Jeremiah Burroughs, in one of the sermons in Gospel Fear (which I will be reviewing today), says this: "Take heed of heart-hardening company, of slight company, of frothy company, of going into the company of those who have slight and vain spirits, and especially those who have been and are professors of religion, and yet have slight and vain spirits".

As I read this I could not help but wonder if, in our day, Burroughs would have at this point went on a tangent about the vices of excessive television watching. I seldom find myself in the company of "frothy" (that is empty) people. Most of my friends are passionate about Jesus. (I'll take my rebuke from my missional friends here). But I do often find myself in the company of frothy, slight, and vain television personalities. Granted, they are not professors of religion. Yet, there is very little serious thought. Does this harden my heart and keep it from being tender towards the gospel?

Secondly, I think Burroughs has a significant warning for those of us that are "professors of religion". "Professor" is another way of saying "Those that profess Christianity". It is not saying professors/teachers. These are ordinary believers. If we, as ordinary believers, are proclaiming to be Christ-followers, and yet live our lives in triviality what are we communicating about God and His gospel? Should we really be frothy? Burroughs is not against joy. Burroughs is against empty joy. May the Lord grant us a blood-earnestness for the sake of the gospel!

Chapter 8 begins the second section of Flavel's work. The first section concerned itself with giving evidences of the many workings of Providence. This section will encourage us in our duty of responding to this mighty Providence; chapter 8 explains this duty. Flavel will give 7 reasons that it is a duty to meditate upon the Providence of God:

1. Because God has expressely commanded it
2. Because the neglect of it is everywhere in Scripture condemned as sin
3. Because the Holy Spirit often, through Scripture, told us to "Behold"
4. Because without due attention to such things no praise can be rendered to God for them
5. Because without meditating on Providence we lose the benefits that were intended for us and others
6. Because it is a vile slighting of God not to do so
7. Because our prayers will not be suitable to our condition unless we notice the workings of Providence

This chapter is a quick introductory chapter. Flavel sufficiently shows us that it is our duty to meditate upon the Providence of God.

Discussion:

There is not much to discuss in this chapter. I will only sum it up by asking one question. What are specific ways we can obey and disobey this duty?

Imagine this...Mark Driscoll has stirred up controversy. The discussions start with Challies review of Driscoll's Vintage Jesus. Then he asks, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Mark Driscoll? Brian Thornton weighs in, as does Carla Rolfe.

David, The Thristy Theologian, explains Why He is a Calvinst, today he discusses Depravity.

I'm not the biggest fan of the title, but the Reformed Mafia, is showing the Trouble with Frank Page. It's a play off Page's, ridiculous work, The Trouble with Tulip. If you have read Page's book you'll appreciate the review. See Part One and Two.

What does it mean to avoid every appearance of evil? Dan Wallace answers. This is a quality article, and very important given many of our recent discussions on alcohol, card playin', etc. Here is his conclusion: "To wield 1 Thess 5.22 as a weapon to restrict a believer’s personal freedom is against the general tenor of the New Testament and of the Lord’s life in particular. Ironically, to avoid every appearance of evil is far more in keeping with the Pharisees’ model of righteousness than with Jesus’!"

Michael Patton continues his series on the Emergent Church. Today he asks, "Are You Emerging"? He has also recently compared Fundamentalists, Evangelicals, and Emergents.

Are we under the Law? Nathan Busenitz continues his series with part two and three.

Our church is currently trying to reframe our mission statement and put together a few statements to go with it. Perhaps we should consider the words of Dr. Bart Barber. This flies in the face of your typical outreach material; I love it. (HT: Henry Institute)

David Mathis gives us a very helpful list on resources for Bibliology.

Thabiti has a really wonderful article on highly gifted pastors in small fields of labor. Are Our Gifts to be Big for Our Field of Labor?

David Wells guest blogs at 9Marks. He asks, Are We Fiddling While Rome Burns? In case you cannot pick it up by the title, this article is about alternate forms of "having church".

Lastly, Michael McKinley offers a Hypocrites Guide to Preaching.

Are we still under the Law? Nathan Busenitz attempts to answer that question. Today we are treated to Part 1 in his series. His thesis will be that the apostlic saints saw that we are "no longer under any part of the Mosaic law". He will prove this by making four points. We are treated to his first point today; "the biblical saints saw the Mosaic law as a solitary unit." Check it out, here. You can also read the introductory post, here.

Trevin Wax is asking his readers to come up with Gospel Definitions. How would you define the gospel? He also offers advice on How the older gen. can mentor the younger.

