AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. › General Scope of the whole Psalm. › Verse 4 › Section, A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm (John Owen, 1669) | AskReformation

A53721:263

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.

John Owen 1616–1683London: printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder, 1669

[6], 410 [i.e. 408] p. · 166k words · Wing O794 · ESTC R26853

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AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. › General Scope of the whole Psalm. › Verse 4 › 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.

[ Earlier:260–275 of 1,036

:260p. 81

Here Conscience labours with all its might to keep its whole dominion; and to keep out the power of forgiveness from being enthroned in the soul. It will allow men to talk of forgiveness, to hear it preached, though they abuse it every day; but to receive it in its power, that stands up in direct opposition to its dominion; in the Kingdom, saith Conscience, I will be greater than thou; and in many, in the most, it keeps its possession, and will not be deposed.

:261p. 81

Nor indeed is it an easy work so to deal with it. The Apostle tells us, that all the Sacrifices of the Law could not do it, Heb. 10. 2. they could not bring a man into that estate, wherein he should have no more conscience of sin; that is, Conscience condemning the Person; for conscience in a sense of sin, and condemnation of it, is never to be taken away. And this can be no otherwise done but by the blood of Christ, as the Apostle at large there declares.

Nor indeed is it an easie work so to deal with it. The Apostle tells us, that all the Sacrifices of the Law could not do it, Heb. 10. 2. they could not bring a man into that estate, wherein he should have no more conscience of sin; that is, Conscience condemning the Person; for conscience in a sense of sin, and condemnation of it, is never to be taken away. And this can be no otherwise done but by the blood of Christ, as the Apostle at large there declares.

:262p. 81–82

It is then no easy thing to make a discovery of forgiveness unto a soul, when the work and employment which Conscience upon unquestionable grounds challengeth unto it self, lies in opposition unto it. Hence is the souls great desire to establish its own Righteousness, whereby its natural Principles may be preserved in their power. Let self-righteousness be enthroned, and natural conscience desires no more; it is satisfied, and pacified. The Law it knows; and Righteousness it knows, but as for forgiveness it says, whence is it? Unto the utmost, until Christ perfects his conquest, there are on this account secret strugglings in the heart against free pardon in the Gospel, and fluctuations of mind and Spirit about it. Yea, hence are the doubts and fears of believers themselves: They are nothing but the strivings of Conscience to keep its whole dominion; to condemn the sinner as well as the sin. More or less it keeps up its pretensions against the Gospel, whilst we live in this world. It is a great work that the blood of Christ hath to do upon the Conscience of a sinner; for whereas, as it hath been declared, it hath a

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On this page: :260–275
Section: :254–275
Whole work: 1,036 passages

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John Owen, A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm (London, 1669), verse 4, p. 82. EEBO-TCP A53721.

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Title as printed: 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.
Author: John Owen 1616–1683
Place: London
Printer: Robert White
Bookseller: Nathaniel Ponder
Year: 1669
Size: [6], 410 [i.e. 408] p.
Words: 165,835
Catalogue: Wing O794 · ESTC R26853
Text: EEBO-TCP A53721

Passages: 1,036
Sections: 48

The author

John Owen 1616–1683

PuritansEngland

Congregationalist theologian; Dean of Christ Church and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford.

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:267p. 82–83¶1

1. The Law is connatural to him; his Domestic, his old acquaintance. It came into the world with him, and hath grown up with him from his Infancy. It was implanted in his heart by nature; is his own Reason; he can never shake it off, or part with it. It is his Familiar, his Friend, that cleaves ⟨p. 83⟩to him as the flesh to the bone; so that they who have not the Law written, cannot but she• forth the work of the Law, Rom. 2. 14. 15. and that because the Law it self is inbred to them; and all the faculties of the soul are at peace with it, in subjection to it. It is the bond. and ligament of their union harmony and correspondency among themselves, in all their moral actings. It gives life, order, motion to them all. Now the Gospel, that comes to control this sentence of the Law, and to relieve the sinner from it, is foreign to his nature, a strange thing to him, a thing he hath no acquaintance or familiarity with; it hath not been bred up with him; nor is there any thing in him, to side with it, to make a party for it, or to plead in its behalf. Now shall not a man rather believe a Domestic, a Friend, indeed himself; than a foreigner, a stranger, that comes with uncouth Principles, and such as suit not its Reason at all, 1 Cor. 1. 18.

