Cannot find a quotation using Smart Search

Several years ago I began reading John Owen in a Paperback book titled "Overcoming Sin and Temptation (Redesign): Three Classic Works by John Owen".

https://a.co/d/bqkKcxV

I was talking with a friend today and remembered something I had read. I do not remember exact wording so i cannot provide a quotation. So I thought it might be something where I could use AI to find it easily.

I actually tried ChatGPT first. It gave impressive results, but did not narrow it down enough that I was still unable to find the place easily.

So then I tried Logos. I entered the exact same question into Logos that I had entered into ChatGPT.

Since this is the Logos forum, I will show Logos results first. They are practically worthless. Maybe I am doing something wrong. Maybe someone can show me a better way?

QUESTION: where does John Owen say that God allows us certain areas of weakness to sin and temptation in order to teach us how to resist and overcome them?

Since I had specifically specified an author (John Owen), and I have the complete works of John Owen in my Library, I was expecting good results.

Results: After carefully reviewing the provided excerpts, I cannot find a direct quote from John Owen stating that God allows us certain areas of weakness to sin and temptation specifically to teach us how to resist and overcome them. Owen does discuss how people can overcome patterns of sin through “concentrated prayer, obedience, and the penetration of the truth of the gospel,” and suggests that a person’s sorrow over sin is actually a sign that sin does not reign in them1. Additionally, the sources indicate that Satan tends to attack people at their weakest points, and those seeking to grow spiritually must resist and fight against these temptations in faith2. However, the specific theological claim about God intentionally allowing weakness to teach resistance is not explicitly stated in these excerpts. 1Timothy J. Keller, “Puritan Resources for Biblical Counseling,” The Journal of Pastoral Practice, ed. Jay E. Adams (1988), 9:3:28.2Thomas Boston, The Whole Works of Thomas Boston: Sermons and Discourses on Several Important Subjects in Divinity, ed. Samuel M‘Millan (Aberdeen: George and Robert King, 1849), 629.

This was a disappointment, because in my question I never asked for a direct quote. It gave up and reported failure, without giving any hint that it actually utilized any of Owens actual writings. All of the references it gave are to third party discussion of other topics and not anything written by Owen.

In the following list of results, there were dozens of quotations from third party resources, which would have taken a long time to sort thru … which defeated the purpose of using AI. There were only a few quotations from Owen himself, and they were buried so far down the list that at first glance I thought it didn't have any. But none of the quotes was remotely relevant to the question I asked.

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John

ChatGPT results were much better than Logos produced, and at least pointed me to the correct book and chapter. I know it is correct not because I found the part I was looking for, but because I know about how far I got when reading the book in paperback format.

Question: where does John Owen say that God allows us certain areas of weakness to sin and temptation in order to teach us how to resist and overcome them?

ChatGPT:

John Owen does teach that God sometimes permits certain weaknesses, temptations, or lingering corruptions in believers for their humbling, instruction, and growth in spiritual warfare. He says this in several places, but there are two primary locations where he states it most directly:

1. Of Temptation (Volume 6 of his Works)

Key passage

In Of Temptation, Owen explicitly teaches that God will sometimes allow a believer to face particular temptations—or “leave” them to certain weaknesses—for wise and gracious purposes, including:

to humble them

to teach them vigilance

to train them in resisting sin

to drive them to dependence on Christ

A representative idea from this treatise (paraphrased):

God sometimes allows a particular temptation to remain so that believers may learn where their weakness lies, be kept humble, and be trained to walk watchfully and dependently.

In this work (esp. chs. 2–4), Owen repeatedly says that God overrules temptation for the believer’s good and instruction.

2. On the Mortification of Sin (Volume 6, or standalone editions)

Key passage

In The Mortification of Sin, particularly in the early chapters (ch. 2, ch. 9), Owen explains that God may permit “disturbances” of remaining sin to:

reveal the believer’s dependence on grace

show the believer the true power of indwelling sin

instruct them in spiritual combat

bring them to earnest seeking of the Spirit’s help

A paraphrased idea he gives:

God sometimes allows indwelling sin to stir so that the believer may learn to be watchful, to know the power of the Spirit, and to grow in mortification.

3. Indwelling Sin (Volume 6) – supplemental

In Indwelling Sin in Believers, Owen teaches that God does not remove all corruption at once, and permits certain weaknesses so that believers might:

know their need for constant warfare

learn to cling to Christ

avoid self-confidence

While not as explicit as Of Temptation, the principle is strongly present.

Summary

John Owen most clearly states that God permits certain temptations and weaknesses in order to train believers in spiritual warfare in these three works, with the most explicit statements found in:

✔ Of Temptation

✔ The Mortification of Sin

If you’d like, I can pull out exact quoted passages from each location or provide page references corresponding to the commonly used Banner of Truth editions.

The last line is an offer to find exact quotations to look at … so of course … I said yes 😀

1. Of Temptation — the clearest statement

Work: The Works of John Owen, Vol. 6 (Banner of Truth)
Treatise: Of Temptation
Location: pp. 96–97

Quotation

“God sees fit sometimes to leave his own to manifold temptations, that they may learn where their strength lies, and be taught to walk humbly, and to exercise their hearts in watchfulness… These temptations are by his providence ordered for holy ends, that they may be made wise and wary in their spiritual warfare.”

This is Owen’s most explicit statement that God allows or permits temptations in order to instruct and strengthen believers.

The first one that it found was what I had been remembering, and now I know where to find a direct quotation.

Yasmin Stephen

I found something …

I used All books and I own the second resource cited:

“He was almost gone,” as he speaks himself; “his feet had well-nigh slipped” The temptation was at the door of prevalency, when a mighty impulse of grace recovers him. To show his saints what they are, their own weakness and infirmity, he sometimes suffers them to go to the very edge and brow of the hill, and then causeth them to hear a word behind them saying, “This is the right way, walk in it”—and that with power and efficacy; and so recovers them to himself.
Owen, J. (n.d.). The works of John Owen (W. H. Goold, Ed.; Vol. 2, pp. 143–144). T&T Clark.

Here lies a great part of the care and faithfulness of Christ towards his poor saints. He will not suffer them to be worried with the power of sin, nor to be carried out unto ways that shall dishonour the gospel, or fill them with shame and reproach, and so render them useless in the world; but he steps in with the saving relief and assistance of his grace, stops the course of sin, and makes them in himself more than conquerors.
Owen, J. (n.d.). The works of John Owen (W. H. Goold, Ed.; Vol. 6, p. 277). T&T Clark.

John

@Yasmin Stephen I found something …

Nice. Thanks for posting that.

I have not tried the Study Assistant yet. If you keep going, will it take you to the exact place in the resources?

Jack Caviness

Is this something like what you are seeking?

To show his saints what they are, their own weakness and infirmity, he sometimes suffers them to go to the very edge and brow of the hill, and then causeth them to hear a word behind them saying, “This is the right way, walk in it”—and that with power and efficacy; and so recovers them to himself.

The Works of John Owen: Volume 2 p 144.

First hit with your question and Study Assistant.