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In Chapter 11 of The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, John Owen shifts his focus from the mental exercise of spiritual thoughts to the foundational seat of spiritual-mindedness: the human affections. Owen argues that the affections—the deep longings, loves, and delights of the heart—are the governing helm of the soul, determining its true direction, sincerity, and ultimate spiritual state regardless of outward religious performance. Because the world actively competes with God for these affections, Owen outlines the providential ways God exposes the vanity, danger, and transience of earthly things, warning that an unmortified love for the world forfeits a person's eternal soul while offering practical principles for maintaining a heart truly set on heavenly realities.

This part of the Treatise on The Religious Affections and been converted to a more modern, easier to grasp English. In Section 2 of *A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections*, Jonathan Edwards argues that genuine Christianity consists largely in holy affections, demonstrating that true faith requires vibrant, heartfelt engagement rather than weak, intellectual indifference. Drawing from Scripture, human experience, and the example of Christ, he establishes that the affections—chiefly holy love, from which all other godly emotions like fear, joy, sorrow, and zeal flow—serve as the primary mainspring of all human action and spiritual obedience. Edwards asserts that divine truth only transforms a soul to the extent that it deeply affects the heart, noting that Scripture consistently equates sin with an unaffected "hardness of heart" and true conversion with a tender, responsive spirit. Ultimately, while acknowledging that natural emotions can mingle with spiritual grace, he concludes that without habitual, holy affections, no amount of doctrinal light or outward religious duty is acceptable to God.

Focus of Sola Scriptura for Reformation Day weekend. While nothing in this life lasts, God's Word lasts forever into life eternal along with those who believe. Stand on God's Word Which Alone Forever Stands.

Jonathan Edwards's Treatise on the Religious Affections - language updated to a more modern English. "In the Preface to A Treatise on the Religious Affections, Jonathan Edwards argues that determining the true nature of saving faith is the single most vital question facing humanity, yet it remains deeply obscured by widespread debate and counterfeit experiences. Reflecting on past spiritual awakenings—from biblical revivals to the Protestant Reformation and New England's Great Awakening—Edwards explains how Satan consistently undermines divine revivals not through open persecution, but by mixing false, unexamined emotionalism with true holiness. Unmasking these counterfeits is essential, as mistaking false zeal for genuine grace leads to spiritual self-deception, bitter division among Christians, and the eventual decay of genuine revivals. Edwards writes this treatise to provide clear, biblical criteria for distinguishing the saving operations of the Holy Spirit from non-saving spiritual counterfeits, urging believers to pursue lasting spiritual clarity.

The sermon opens with the parable of the persistent widow from Luke 18, establishing the theme of persevering in prayer without losing heart. It then transitions to a biographical study of the Puritan duo Philip and Matthew Henry, highlighting their faithfulness during the English Civil War and the subsequent persecution of non-conformist ministers. The message details Matthew Henry's disciplined life, his prolific commentary, and his specific work, *The Method of Prayer*, which emphasizes using Scripture to structure and deepen one's communion with God. The central theological argument is that prayer is not intended to change God's mind but to align the believer's heart with His will, fostering a continuous dependence on Christ. The sermon concludes with an exhortation to cultivate gratitude for the legacy of past saints and to adopt a more methodical, scripturally grounded approach to personal devotion.

In Chapter 3, John Owen explains that frequent thoughts about spiritual things do not inherently prove a person is spiritually minded if those thoughts are merely triggered by external means—such as hearing the preaching of the Word, exercising spiritual gifts in prayer, or engaging in religious conversation. While these external occasions excite temporary mental activity and emotional fervor, they lack an internal root and dry up once the external stimulus ends, functioning like transient guests at an inn. In contrast, true spiritual mindedness springs from an inward, vital principle of saving grace that continuously produces spiritual thoughts like children residing in a home. In prayer specifically, Owen distinguishes between the mere operation of natural gifts—which can mimic piety and foster self-pleasing pride—and the active exercise of grace, which yields genuine spiritual growth, a humble delight in God, a consistent life of watchfulness against sin, and an equal regard for all Christian duties.

The text of this edition of the Religious Affections has been modernized to assist the listener. In Section 1 of A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, Jonathan Edwards draws from 1 Peter 1:8 to argue that genuine Christianity consists largely in holy affections—specifically the vigorous, lively exercises of the soul's will and inclination, such as love and joy. Examining how early Christians endured fiery persecutions, Edwards explains that trials serve to reveal, display, and purify true faith, stripping away empty pretense and dross. He distinguishes between the soul's two primary faculties—the understanding (which perceives and judges) and the inclination or heart (which actively approves or rejects)—and clarifies that affections are not separate from the will, but are simply its most intense and felt operations. Ultimately, while strong affections often produce physical sensations, Edwards emphasizes that the mind alone is their true seat, and that genuine religious vitality manifests through deep, supernatural devotion to an unseen Christ rather than superficial emotional surges.

Session 7: Book Three, Chapters 1-4 The Spirit and the Church, from the Puritan Paperback series (Banner of Truth), is an abridged version of Owen's treatment of the Holy Spirit. The unabridged version is found in The Complete Works of John Owen (Crossway) volumes 7 and 8, entitled "The Holy Spirit- the Helper" and "The Holy Spirit- the Comforter". In this 12-session class, Kevin Morris covers the various topics on the Holy Spirit presented by John Owen. Some of these topics include: How we believe the Scripture to be the word of God How the Spirit helps us understand the mind of God in His word How the Spirit helps us to pray How the Spirit comforts the church by His gifts and graces

In Chapter 1 of The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, John Owen argues that all human beings exist in one of two mutually exclusive spiritual states—being "carnally minded," which leads to spiritual and eternal death, or being "spiritually minded," which results in life and peace. Grounding his exposition on Romans 8:6, Owen explains that true spiritual mindedness is not merely a passive or intellectual assent to religious concepts, but the active, continuous engagement of a Holy Spirit-renewed mind whose deepest affections, thoughts, and delights are habitually set on heavenly realities. He warns that while genuine believers may struggle with competing worldly attachments, settling for a low or complacent level of spirituality to accommodate earthly pursuits jeopardizes true peace of conscience and may indicate that a person remains under the ruling power of the flesh.

Introduction to the Preface A Modernized Version of John Owen's work, The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded. In this opening preface, Dr. John Owen offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the origins of The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded. Written during a season of severe illness when he believed his public ministry had come to an end, these chapters began as private meditations to comfort his own soul. Upon his unexpected recovery, Owen felt compelled to share these truths—first to a small congregation, and ultimately to the wider church. Recognizing how subtly the cares, anxieties, and allurements of the world invade the believer's mind, Owen presents this treatise not as a dry academic study, but as an urgent pastoral remedy designed to awaken Christians to the daily practice of heavenly-mindedness, which alone brings true spiritual life and peace.