The Mortification of Sin | By John Owen

For many years I had people recommend this book to me. It wasn't until 2019 that I finally bought a copy. Prior to 2015, the idea of reading really old books by really old dead people (outside of the Bible of course) sounded incredibly boring. I think back on this now with regret that I passively avoided the deep riches found within the writings of the Puritans.

Let's be honest, there were many moments I had to set this book down (often in tears), repent, take inventory and do some deep searching of my heart. The conviction down right made me tremble, and I am better for it.

The enormous amount of notes and underlining I did in this book makes it impossible to pick the "best of the best", but here are a few nuggets of gold:

"We must let men know that mortification is their duty, but in its proper place; I do not encourage men to come away from mortification, but to come to conversion. He that shall call a man from mending a hole in the wall of his house, to quench a fire that is consuming the whole building, is not his enemy. Poor soul! It is not your sore finger but your great fever you need to notice. You set yourself against a particular sin, and do not realize that you are nothing but sin."

"Old and neglected wounds can prove to be fatal, and are always dangerous. Indwelling lusts grow rusty and stubborn because they have long continued in ease and quiet. Such a sin will not be easily ejected. It will never die by itself, and it is not daily killed it will only gather added strength."

"Set your faith upon Christ for the killing of your sin. His blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls."