of archaic words in footnotes, and a glossary. The title of that volume is
Overcoming Sin and Temptation and is widely available.