This is the voice of the Narrated Puritan Podcast, a podcast on Christian experience and assurance, and at this time we are looking at the practical works of John Owen, especially in volume six. In this lesson, Indwelling Sin, let's look at the root of it. Because of the new creation of the new birth, sin no longer has dominion over a Christian. It cannot master him so that it has gained the ascendancy. In Romans 7, when Paul says, I am sold under sin, he is given an expression of what the war within dwelling sin feels like. Sometimes it feels like it has the ascendancy. that it is a stronger principle, and that the new man is actually weaker. But this is what it feels like. It isn't properly theologically true, and that's why people get mixed up about who is a person in Romans 7, 14 to 25. But it is a Christian. He is said to delight in the law of God after the inward man, which is impossible for somebody who has had enmity against God, Romans 8, 7. But indwelling sin admits of no peace nor rest, and it is against God himself. In a treatise on the religious affections, Jonathan Edwards wrote, that religion which God requires and will accept does not consist in weak, dull, and lifeless wishes, raising us but a little above a state of indifference. God in His Word greatly insists upon it that we be in good earnest, fervent in spirit, and our hearts vigorously engaged in religion. Romans 12 verse 11. Be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. If we are not in good earnest in religion, Edwards argues, and our wills and inclinations are not strongly exercised. We are nothing. He's talking about as to our profession. The things of Christianity are so great that there can be no suitableness in the exercises of our hearts to their nature and importance, unless they be lively and powerful. And nothing is rigor in the actings of our inclinations so requisite as in our Christian religion. and in nothing is lukewarmness so odious. True religion is ever more a powerful thing, and the power of it appears in the first place in the inward exercises of it in the heart, where is the principal and original seat of it. Hence true religion is called the power of godliness in distinction from the external appearances of it. that are to the form of it, 2 Timothy 3 verse 5, having a form of godliness, but denying the power of it. The spirit of God in those that have sound and solid religion is a spirit of powerful, holy affection, and therefore God is said to have given the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind, 2 Timothy 1 verse 7. You see this devotedness in Sarah Edwards and her experience. It is recorded during the Great Awakening. History says, quote, While Mr. Reynolds was at prayer in the family this morning, I felt an earnest desire that in calling on God he should say, Father, Sarah Edwards speaking, or that he should address the Almighty under that appellation on which the thought turned in my mind. Why can I say, Father, Can I now at this time, with the confidence of a child and without the least misgiving of heart, call God my Father? This brought to my mind two lines of Ralph Erskine's sonnet. I see him lay his vengeance by and smile in Jesus's face. I was thus deeply sensible that my sins did loudly call for vengeance, but then I by faith, sought godly as vengeance by, and smiled in Jesus's face. It appeared to be real uncertain that he did so. I had not the least doubt that he then sweetly smiled upon me with a look of forgiveness and love, having laid aside all his displeasure towards me for the sake of Jesus, which made me feel very weak and somewhat faint. In consequence of this, I felt a strong desire to be alone with God. to go to him without having anyone to interrupt the silent and soft communion, which I earnestly desired between God and my own soul and accordingly withdrew to my chamber." Well, that's a healthy spiritual frame. And most of us, if we were honest, would say, I'm not there, a lot of the time. And the first effect of indwelling sin is to scatter the evidences of salvation that we would want to have strong and vigorous, and also rob us of our joy. In a letter of John Newton, 1772, on the subject of indwelling sin, I think my last letter turned upon the apostle thought in Galatians 5 verse 17. You cannot do the things that you would. In a parallel place, Romans 7 verse 19, there is another clause subjoined. The evil which I would not do that I do. This, added to the former, would complete the dark side of my experience. Permit me to tell your lordship a little part. For some things must not and cannot be told, not of what I have read, but of what I have felt. In illustration of this passage, I would not be the sport and prey of wild, vain, foolish, and vile imaginations, but this evil is present with me. My heart is like an open highway, like a city without walls or gates. Nothing is so false, so frivolous, so absurd, so impossible, or so horrid, but that it can obtain access, and at any time, or in any place. Neither the study, the pulpit, nor even the Lord's table exempt me from the intrusion of these thoughts. But if this awful effect of heart depravity cannot be wholly avoided in the present state of human nature, yet at least I would not allow an indulgent. Yet, this I find I do. In defiance of my best judgment and my best wishes, I find something with within