To the Reader

Christian Reader,

If you are in any measure awake in these days in which we live, and have taken notice of the manifold, great, and various temptations with which all sorts of persons that know the Lord, and profess his name are beset, and to which they are continually exposed; with what success those temptations have obtained to the unspeakable scandal of the Gospel, with the wounding and ruin of innumerable souls: I suppose you will not inquire any further after other reasons of the publishing of the ensuing warnings and directions, being suited to the times that pass over us, and your own concern in them. This I shall only say to those who think fit to persist in any such inquiry, that though my first engagement for the exposing of these meditations to public view, did arise from the desires of some, whose avowing the interest of Christ in the world by personal holiness, and constant adhering to everything that is made precious by its relation to him, have given them power over me, to require at any time services of greater importance, yet I dare not lay my doing of it so upon that account, as in the least, to intimate, that with respect to the general state of things mentioned, I did not myself esteem it seasonable and necessary. The variety of outward providences and dispensations, with which I have myself been exercised in this world, with the inward trials they have been attended with, added to the observation that I have had advantages to make of the ways and walkings of others, their beginnings, progresses, and endings, their risings and falls in profession, and conversation, in darkness and light, have left such a constant sense and impression of the power and danger of temptations upon my mind and spirit, that without other pleas and pretenses, I cannot but own a serious call to beware, with a discovery of some of the most eminent ways and means of the prevalency of present temptations, to have been in my own judgment, in this season, needful. But now Reader, if you are among them, who take no notice of these things, or care not for them, who have no sense of the efficacy and dangers of temptations in your own walking and profession, nor have observed the power of them upon others; who discern not the manifold advantages that they have gotten in these days, in which all things are shaken, nor have been troubled or moved for the sad successes they have had among professors, but suppose that all things are well within and without, and would be better, could you obtain fuller satisfaction to some of your lusts, in the pleasures or profits of the world, I desire you to know, that I write not for you, nor do esteem you a fit reader, or judge of what is here written. Whilst all the issues of providential dispensations, in reference to the public concerns of these nations are perplexed and entangled, the footsteps of God lying in the deep, where his paths are not known; whilst in particular, unparalleled distresses, and strange prosperities are measured out to men, yes to professors; whilst a spirit of error, giddiness, and delusion goes forth with such strength and efficacy, as it seems to have received a commission to go and prosper; whilst there are such divisions, strifes, emulations, attended with such evil surmises, wrath, and revenge, found among brethren; whilst the desperate issues and products of men's temptations are seen daily in partial and total apostasy, in the decay of love, the overthrow of faith; our days being filled with fearful examples of backsliding, such as former ages never knew; whilst there is a visible declension from Reformation seizing upon the professing party of these nations, both as to personal holiness, and zeal for the interest of Christ; he that understands not that there is an hour of temptation come upon the world to try them that dwell in the earth is doubtless either himself at present captivated under the power of some woeful lust, corruption, or temptation, or is indeed stark blind, and knows not at all what it is to serve God in temptations. With such then I have not at present to do; for those who have in general a sense of these things, who also in some measure are able to consider that the plague is begun, that they may be further awakened to look about them, lest the infection have approached nearer to them, by some secret and imperceptible ways, than they did apprehend; or lest they should be surprised at unawares hereafter by any of those temptations that in these days either waste at noon, or else walk in darkness, is the ensuing warning intended; and for the sake of them that mourn in secret, for all the abominations that are found among, and upon them that profess the Gospel; and who are under the conduct of the captain of their salvation fighting and resisting the power of temptations, from what spring soever they rise, in themselves, are the ensuing directions proposed to consideration. That our faithful and merciful High Priest, who both suffered and was tempted, and is on that account touched with the feeling of our infirmities, would accompany this small discourse with seasonable supplies of his Spirit, and suitable mercy to them that shall consider it, that it may be useful to his servants for the ends to which it is designed, is the prayer of him, who received this handful of seed from his storehouse, and treasure,

John Owen

Christian Reader,

If you are paying any attention to the times we live in, and have noticed the many, great, and varied temptations that beset all kinds of people who know the Lord and profess His name — temptations to which they are continually exposed — and if you have seen how successfully those temptations have prevailed, to the unspeakable dishonor of the Gospel and the wounding and ruin of countless souls, then I trust you will need no further explanation for why these warnings and directions are being published. They are suited to the times passing over us and to your own stake in them. I will only say this to those who still want a fuller explanation: though my first motivation for putting these meditations before the public came from the wishes of some whose personal holiness and constant devotion to everything precious in its relation to Christ have given them a claim on my service, I cannot lay the whole of it on that account — as if I myself did not judge it timely and necessary, given the general state of things described above. The variety of outward providences and circumstances through which I have been exercised in this world, together with the inward trials that accompanied them — added to the observations I have had opportunity to make of the ways and walks of others, their beginnings and progress, their endings and falls in faith and conduct, in darkness and in light — have left such a constant sense and impression of the power and danger of temptations on my mind and spirit that, without needing any other justification, I cannot but acknowledge a serious call to sound a warning, and to expose some of the most prominent ways and means by which present temptations prevail. But if you, reader, are among those who take no notice of these things or care nothing for them — who have no sense of the power and danger of temptations in your own walk and profession, nor have observed their power on others; who do not see the many advantages temptations have gained in these days when all things are being shaken, nor have been troubled by the sad successes they have had among professing Christians — who suppose that all is well within and without, and would be better still if only you could more fully satisfy your lusts for the world's pleasures or profits — know this: I am not writing for you. I do not consider you a fit reader or judge of what is written here. While all the outcomes of God's providential dealings with these nations remain entangled and confused, His footsteps lying in the deep where His paths are not known; while unparalleled distresses and strange prosperities are measured out to men — yes, to professing believers; while a spirit of error, instability, and delusion goes forth with such strength and power that it seems commissioned to go and succeed; while there are divisions, strife, and jealousies attended by evil suspicions, wrath, and revenge among brothers; while the desperate results of men's temptations appear daily in partial and total apostasy, in decaying love, in overthrown faith — our days being filled with fearful examples of backsliding such as former ages never knew; while a visible decline from reformation is seizing the professing body of these nations, both in personal holiness and in zeal for Christ's cause — whoever does not understand that an hour of temptation has come upon the world to try those who dwell on the earth is either himself captive under the power of some dreadful lust, corruption, or temptation — or he is simply spiritually blind and does not know at all what it means to serve God amid temptations. With such persons I have nothing to do at present. This warning is intended for those who have a general sense of these things and who, being able to some degree to see that the plague has begun, may be further awakened to look about them — lest the infection has crept closer to them by secret and imperceptible ways than they realized, or lest they be suddenly caught off guard by some of those temptations that in these days either strike openly at noon or creep in the darkness. It is also intended for those who mourn in secret over all the shameful things found among and upon those who profess the Gospel, and who under the leadership of the Captain of their salvation are fighting and resisting the power of temptations — from whatever source they arise within themselves. To these, the following directions are offered for consideration. That our faithful and merciful High Priest — who both suffered and was tempted, and is therefore touched with the feeling of our weaknesses — would accompany this small work with timely supplies of His Spirit and fitting mercy to all who consider it, so that it may be useful to His servants for the purposes for which it is designed: this is the prayer of him who received this handful of seed from His storehouse and treasury,

John Owen