'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 9

We are obligated to watch and keep our hearts above all other things. Let him that desires to avoid temptation labour to know his own heart. Let him be acquainted with his natural frame and temperament, his lusts and corruptions, his natural, sinful, and spiritual weaknesses. By finding out where his weakness lies, he may be careful to keep at a distance from all occasions of sin. Temptation often has an advantage in a man's natural temper and constitution. Some are more naturally gentle, cooperative, easy to be entreated, and pliable. Others by nature tend to be gruff, hard to please, gloomy, so that envy, malice, selfishness, criticism of others, anger and grumbling lie at the door of their natures. They can scarcely step out but are in the snare of one of these. He that would watch that he does not enter into temptation, needs to be acquainted with his own natural temperament, that he might watch over the treacheries that continually lie in it. Labour, therefore, to know what kind of a spirit you are of, what foothold Satan has in your heart, where corruptions are strong, and where grace is weak, and what strongholds lust has in your natural constitution. How many have had all their comforts blasted as a result of their natural passions and harmful constitutions! How many are disturbed even by their own gentleness and easy-going temperament! Get acquainted with your heart. If it is deep, search it out. If it is dark, inquire into it. If your heart seeks to deceive you or to throw you off track by mislabelling its sinful tendencies, do not believe it. Some seek to justify, conceal, or excuse the evils of their own hearts instead of seeking to destroy them. How few there are who will diligently study themselves, or even put up with those who might seek to make them acquainted with them!

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
John Owen, Works, VI:131-133
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