me, which cherishes and cleaves to those evils from which I ought to be horrified by, and flee from, as if I would a toad or a serpent that was put in my food or in my bed. Oh, how vile must a heart, at least my heart be, that can hold a parley with such abominations, when I so well know their nature and their tendency. Surely he who finds himself capable of this may without the least affectation of humility, however fair his outward conduct appears, subscribe himself less than the least of all saints, and the very chief of sinners. I would not be influenced by a principle of self on any occasion, yet, this evil I often do. In chapters 4 and 5 of a treatise on indwelling sin, John Owen discusses the problem of indwelling sin. There was a lecture given at a Westminster conference on December 11, 2001 by Will Timmons, and he says, in summing this up, the fact that the nature of indwelling sin is enmity against God shows that it is powerful. The nature of indwelling sin is that it is always enmity against God. That is the unchangeable nature of sin, so it cannot be pacified in any way. And so we cannot expect quietness from our corruptions by satisfying them. That is the equivalent to satisfying a fire by adding fuel to it. Indwelling sin is never satisfied because it is enmity against God, and therefore the only relief of the soul is in sin's ruin. No terms of peace are possible. Disemnity against God is universal to all of God. That explains why there is a greater enmity against God in the gospel than in the law, because more of the glorious excellencies of God are manifested in the gospel than in the law. And this enmity against God is universal in all of the soul. The mind, will, and affections are all secured against God. The enmity operates in two ways. By aversion, which is a turning away, a drawing away from God. And by opposition. John Owen first considers the aversion of sin before moving on to its opposition. Then in taking up the theme of opposition, he breaks it down under two heads. its force, and its deceit. The reader needs to know at this point that though he is beginning to descend into the depths of John Owen's subdivisions, when he gets to the discussion on force and deceit, he has in fact reached the heart of John Owen's analysis. that is, of indwelling sin. An argument's location in the order of John Owen's system of divisions is not an indication of its importance in his line of argument. And in this lies no small part of sin's power, which we are inquiring after, John Owen says. It can admit of no terms of peace, of no composition. There may be a composition where there is no reconciliation. There may be a truce where there is no peace, but with this enemy we can obtain neither the one nor the other. It is never quiet, whether it is conquering or conquered, which is the only kind of enemy that the famous warrior complained of old. It is in vain for a man to have any expectations of rest from his lust, but by his death. of absolute freedom, but by his own death some, in the agitating of their corruption, seek for quietness by laboring to satisfy them, and they make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. As the apostle speaks in Roman 13 verse 14, this is to put out a fire by adding wood and oil to it. It's all the fuel in the world. All the fabric of the creation that is combustible being cast into the fire will not at all satisfy it, but increase it. So is it with satisfaction given to sin. By sinning, it does but inflame and increase. If a man will part with some of his goods to an enemy, it may satisfy him, but enmity itself will have all, and it is not one wit to more satisfy than if he had received nothing at all, like the lean cattle that were nevertheless hungry for having devoured the fat. You cannot bargain with the fire to take but so much of your houses. You have no way but to quench it. It is in the case as it is in the contest between a wise man and a fool. Proverbs 29 verse 9. Whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest. Whatever frame or temper he is in, his importunate folly makes him troublesome. It is so with his sin-dwelling sin. Whether it violently agitate, as it will do on provocations and temptations, it will be outrageous in the soul. Or whether it seem to be pleased and contented, To be satisfied, all is one. There is no peace, no rest to be had with it or by it. Had it then been of any other nature, some other way might have been fixed on. But seeing that it consists in enmity, all the relief the soul has must lie in its ruin. Secondly, it is not only said to be enmity, but it is said to be enmity against God. It has chosen a great enemy indeed. It is, in a number of places, proposed as our enemy in the scriptures. 1 Peter 2 verse 11. Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. They are enemies to the soul, that is, to ourselves. Sometimes it's an enemy to the spirit that is in us. The flesh lusts or fights against the spirit. Galatians 5 verse 17. It fights against the spirit or the spiritual principle that is in us to conquer it. It fights against our souls. to destroy them. It has special ends and designs against our souls and against the principle of grace that is in us. But its proper formal object, or enemy, is God Himself. It is enmity against God. It is its work to oppose grace. It is a consequent of its work to oppose our souls, which follows upon what it does more than what it intends by its nature and formal design. It is to oppose God. God is the lawgiver. God is holy. God is the author of the gospel. a way of salvation by grace and not by works. This is a direct object of the law of sin. Why does it oppose duty so that the good we would do we do not, neither is to matter or manner? Why does it render the soul carnal? indisposed, unbelieving, unspiritual, weary, and wandering. It is because of its enmity to God, with whom the soul aims to have communion with in duty. It has as a word of command from Satan, which the Assyrians had from their king, fight. Neither with small nor great, save only with the King of Israel, 1 Kings 22 verse 31. It is thus also an irrespective of all propensity to sin, as well as opposition to God. It is God Himself that sin aims at. It is true, the pleasures, the wages of sin greatly influence the sensual, carnal affections of men. But it is the holiness and authority of God that sin itself rises up against. It hates the yoke of the Lord. You have been weary of me, Isaiah 43 verse 22. God says to sinners, and that during their performance of an abundance of spiritual duties, every act of sin is a fruit of being weary of God. Thus Job tells us what lies at the bottom and the heart of sinners. They say to God, depart from us, Job 21 verse 14. It is enmity against him and antipathy to him. Here lies the formal nature of every sin. It is an opposition to God, a casting off of his yoke, a breaking off the dependence that the creature ought to have on the Creator. And the Apostle gives a reason why he affirms the carnal mind is enmity against God. Namely, because it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Romans 8 verse 7. It never is. nor will, nor can be subject to God its whole nature consisting in opposition to Him. The soul in which it is may be subject to the law of God, but this law of sin sets up in disagreement to it, and will not be in subjection. And it is against all of God. The enmity of indwelling sin is universally against all of God. If there were anything of God, his natures, properties, his mind or his will, his law or gospel, any duty of obedience to him, of communion with him, that sin had not an enmity against, the soul might have a constant shelter and retreat within itself by applying itself to that of God. to that of duty towards Him, to that of communion with Him, which sin would make no opposition against. But the enmity lies against God, and of all of God, and everything in or by which we have to do with Him. It is not subject to the law, nor any part or parcel, word or title of the law. The nearer, if I may so say, anything is to God, the greater is its enmity to it. The more of spirituality and holiness is in anything, the greater is its enmity. That which has most of God has most of sin's opposition. Concerning them in whom this law of sin is most predominant, God says, You have said it not, all my counsel, and with none of my reproof. Proverbs 1.25 Not this or that part of God's counsel, my inner will is opposed, but all his counsel, whatever God calls for. or guides to. In every particular of it, all is said it not, and nothing of its reproof is attended to. In chapter 5 of the Treatise of Indwelling Sin, Owen better defines this as well. Disaversion manifests itself in a battle to have devotions to God. You want to have your devotions. You want to have a good time of devotions where you have the felt presence of God. And John Owen says, a secret striving while you are doing this will be in them about close and cordial dealing with God, unless a hand of God and a spirit is high and strong upon his soul. Even when convictions or a sense of duty, dear and real esteem of God and communion with him have carried the soul into its closet, yet if there be not the vigor and power of a spiritual life constantly at work, There will be a secret loathsmith in them to duty. Yea, sometimes there will be a violent inclination to the contrary, so that the soul had rather do anything, embrace any diversion, though it wound itself by it, than vigorously apply itself to that which in the inward man it breathes after. The result is that we become weary before we even begin. and we say, when will these devotions be over? Here God and the soul are immediately concerned, and it is a great conquest to do what we would, though we come exceedingly short of what we should do. in a book called Heaven Opened. In fact, back in 2003, when I began to narrate things for Sermon Audio, I was doing so as a member of the Reformed Baptist Church in Holland, Michigan, now with a different name. And this is one of the first things that I chose to read. Richard Allain was an uncle of Joseph Allain, a Puritan who wrote a book called An Alarm to the Unconverted Sin. But this chapter is called A Heart of Flesh, and he's lamenting this coldness, this indifference, this warring against his devotions to God. He says, quote, Oh, what sorrow-bitten souls are the saints for their lack of sorrow. I mourn, Lord, I lament, I weep, but it is because I cannot mourn or lament as I should. If I could mourn as I ought, I could be comforted. If I could weep, I could rejoice. If I could sigh, I could sing. If I could lament, I could live. I die. I die. My heart dies within me because I cannot cry. I