1. The Law is connatural to him; his Domestick, his old acquaintance. It came into the world with him, and hath grown up with him from his Infancy. It was implanted in his heart by nature; is his own Reason; he can never shake it off, or part with it. It is his Familiar, his Friend, that cleaves ⟨p. 83⟩to him as the flesh to the bone; so that they who have not the Law written, cannot but she• forth the work of the Law, Rom. 2. 14. 15. and that because the Law it self is inbred to them; and all the faculties of the soul are at peace with it, in subjection to it. It is the bond. and ligament of their union harmony and correspondency among themselves, in all their moral actings. It gives life, order, motion to them all. Now the Gospel, that comes to controll this sentence of the Law, and to relieve the sinner from it, is forraign to his nature, a strange thing to him, a thing he hath no acquaintance or familiarity with; it hath not been bred up with him; nor is there any thing in him, to side with it, to make a party for it, or to plead in its behalf. Now shall not a man rather believe a Domestick, a Friend, indeed himself; than a forraigner, a stranger, that comes with uncouth Principles, and such as suit not its Reason at all, 1 Cor. 1. 18.

:269p. 83–84¶3

3. The Law, though it speak against the souls interest, yet it speaks nothing but what is so just, righteous and equal, that it even forceth the souls consent. So Paul tells us, that men know this voice of the Law to be the Judgement of God, Rom. 1. 32. They know it, and cannot but consent unto it, that it is the Judgement of God; that is, good, righteous, equal, not to be controlled. And indeed what can be more righteous than its sentence? It commands Obedience to the God of life and ⟨p. 84⟩death; promiseth a Reward, and declares that for non-performance of duty, death will be inflicted. On these terms the sinner cometh into the world, they are good, righteous, holy; the soul accepts of them, and knows not what it can desire better or more equal. This the Apostle insists upon, Rom. 7. 12, 13. Wherefore the Law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good; was then that which was good made death unto me? God forbid; but sin that it might appear sin, working death in me, by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. Wherever the blame falls, the soul cannot but acquit the Law, and confess that what it says, is righteous, and uncontrollably equal. And it is meet things should be so; Now though the Authority and credit of a Witness, may go very far in a doubtful matter; when there is a concurrence of more witnesses it strengthens the Testimony; but nothing is so prevalent to beget belief, as when the things themselves that are spoken are just and good, not liable to any reasonable exception; And so is it in this case; unto the Authority of the Law, and concurrence of conscience, this also is added, the Reasonableness, and equity of the thing it self proposed, even in the Judgement of the sinner; namely, that every sin shall be punished, and every transgression receive a meet recompense of reward.

3. The Law, though it speak against the souls interest, yet it speaks nothing but what is so just, righteous and equal, that it even forceth the souls consent. So Paul tells us, that men know this voyce of the Law to be the Judgement of God, Rom. 1. 32. They know it, and cannot but consent unto it, that it is the Judgement of God; that is, good, righteous, equal, not to be controlled. And indeed what can be more righteous than its sentence? It commands Obedience to the God of life and ⟨p. 84⟩death; promiseth a Reward, and declares that for non-performance of duty, death will be inflicted. On these terms the sinner cometh into the world, they are good, righteous, holy; the soul accepts of them, and knows not what it can desire better or more equal. This the Apostle insists upon, Rom. 7. 12, 13. Wherefore the Law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good; was then that which was good made death unto me? Godforbid; but sin that it might appear sin, working death in me, by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. Whereever the blame falls, the soul cannot but acquit the Law, and confess that what it says, is righteous, and uncontrollably equal. And it is meet things should be so; Now though the Authority and credit of a Witness, may go very far in a doubtful matter; when there is a concurrence of more witnesses it strengthens the Testimony; but nothing is so prevalent to beget belief, as when the things themselves that are spoken are just and good, not liable to any reasonable exception; And so is it in this case; unto the Authority of the Law, and concurrence of conscience, this also is added, the Reasonableness, and equity of the thing it self proposed, even in the Judgement of the sinner; namely, that every sin shall be punished, and every transgression receive a meet recompence of reward.

