Last time we looked at Burroughs he helped us see that contentment comes not so much by way of addition but by the way of subtraction. This time Burroughs will teach us quite the opposite. "A Christian comes to contentment, not so much by getting rid of the burden that is on him, as by adding another burden to himself." This, of course, makes no sense to the worldly mind. Yet Burroughs continues, "the heavier the burden of your sin is to your heart, the lighter will the burden of your affliction be to your heart, and so you shall come to be content". Burroughs then continues to give several examples of how this seemingly ludicrous statement is actually the way to contentment.

It appears that what Burroughs is attempting to drive deep into our hearts is the notion that our sin before a holy God is so vile and treacherous that any ill situation is fitting. Contentment, it would appear, comes from realizing that every blessing is far better than we deserve. With a mind framed like this a man will quickly become contented. When we realize that we should have been cast into hell a thousand yesterdays ago we quickly feel our blessed estate. Burroughs challenges us to look at our broken estate and come away with a broken heart towards God as well.

This will sound like strange counsel to our 21st century ears. We are told quite the opposite. The prosperity gospel would have none of this teaching. If I am experiencing a trial then it can be directly linked to my lack of faith, says the prosperity teacher. If I would but believe harder and give more then God will pull me out of this mire due to my sin. Burroughs is telling the prosperity teacher that our redemption is enough. The Cross of Christ rescuing us from the burden of sin is all the prosperity that we need. When we feel the burden of our sin, and when the Lord graciously lifts it off, we will experience contentment.

This message will likewise sound foreign to the easy-believism of the 21st century. Simply pray this prayer and God will forgive you, only be sincere, is the cry of the proponents of cheap grace. An adherent to easy-believism will seldom be content when trials come. When the scorching sun comes they will wither away. He has never felt the burden of his sin. The roots of the gospel has never gone deep. He only considers Jesus as a band-aid or a get out of hell free card. The true offensiveness of himself and utter ruin he faces are blind from his sight. He was told to pray a prayer but never to feel the painful burden of sin. Burroughs is admonishing easy-believers to look to their sin. When they sense their utter depravity and hopelessness before God; and when they are opened to see the total justification of Christ; then, and only then, will they find contentment. The Cross is enough!

For the past two years in January I have compiled my hopeful reading list for the upcoming year. Every year, after about March, I discover that I am reading different books than I have planned. My eyes have never met some of the pages of my books. In the past I felt guilty and disappointed for not having read some of the books I had intended to. I felt silly that I could not read 10 pages per day of this book, or 25 of another. I realize every February that I am getting wore out and not even processing the books that I am reading. I quit enjoying it an it becomes a labor; and unfruitful one at that. So, by March I start reading the way I should have in January and February. This year instead of being dumb in January I am going to make a list of the books I hope to read, take my time, read at a pace that I can process and learn, and enjoy everything I read. I usually read about 5 books at a time (sometimes more, but usually 5 is what I can handle and still process everything). I will break everything up into 5 categories: Puritan, Pastoral, Devotional, Biographical, and Theological.

Biographical books are usually easier to read and I go through them faster. So, I will have 8 or 10 of those. Devotional books are what I consider "Christian Living" books, these usually are not difficult to read but if they are to sink deep they would require a little time to chew on. Therefore, I will have about 6 to 8 of these. Theological books are very meaty and take a long time to read and chew on. They are usually longer in length. I will attempt to read 3 or 4 of these. Puritans are sometimes tough to read; sometimes easy to read; sometimes nearly impossible to read; all the while extremely worthwhile to read. I have a lofty goal this year of reading 12 Puritan Paperbacks (usually about 150-200 pages). Pastoral works usually need to be read over a few times and spaced out over time to process everything. I will attempt to read 5 or 6 of these this year.

Also, some of the books are a continuance from this year.

Puritan:

Finish Owen's Overcoming Sin and Temptation
Finish Letters of Samuel Rutherford

1. The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes
2. The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson
3. A Sure Guide to Heaven by Joseph Alleine
4. The Art of Prophesying by William Perkins
5. Learning in Christ's School by Ralph Venning
6. The Christian's Great Interest by William Guthrie
7. The True Bounds of Christian Freedom by Samuel Bolton
8. The Godly Man's Pictrue by Thomas Watson
9. Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices by Thomas Brooks
10. Gospel Fear by Jeremiah Burroughs
11. The Acceptable Sacrifice by John Bunyan
12. The Anatomy of Secret Sins by Obadiah Sedgwick
13. Christ's Last Disclosure of Himself by William Greenhill
14. The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel

Biographical/Historical:

Finish A Pastor's Sketches by Ichabod Spencer

1. Spurgeon by Arnold Dallimore
2. Foundations of Grace (Vol. 1) by Steven Lawson
3. 2000 Years of Christ Power by N.R. Needham
4. Jonathan Edwards: Evangelist by John Gerstner
5. Welsey and the Men Who Followed by Iain Murray
6. John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken
7. The Rise and Fall of the English Puritans by John Brown
8. Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God by David McCasland
9. By His Grace and For His Glory by Tom Nettles

Pastoral:

1. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever
2. Preaching Christ from All of Scripture by Edmund Clowney
3. The Cross and Christian Ministry by D.A. Carson
4. Basic Greek and Exegesis by Richard Ramsay
5. The Christian Pastor's Manual compiled by John Brown
6. Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell (Re-Read)

Devotional:

1. Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
2. For Us and Our Salvation by Stephen Nichols
3. When Sinners Say I Do by Dave Harvey
4. The Cross of Christ by John R.W. Stott
5. Humility by C.J. Mahaney
6. Loved by God by R.C. Sproul
7. What Jesus Demands from the World by John Piper
8. The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges

Theological:

Finish Biblical Theology by Geerhardus Vos
Finish Justification and Regeneration by Charles Leiter

1. Early Christian Doctrines by J.N.D. Kelley
2. God's Passion for His Glory by John Piper
3. The Justification of God by John Piper
4. A New Testament Theology by George Ladd
5. An Old Testament Theology by Bruce Waltke

With the holiday's I am a little behind in our John Owen study. Last week we looked at Chapter 6 of Owen's Overcoming Sin and Temptation. As always you are invited to join us. You can read the work online here.

Last time we saw what Mortification is NOT. This time Owen will begin showing us what mortification is. Remember Owen's central question in this section: "What must I do to mortify sin in my life?". Today we will see three things that mortification of sin consists of.

1. Mortification of sin consists of a habitual weakening of sin
2. Mortification of sin consists of a constant fighting and contending against sin
3. Mortification of sin consists of frequent success

Part of the process of mortifying sin is to habitually weaken sin--or to put it in other words--we must be constantly crucifying the flesh. Owen gives us a picture of crucifying the flesh:

As a man nailed to the cross he first struggles and strives and cries out with great strength and might, but, as his blood and spirits waste, his strivings are faint and seldom, his cries low and hoarse, scarce to be heard; when a man first sets on a lust or distemper, to deal with it, it struggles with great violence to break loose; it cries with earnestness and impatience to be satisfied and relieved; but when by mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out, it moves seldom and faintly, cries sparingly, and is scarce heard in the heart; it may have sometimes a dying pang, that makes an appearance of great vigor and strength, but it is quickly over, especially if it be kept from considerable success.

Owen also helps us see two things under this point. 1) Some lusts are stronger in some people than in others. For example, one man might struggle mightily with lust and not be tempted by alcohol. Another man may be just the opposite. 2) Some lusts are more visible in their vileness. Fornication is particularly noteworthy here. This often can lead men to believe they are mortified when they are not. This is why Owen advises: A man may beat down the bitter fruit from an evil tree until he is weary; while the root abides in strength and vigor, the beating down of the present fruit will not hinder it from bringing forth more. This is the folly of some men; they set themselves with all earnestness and diligence against the appearing eruption of lust, but, leaving the principle and root untouched, perhaps unsearched out, they make but little or no progress in this work of mortification.

Owen closes the chapter by giving us a foretaste (hopefully) of what is to come. He mentions briefly two things that must be in order for mortification to take place. 1) The flesh must be replaced by grace. Pride must be replaced by the grace of humility; unbridled passion by patience; love of the world by heavenly mindedness; and so on. Or, if we want to get Piper-esque we would say that to mortify flesh then our sinful passions must be replaced by a superior passion (pleasure) for Christ. 2) The new man combined with the work of the Spirit using the means of mortification are necessary. (At least that is what I think Owen is saying).

Considerations:

As I read Owen and ponder my own battle with sin I find mixed thoughts. On one hand I see how the Lord's grace in my life has created in me more Christ-likeness and a passion for Jesus. On the other hand I see less of a battle with sin. I wonder is it because I find more pleasure in Christ or because I am no longer passionate about rooting all sin out? Am I as passionate about holiness as I once had been? Regardless of the answer my prayer is that Jesus might take me to the root of all my sinful rebellion and there through his sacrifice we might chop down the roots. I pray that my roots may be deep not in sin but in grace!