cry, Lord, but not for sin, but for tears for sin. I cry, Lord. My calamities cry. My bones cry. My soul cries, my sins cry, Lord, for a broken heart. Behold, yet I am not broken. The rocks rend, the earth quakes, the heavens drop, the clouds weep, the sun will blush, the moon be ashamed, the foundations of the earth will tremble at the presence of the Lord, but this heart will neither break. Nor tremble, O for a broken heart! If this were once done, Might my soul have this wish, Thenceforth my God might have His will. What would be difficult, If my heart were tender? Labor would be easy, Pains would be a pleasure, Even my burdens would be light. Neither the command nor the cross would be any longer grievous. Nothing would be hard but sin. Fear of God? Where are you? Come and plow up this rock. Love? Where are you? Come and thaw this ice. Come and warm this dead lump. come and enlarge this straying spirit, then shall I run away of his commandments." John Owen says, Prevent the beginnings. Labor to prevent the very beginnings of the workings of this aversion to God. Let grace be beforehand with it in every duty. We are directed to watch and to prayer, 1 Peter 4, 7, and as it is to prayer, so to every duty. Let us consider and take care that we be not hindered from within or from without as to a due performance of every spiritual duty. Watch against temptations to oppose them. Watch against the aversion that is in sin. to prevent it. As we are not to give place to Satan, no more are we to sin. If it is not prevented in its first attempts, it will prevail. My meaning is, whatever good we have to do, as the Apostle speaks in Romans 7 verse 21, and find evil present with us, we must prevent its negotiating with the soul. It's cleverly asserting its poison into the mind and affections. Do this by a vigorous holy inviolence, storing up of the grace or graces that are to be acted, and set at work peculiarly in that duty." There is a letter in the life and letters of Joseph Charles Philpott, who was a strict Baptist who lived in the 19th century. And this was written on November 8, 1837, and I quoted part of the substance of this on Facebook once many years ago. And somebody who was a professing Christian within our church at the time, said that he really had trouble with the language here. But somebody that really understands the warring of sin within our members will understand the language of Joseph Philpott. About the Christian ministry, he says, quote, popularity has its dangerous charms, and large congregations please the carnal mind. But I think I am so well weighted and ballasted by temptations and sins that popularity has less charm for me than many. A man full of evil and that continually has not much to be proud of, and his fears lest God should stop his mouth or cut him down for his presumption. As a farmer, you are not very proud of your diseased lambs. And as a preacher, I cannot be very proud of my diseased prayers and sin-stained sermons. Neither can I boast much of my daily backslidings, hardness of heart, discontent, vileness, and abominable filthiness. I at times do not know what will become of me, and fear I shall live and die. Reprobate! I find sin has such power over me. And though I call on the Lord again and again for deliverance, seem to be as weak as ever when temptation comes. O thou hideous monster, sin! What a course has Thou brought in! I love it, I hate it, I want to be delivered from the power of it, and yet am not satisfied without drinking down its poison sweets. It is my hourly companion and my daily curse, the breath of my mouth and the cause of my groans. my incentive to prayer, and my hinderer of it, that made a Savior suffer and makes a Savior precious, that spoils every pleasure and adds a sting to every pain, that fits a soul for heaven and ripens a soul for hell. My friend Joseph, can you make out my riddle? Is your heart, is my heart, said one of old, and come up into my chariot, We shall quarrel, by the way, unless, as in water-face answers two-face, so does the heart of man to man. I believe I shall never live and die a Pharisee. I must come in amongst us sinners, the ragged regiments of adulterous Davids. idolatrous menaces, swearing peters, persecuting souls, fornicating corinthians, relling thieves and self-abhorring publicans. Pardon to the innocent is the word of six letters and that is all. Redemption to the self-saved is a bible term. No more. And some of them say it is a universal term and others a particular term and the one quotes an arminian and the other a calvinistic text. And with these sticks they belabor one another's heads while a lost, sin-bitten bulrush, howling, half-desperate, ditch-plunged, black-hearted wretch up to the neck in guilt cries for its individual application as this only remedy. and only hope. I at times quite despair of salvation, and then again am as careless as if hell had no wrath and heaven no love, as if sin had no wormwood and pardon no sweet, as if there were no god to mark evil and no devil to tempt to it. So, my friend, you must not expect to find your winter fireside companion much grown and progressive synced to sanctification and creature holiness." Archibald Alexander in commenting on this warfare and this fight against indwelling sin, quote, Every victory over any particular lust weakens its power, and by a steady growth in grace such advantage is obtained over inbred sin that the advanced Christian maintains some mastery over it and is not subject to those violent struggles which were undergone when this warfare commenced. Young Christians, however, are often greatly deceived by the appearance of the death of sin, when it only sleeps or deceitfully hides itself, waiting for a more favorable opportunity to exert itself anew. When such a one experiences, in some favored moment, the love of God shed abroad in his heart, sin appears to be dead, and those lusts which warred against the soul to be extinguished, But when these lively feelings have passed away and carnal objects begin again to entice, a latent principle of iniquity shows itself, and often that Christian who had fondly hoped that the enemy was slain in the victory won, and in consequence ceased to watch and pray is suddenly assailed and overcome by the deceitfulness of sin. Christians are more injured in this warfare by the insidious and secret influence of their enemies lulling them into the sleep of carnal security than by all their open and violent assaults. No duty is more necessary in maintaining this conflict than watchfulness. Unceasing vigilance is indispensable. Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, watch. Lawful pursuits are more frequently a snare than those which are manifestly sinful. It is a duty to provide things honest in the sight of all men. But while this object is industriously pursued, the love of the world gradually gains ground. The possession of wealth is viewed as important. Eternal things are out of view, or viewed, as at a great distance. Any oppression from them is faint. Worldly entanglements and embarrassments are experienced. The spiritual life is weakened, a sickly state commences and a sad spiritual declension begins. Alas for the Christian now! Where is the burnings ill with which he commenced his course? Where now are the comforts of religion with which he was so entirely satisfied that the world was viewed as an empty bauble? Where now is his spirit of prayer which made this duty his delight? Where is his love of the Bible which drew him aside often from worldly business to peruse its sacred instructions? Oh, what a change! Reader, it is perhaps your own case. You are the man. You have thus fallen and left your first love. Repent, therefore, and do the first works, lest some heavy judgment fall upon you. The Christian is a soldier and must expect to encounter enemies and to engage in many a severe conflict. The young convert may well be likened to a raw recruit just enlisted. He feels joyous and strong, full of hope and full of courage. When the advanced Christian, when the mature or veteran Christian warns him of coming dangers and formidable enemies, and endeavors to impress on his mind a sense of his weakness and helplessness without divine aid. He doesn't understand what he says. He apprehends no dangers or enemies which he is not ready to face, and is ready to think that the age of disciples with whom he converses have been deficient in courage and skill, or have met with obstacles which are now removed out of the way. He views the contests of which they speak as the young soldier does the field of battle at a distance, while he is enjoying his bounty money and marches about with a conscious exaltation on account of his military insignia and animated martial music. The young Christian is commonly treated by his Lord with peculiar tenderness. He is like the babe dandled on the knee, inexposed to no hardships. His frames are lively and often joyous, and he lives too much upon them. His love to the Savior and to the saints is fresh and fervent, and his religious zeal, though not well regulated by knowledge, is ardent. He often puts older disciples to the blush by the warmth of his affections and his alacrity in the service of the Redeemer. and it is well if he does not sometimes indulge his censorious spirit in judging those who have been long exercised in the spiritual life. In other words, he has a tendency to be judgmental of those who are more mature in the Christian life because their liveliness and their affections and their devotions aren't like This New Convert. This is indeed the season of the New Convert's first love, which began to flow in the day of his espousals, and though occasionally dark clouds intercept his views, these are soon forgotten when the clear sunshine breaks forth to cheer him on his way. During this period he delights in social exercises, especially in communion with those of his own age, and in prayer, and in praise, and in spiritual conversation his heart is lifted up to heaven, and he longs for the time when he may join the songs of the upper temple. But before long the scene changes. Gradually the glow of fervent affection subsides. Worldly pursuits, even the most lawful and necessary, steal away his heart, and various perplexing entanglements beset the inexperienced traveler. He begins to see that there were many things faulty in his early course. He blames his own weakness or enthusiasm, and in avoiding one extreme, he easily falls into the opposite, to which human nature has a strong bias. He enters into more intercourse with the world and, of course, imbibes insensibly some portion of its spirit. This has a deadening effect on his religious feelings. and his devotions are less fervent