:270p. 84–85¶4

4. But yet further. What the Law says, it speaks in the name and authority of God. What it says then, must be believed, or we make God a Liar. It comes not in its own name, but in the name of him who appointed it; you will say then, is it so indeed? Is there no forgiveness with God? for this is the constant voice of the Law, which you say speaks in the name and Authority of God, and is therefore to be believed. I answer briefly with the Apostle; What the Law speaks, it speaks to them that are under the Law. It doth not speak to them that are in Christ, whom the Law of the Spirit of life, hath set free from the Law of sin and death; but to them that are under the Law it speaks, and it speaks the very Truth; and it speaks in the name of God, and its Testimony is to be received; It says there is no forgiveness in God, namely, to them that are under the Law; and they that shall flatter themselves with a contrary ⟨p. 85⟩persuasion will find themselves woefully mistaken at the great day.

4. But yet further. What the Law sayes, it speaks in the name and authority of God. What it sayes then, must be believed, or we make God a Lyar. It comes not in its own name, but in the name of him who appointed it; you will say then, is it so indeed? Is there no forgiveness with God? for this is the constant voyce of the Law, which you say speaks in the name and Authority of God, and is therefore to be believed. I answer briefly with the Apostle; What the Law speaks, it speaks to them that are under the Law. It doth not speak to them that are in Christ, whom the Law of the Spirit of life, hath set free from the Law of sin and death; but to them that are under the Law it speaks, and it speaks the very Truth; and it speaks in the name of God, and its Testimony is to be received; It sayes there is no forgiveness in God, namely, to them that are under the Law; and they that shall flatter themselves with a contrary ⟨p. 85⟩perswasion will find themselves wofully mistaken at the great day.

:272p. 85–86

Thirdly, The ingrafted notions that are in the minds of men, concerning the Nature and Justice of God, lye against this discovery also. There are in all men by nature indelible characters of the Holiness and purity of God; of his Justice and hatred of sin, of his invariable Righteousness in the Government of the world, that they can neither depose nor lay aside. For notions of God, whatever they are, will bear sway and rule in the heart, when things are put to the trial. They were in the Heathens of old; they abode with them in all their darkness; as might be manifested by innumerable instances. But so it is in all men by nature; their inward thought is, that God is an Avenger of sin; that it belongs to his Rule and Government of the world, his Holiness and Righteousness, to take care, that every sin be punished; This is his Judgement which all men know, as was observed before, Rom. 1. 32. They know, that it is a Righteous thing with God to render tribulation unto sinners. From thence is that dread and fear which surpriseth men at an apprehension of the Presence of God; or of any thing under him, above them, that may seem to come on his errand. This notion of ⟨p. 86⟩Gods avenging all sin, exerts it self, secretly, but effectually. So Adam trembled, and hid himself. And it was the saying of old, I have seen God, and shall dye. When men are under any dreadful Providence; thunderings, lightnings, tempests, in darkness, they tremble, not so much at what they see, or hear, or feel, as from their secret thoughts that God is nigh, and that he is a consuming fire.

Thirdly, The ingrafted notions that are in the minds of men, concerning the Nature and Justice of God, lye against this discovery also. There are in all men by nature indelible characters of the Holiness and purity of God; of his Justice and hatred of sin, of his invariable Righteousness in the Government of the world, that they can neither depose nor lay aside. For notions of God, whatever they are, will bear sway and rule in the heart, when things are put to the tryal. They were in the Heathens of old; they abode with them in all their darkness; as might be manifested by innumerable instances. But so it is in all men by nature; their inward thought is, that God is an Avenger of sin; that it belongs to his Rule and Government of the world, his Holiness and Righteousness, to take care, that every sin be punished; This is his Judgement which all men know, as was observed before, Rom. 1. 32. They know, that it is a Righteous thing with God to render tribulation unto sinners. From thence is that dread and fear which surprizeth men at an apprehension of the Presence of God; or of any thing under him, above them, that may seem to come on his errand. This notion of ⟨p. 86⟩Gods avenging all sin, exerts it self, secretly, but effectually. So Adam trembled, and hid himself. And it was the saying of old, I have seen God, and shall dye. When men are under any dreadful Providence; thundrings, lightnings, tempests, in darkness, they tremble, not so much at what they see, or hear, or feel, as from their secret thoughts that God is nigh, and that he is a consuming fire.