John Owen
John Owen
heart men lust
Sin aims always at the utmost; every time it rises up to tempt or entice, if it has its own way it will go out to the utmost sin in that kind. Every unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could, every thought of unbelief would be atheism if allowed to develop. Every rise of lust, if it has its way reaches the height of villainy; it is like the grave that is never satisfied. The deceitfulness of sin is seen in that it is modest in its first proposals but when it prevails it hardens men’s hearts, and brings them to ruin.
principles good-work obedience
We admit no faith to be justifying, which is not itself and in its own nature a spiritually vital principle of obedience and good works.
prayer world bears
If we would talk less and pray more about them, things would be better than they are in the world: at least, we should be better enabled to bear them.
lying support weight
It is not the glorious battlements, the painted windows, the crouching gargoyles that support a building, but the stones that lie unseen in or upon the earth. It is often those who are despised and trampled on that bear up the weight of a whole nation.
heart roots digestion
The root of an unmortified course is the digestion of sin without bitterness in the heart.
elephants swim wade
In the divine Scriptures, there are shallows and there are deeps; shallows where the lamb may wade, and deeps where the elephant may swim.
believe blow wind
Steadfastness in believing doth not exclude all temptations from without. When we say a tree is firmly rooted, we do not say the wind never blows upon it.
christian running blessing
Did you never run for shelter in a storm, and find fruit which you expected not? Did you never go to God for safeguard, driven by outward storms, and there find unexpected fruit?
knowledge all-things knows
All things I thought I knew; but now confess The more I know, I know, I know the less.
design heaven world
We all profess that we are bound for heaven, immortality, and glory: but is it any evidence that we really design it if all our thoughts are consumed about the trifles of this world, which we must leave behind us, and have only occasional thoughts of things above?
quiet sin mortification
Sin is never less quiet than when it seems to be most quiet.
sin
He that hath slight thoughts of sin never had great thoughts of God.
christian prayer religion
Nothing shall be lost that is done for God or in obedience to Him.
sin mortification believer
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.