In the category of This is What Happens When We Make Man the Center: the Daily Dose delivers an article about Easter. Joshua responds to a church marketing flier that says, "Easter: It's All About You". I understand what they are attempting to say. But whenever we make that which is secondary, the primary thing, we run the risk of idolatry.

Ed Stetzer has a great article on Ethnicity in the SBC.

Michael Patton continues his series on the Emerging Church. Today he tries to tack jello to the wall, or in other words, define the emerging church.

John Piper posts his son Karsten's poem on Luke 18:25. It is phenomenal.

Phil Johnson continues his discussion on total depravity. Today he asks, How did we Inherit Adam's Sinfulness?

If this guy is serious, then I apologize; it deserves not laughter but rebuke. If it's a joke, then it's a really good one. Because I am giving this guy the benefit of the doubt, and do not see how it cannot be a joke, I post it. (HT: Reformed Mafia)



Along the same lines John Piper discusses his hatred of the prosperity "gospel". (HT: purgatorio)

I just realized that I never put the sermon from January 30th online. In our five-part series on Enjoying the Gospel, this is the third sermon. We have previously discussed that The Gospel is Meant to be Enjoyed. Our second and third sermon was dedicated to two pitfalls in enjoying the gospel. The Impossible Burden of Legalism and The Suicidal Exchange of Licentiousness. As always, this is a somewhat rough copy and the actual delivery of the sermon is sometimes a little different than what you read.

Chapter 7 concludes the first section of Flavel's work. In this first section Flavel has purposed to give us overwhelming evidence of the Providence of God in the direction of His saints. This chapter serves to illuminate for us the working of Providence in our sanctification. Flavel is quick to remind us that the Spirit is the "principal agent" in this work, and "all the providences in the world can never effect [sanctification] without Him." Nonetheless, God does use various means to procure our sanctification.

Flavel gives the most attention in this chapter to "providential afflictions" that God uses to rip sin out of our lives. As he says, "...yet sin is too hard for the best of men; their corruptions carry them through all to sin. And when it is so, not only does the Spirit work internally, but Providence also works eternally in order to subdue them." (101) Because of this remaining corruption, Flavel says, God will bring afflictions to "purge and cleanse" sin from our lives.

After giving time to showing these providential afflictions at work, our author exposes areas of our remaining corruption. He discusses four areas that corruption rears its ugly head:

1. In our pride and and the swelling vanity of our hearts when we have a name and esteem among men
2. In raising up great expectations to ourselves from the creature, and planning abundance of felicity (happiness) and contentment from some promising and hopefuly enjoyments we have in the world
3. In dependence upon creature-comforts and tangible props (things that hold us up)
4. In good men by their adherence to things below and their relectuance to go hence.

Under each of these headings Flavel shows how Providence brings afflictions (among other things) to cure these remaining corruptions. It appears that our author digresses (although happily) into a discussion on the amazement that such a mighty God would deal with such worms as us. As he closes his digression, and moves to considerations, he crafts a beautiful statement: "The blood that runs in our veins is as much tainted as theirs in hell." To prove this he gives to considerations. In their constitution and natural dispotion, and in their outward condition they are as much like us as we care to admit.

We close this grand section on considering (yea, marvelling) at the works of Providence upon such "vile, despicable worms as we are!" Yet, "how ancient, how free, and how astonishing this act of grace! This is that design which all providences are in pursuit of, and will not rest till they are executed" (107). Flavel concludes this section by giving us six proofs of this very thing:

1. Does not the gift of His only Son out of His bosom show this, that God makes great account of this vile thing, man?
2. Does not the [attention] of His providential care for us show His esteem of us?
3. Does not the tenderness of His providence show His esteem of us?
4. Does not the variety of the fruits of His providence show it?
5. Does not the ministry of angels in the providential kingdom show it?
6. Does not the providence of which this day calls us to celebrate the memory, show the great regard God has for his people?

Discussion:

After this chapter (and really this section) I am left asking as David did, "what is man that you are mindful of him?" I think Flavel's hope was to overwhelm us with evidence of the providential care of the Almighty. He has done so with me.

Do you agree with the statement, found on page 100? "There is in all the regenerate a strong propensity and inclination to sin, and in that lies a principal part of the power of sin". Is there still a "strong propensity" in those that the Holy Spirit lives in? Are we not said to be dead to sin, and "delivered from this body of death"?

What response do you have to Flavel's statement that, "the blood that runs in our veins is as much tainted as theirs in hell"?