and less punctual, and far more interrupted with vain wandering thoughts than before, and he is apt to fall into a hasty or formal attendance on the daily duties of the prayer closet, and a little mantor will sometimes lead him to neglect these precious seasons of grace. A strange forgetfulness of the presence of God and of His accountableness for every thought, word, and action ceases upon him. Close self-examination becomes painful, and when attempted, is unsuccessful. Now new evils begin to appear springing up in his heart. The imagination before he is aware is filled with sensual imagery, which affording carnal pleasure to the train of his thoughts is with difficulty changed. A lack of prompt resolution is often the occasion of much guilt and much unhappiness. Pride is sure to lift its head when God is out of view, and it's wonderful how this and a number of kindred evils will get possession and grow so as to be visible to others While the person himself is not aware of the disease, anger, impatience, fretfulness, envy, undue indulgence of the appetites, love of riches, fondness for dress and show, the love of ease, aversion to spiritual duties with numerous similar and nameless evils are now bred in the heart and come forth to annoy and retard the Christian in his course. His spiritual pride makes him unwilling to open his ear to friendly and fraternal reproof. Such words fall heavily on him and wound his morbid sensibility, so that a conflict takes place between a sense of duty and unmortified pride. He inwardly feels that the rebuke of a brother is just, and should be improved to the amendment of the evil pointed out, but pride cannot brook the thought of being exposed and humbled, and he tries to find something in a manner or circumstances which can be censored, or suspicion will ascribe it to a bad motive. So what he is saying is, A mature brother takes him aside. He sees, though, things in his conduct that need to be cautioned against. He needs to be brought into a more symmetry of character. And the person who is a young Christian and given a spiritual pride doesn't like to be brooked, doesn't like to be reproved. So he supposes the more mature brother's intentions are not sincere. And if in this spiritual conflict pride should gain the victory, alas, how much sin follows in its train. Resentment toward the kind brother, hypocrisy in concealing the real dictates of conscience and approbation of the inner man and a neglect of all efforts at improvement. The person thus circumstances instinctively led to endeavor to persuade himself that he has done right, still. However, the language of his better part is that of self-condemnation, but he hushes it up and assumes an air of innocence and boldness. and thus the Holy Spirit is grieved. Who can describe the train of evils which result on one defeat of this kind? The mind becomes dark and desolate. Communion with God is interrupted and a course of backsliding commences which sometimes goes on for years, and then the wanderer is not arrested and brought back without severe chastisement. In such cases the judgments of God against His own straying children are fearful. And if any do not experience Him, who are thus spiritually declined, it is because they are not His children. For what Son is He whom the Father does not chasten? The enemies of the Christian have been commonly divided into three classes. The world, the flesh, and the devil. Though these may be conceived of and spoken of separately, they resist the Christian soldier by their combined powers. The devil is the agent. The world furnishes a bait, or the object of temptation. And the flesh, or our own corrupt nature, is the subject on which the temptation operates. Sometimes, indeed, Satan injects his fiery darts and kindled in hell to frighten a timid soul and drive it to despair. But in this he often overshoots his mark and drives a poor trembling soul nearer to his captain, whose broad shield affords ample protection. And we are not to suppose that we are not often led astray by the enticements of sin within us without the aid of Satan. But yet, we need not be afraid of charging too much evil upon this arch-adversary. He is ever on the alert, and is exceedingly cautious in his approaches. Long experience has doubtless greatly increased his power and subtlety. Alas, he should be more restrained informally. Some people make a mock of Satan's temptations as though they were the dreams of a superstitious soul. But it was not so with Paul, and Peter, and John, nor Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Zwingli. Not so any who understand the nature of this spiritual warfare. It is the great injury of many professors that they are not constantly on the watch against the wiles of the devil. If you wish to know where he will likely meet you, I would say in your prayer closet, in the church, on your bed, and in your daily intercourse with men. A single thought which suddenly starts up in your mind will show that the enemy is near, and is suggesting such thoughts as, without his agency, never can be accounted for. Watch, therefore. resist the devil and he will flee from you. Well, thank you for tuning in to this lesson on the mortification of sin, temptation, and indwelling sin. A look at the collected works, practical works of John Owen. This is a voice of the Narrated Puritan Podcast.