A53721:192
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.
Secondly, There is a respect in it to the Love of God. And this breaks the heart of the poor returning sinner. Sorrow from the Law, shuts it self up in the soul, and strangleth it. Sorrow from the thoughts of the Love of God opens it, and causeth it to flow forth. Thoughts of sinning against the Love of God, managed by the Holy Ghost; what shall I say? their effects in the heart are not to be expressed. This made Ezra cry out, O my God I blush and am ashamed to lift up my face to thee, Chap. 9. 6. and v. 10. What shall we say after this? After what? why all the fruits of love and kindness they had been made partakers of. Thoughts of love and sin laid together, make the soul blush, mourn, be ashamed and confounded in its self. So Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall you remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good; When shall they do so? when thoughts and apprehensions of love shall be brought home to them; and saith he, then shall you loath your selves in your own sight. The soul now calls to mind, what Love, what kindness, what mercy, what grace, what patience hath been exercised towards it, and whereof it hath been made partaker. The thoughts of all these now come in upon him as streams of water. Such Mercy, such Communion, such Privileges, such hopes of Glory, such tastes of Heaven, such Peace, such Consolation, such Joy, such Communications of the Spirit, all to a poor, wretched, cursed, lost, forlorn sinner; and all this despised, neglected, the God of them all provoked, forsaken. Ah saith the soul, Whither shall I cause my sorrow to go? This fills him with shame and confusion of face; makes him mourn in secret, and sigh to the breaking of the loins; and then,
Secondly, There is a respect in it to the Love of God. And this breaks the heart of the poor returning sinner. Sorrow from the Law, shuts it self up in the soul, and strangleth it. Sorrow from the thoughts of the Love of God opens it, and causseth it to flow forth. Thoughts of sinning against the Love of God, managed by the Holy Ghost; what shall I say? their effects in the heart are not to be expressed. This made Ezra cry out, O my God I blush and am ashamed to lift up my face to thee, Chap. 9. 6. and v. 10. What shall we say after this? After what? why all the fruits of love and kindness they had been made partakers of. Thoughts of love and sin laid together, make the soul blush, mourn, be ashamed and confounded in its self. So Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall you remember your own evil wayes, and your doings that were not good; When shall they do so? when thoughts and apprehensions of love shall be brought home to them; and saith he, then shall you loath your selves in your own sight. The soul now calls to mind, what Love, what kindness, what mercy, what grace, what patience hath been exercised towards it, and whereof it hath been made partaker. The thoughts of all these now come in upon him as streams of water. Such Mercy, such Communion, such Priviledges, such hopes of Glory, such tastes of Heaven, such Peace, such Consolation, such Joy, such Communications of the Spirit, all to a poor, wretched, cursed, lost, forlorn sinner; and all this despised, neglected, the God of them all provoked, forsaken. Ah saith the soul, Whither shall I cause my sorrow to go? This fills him with shame and confusion of face; makes him mourn in secret, and sigh to the breaking of the loyns; and then,