It seems to me that the Lord has purposed me to read the chapters in this book exactly when I need to. When there are questions, the chapter I am reading answers it. When I am struggling with this or that sin, Owen reminds me of what the Word says and my responsibility before God. Chapter 9 comes as a challenge to believers to cause the mind to think about God continually to God. Along with the challenge, Owen also gives us some practical ways we may be able to discern the workings of the law of sin on our mind.
The design of the law of sin, as we have considered, is to draw the mind away from its due consideration on the things of God and man. Owen begins this chapter by reminding us of the importance of Prayer and Meditation. These two spiritual duties should always go together, as the Puritans are faithful to remind us. Rightly meditating upon the Word should eject our hearts in prayer toward God. Owen reminds believers,
It is our pondering on the truth as it is in Jesus, to find out the image and representation of it in our own hearts; and so it has the same intent with prayer, which is to bring our souls into a frame in all things answering the mind and will of God.
Owen gives three "rules" by which these two spiritual exercises are to be performed:
1. "Meditate of God with God." Owen believes that when we think about the excellencies of God, namely, His "glory, majesty, love, and goodness," it should be done in a way so that we are speaking to God these great things. Ascribe to the Lord. This directs our hearts toward Him in humiliation, the place where our hearts need to always be.
2. "Meditate on the word in the word." Believers should constantly "consider the sense in the particular passage insisted upon." We should look to God to guide our hearts into the truth, giving us a correct view of both God and ourselves.
3. Not only should we think upon the Word and God, but also we should do this constantly. Since we are weak to think upon these things throughout the day, we should make up for this by doing it constantly. Continually go back to the Word and in prayer. Two or so hours after prayer, you will likely forget the promises you made to yourself.
As we have considered, the mind is the engine to the whole effectiveness of the soul. The direction of the soul determines upon the meditations of the mind. Prayer is the opportunity of the soul to appropriate itself correctly before God. True prayer is a praying that is mindful of the "wants, straits, and emergencies of the soul and mind." Only in prayer do we find the deepest contradictions in our hearts. Only in prayer do we find the deepest, most hidden motivations. The Holy Spirit assists us in this work. He gives us assistance in not only rightly evaluating ourselves, but also rightly crying out to God. Not only this, but praying in faith "countermines all the workings of the deceit of sin; this is because the soul constantly is engaging God and therefore opposing sin." Praying in faith causes the believer in "pursuing sin unto its very ruin, because we know:"
First, if there is any lurking of sin in our hearts it will certainly oppose itself to the work of prayer in faith, for faith and sin are contradictory (Romans 14:23).
Second, if there is any sin lurking in your soul it will drag your mind away from a universal communion with God. Owen states,
It will breed a tergiversation unto it, a slightness in it.
Tergiversation means, to change repeatedly one's attitude or opinions with respect to a cause, subject.
Last, Owen makes his point by illustration,
There is no greater evidence of hypocrisy than to have the heart like the whorish woman, Proverbs 7:14, "I have paid my vows," now I may take myself unto my sin;" or to be negligent about sin, as being satisfied that it hath prayed against it.
Do you ever feel as though you "deserve" to engage in some sort of disobedience because of some prior obedience? Are you “earning merit” by your “good deeds?” This, to Owen, is a dangerous place to be.
Now, to be sure, sin also has an offense in its work. We have seen how we are to take offense against sin, but sin has its offensive set as well. Sin puts forth its deceit by:
1. Taking advantage of the weakness that is in your flesh. Owen says,
No relief or advantage, then, coming in by it but what is purely spiritual, it becomes wearisome, burdensome to flesh and blood. It is like traveling alone without companion or diversion, which makes the way seem long, but brings the passenger with most speed to his journey's end.
You can know that sin is offensive when you notice your flesh weakening toward spiritual duty and obedience toward God. When you feel burdensome toward the Word and prayer, when it seems that you need to hurry and get away from praying, these are all sin's working and taking advantage of the weakness of the flesh.
2. Sin also takes advantage of your soul when it "makes use of corrupt reasonings, taken from the pressing and urging occasions of life." Owen's argument here is that so many times we settle for good things, rather than what God has planned for us. Owen continues,
But if in anything we take more upon us than we have time well to perform it in, without robbing God of that which is due to him and our own souls, this God calls not unto, this he blesses us not in.
I know this very well from previous secular employment. For those of you who have a hard time saying, "No," now is the time. Your first priority and responsibility is your soul before God. You are to glorify God with your life. If any duty would not cause you to glorify His name, you are to abandon it. Do not be consumed with money, pleasing your boss, or making good grades. Some of these things in general are good, but they can take your soul. If you are careful to protect your soul and “guard it with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23), you will find true life and purpose.
3. It takes advantage by drawing the mind away from its duty, by promising compensation in performing those other duties that are not good for your soul. Owen states, "As Saul thought to compensate his disobedience by sacrifice." Disobedience is just that, disobedience. There is no remedy to what it truly is. Two wrongs never make right.
I would like to conclude this with some questions that Owen asks at the end of this chapter. This ending comes with strength and great encouragement. He premises all these questions with this proposition, "The principle care and charge of the soul lies on the mind; and if that fail of its duty, the whole is betrayed...The failing of the mind is like the failing of the watchman in Ezekiel."
Would you, therefore, take the true measure of yourselves, consider how it is with you as to the duty of your minds which we have inquired after. Consider whether, by any of the deceits mentioned, you have not been diverted and drawn away...
Owen hopes,
May not such a soul say, "If I had attended more diligently; if I had considered more wisely the vile nature of sin; if I had not suffered my mind to be possessed with vain hopes and foolish imaginations, by a cursed abuse of the gospel grace; if I had not permitted to be filled with the things of the world, and to become negligent in attending unto especial duties--I would therefore not be sick, weak, thriftless, wounded, decayed, defiled."
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