A53721:184
A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm
A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm wherein the nature of the forgiveness of sin is declared, the truth and reality of it asserted, and the case of a soul distressed with the guilt of sin and relieved by a discovery of forgiveness with God is at large discoursed / by John Owen.
London: printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder, 1669
AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. › General Scope of the whole Psalm. › Verse 3 › Section
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1Three things in this condition we ascribe unto such a soul. First, A sincere sense of sin. There is a twofold sense of sin. The one is general and notional, whereby a man knows what sin is, that himself is a sinner; that he is guilty of this or that, these or those sins; only his heart is not affected proportionably to that discovery and knowledge which he hath of these things. The other is active and efficacious. The soul being acquainted with the nature of sin, with its own guilt in reference unto sin in general, as also to this or that sin, is universally influenced by that apprehension unto suitable Affections and Operations.
- 1Sense of sin, wherein it consists.
Of both these we have an instance in the same person. David before Nathans coming to him, had the former, afterwards he had the latter also. It cannot be imagined but that before the coming of the Prophet, he had a general knowledge and sense not only absolutely of the nature of sin, but also, that himself was a sinner, and guilty of those very sins which afterwards he was reproved for. To think otherwise is to suppose, not only that he was un-sainted, but un-manned also, and turned into a Beast. But yet this wrought not in him any one Affection suitable to his condition. And the like may be said of most sinners in the world. But now when Nathan comes to him and gives him the latter efficacious sense whereof we speak, we know what effects it did produce.
It is the latter only that is under consideration; and that also is twofold: (1.) Legal or Antecedaneous unto conversion; ⟨p. 56⟩(2) Evangelical, and previous to the recovery from depths, whereof we treat. How these two differ, and how they may be discerned one from the other, being both of them in their kind sincere, is not my business to declare.