Owen, excerpted from Holy Spirit

This is a short excerpt from a 650 page work on the Holy Spirit. It is from the section on Acts of the Holy Spirit in Preparation for Regeneration, specifically as it relates to illumination. The portion of illumination referred to in this section is the removal of spiritual darkness from the mind. In this specific excerpt, Owen is discussing the residual darkness in the mind that remains after regeneration, that is, the vanity of the mind produced by spiritual darkness.

In Owen's definition, the mind is the presenting agent; meaning that the mind is the power that presents things to the whole soul. The vanity of the mind, therefore, is the tendency of darkened minds to present to the soul empty or vain things. The Spiritually enlightened mind will present spiritually minded things to the soul. This is expressed as "the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." The opposite is the vanity of mind of the unregenerate man, who seeks life and peace by presenting to his soul all manner of things, none of which can purchase either.

Here it is, it is long, but READ IT. It is good.

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It is one of the principal duties incumbent on us, to be acquainted with, and diligently to watch over, the remainders of this vanity in our own minds. The sinful distempers of our natures are not presently cured at once, but the healing and removing of them is carried on by degrees unto the consummation of the course of our obedience in this world. And there are three effects of this natural vanity of the mind in its depraved condition to be found among believers themselves: --

(1.) An instability [by this Owen means, inconsistency of habit] in holy duties, as meditation, prayer, and hearing of the word. How ready is the mind to wander in them, and to give entertainment unto vain and fond imaginations, at least unto thoughts and apprehensions of things unsuited to the duties wherein we are engaged! How difficult is it to keep it up unto an even, fixed, stable frame of acting spiritually in spiritual things! How is it ready at every breath to unbend and let down its intension! All we experience or complain of in this kind is from the uncured relics of this vanity.

(2.) This is that which inclines and leads men towards a conformity with and unto a vain world, in its customs, habits, and ordinary converse; which are all vain and foolish. And so prevalent is it herein, and such arguments hath it possessed itself withal to give it countenance, that in many instances of vanity it is hard to give a distinction between them and the whole world that lies under the power of it. Professors, it may be, will not comply with the world in the things before mentioned, that have no other use nor end but merely to support, act, and nourish vanity; but from other things, which, being indifferent in themselves, are yet filled with vanity in their use, how ready are many for a compliance with the course of the world, which lieth in evil and passeth away!

(3.) It acts itself in fond and foolish imaginations, whereby it secretly makes provision for the flesh and the lusts thereof; for the all generally lead unto self-exaltation and satisfaction. And these, if not carefully checked, will proceed to such an excess as greatly to taint the whole soul. And in these things lie the principal cause and occasion of all other sins and miscarriages. We have therefore no more important duty incumbent on us than mightily to oppose this radical distemper. It is so, also, to attend diligently unto the remedy of it; and this consists,

A) In a holy fixedness of mind, and a habitual inclination unto things spiritual; which is communicated unto us by the Holy Ghost. [See also Owen's work, On Spiritual Mindedness]

B) In the due and constant improvement of that gracious principal, --
1. By constant watchfulness against the mind's acting itself in vain, foolish, unprofitable imaginations, so far at least as that vain thoughts may not lodge in us;
2. By exercising it continually unto holy spiritual meditations.
3. By a constant conscientious humbling of our souls, for all the vain actings of our minds that we do observe.