A53721:271
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 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.
2. The Law speaks nothing to a sinner, but what his Conscience assures him to be true. There is a constant concurrence in the Testimony of the Law and conscience. When the Law says, this or that is a sin, worthy of death, conscience says it is even so, Rom. 1. 42. And where the Law of it self, as being a general Rule, rests, Conscience helps it on, and says, This and that sin, so worthy of death, is the soul guilty of; then dye saith the Law as thou hast deserved. Now this must needs have a mighty efficacy to prevail with the soul to give credit to the report and Testimony of the Law; it speaks not one word but what he hath a witness within himself to the truth of it. These witnesses always agree; and so it seems to be established for a truth, that there is no forgiveness.
2. The Law speaks nothing to a sinner, but what his Conscience assures him to be true. There is a constant concurrence in the Testimony of the Law and conscience. When the Law sayes, this or that is a sin, worthy of death, conscience sayes it is even so, Rom. 1. 42. And where the Law of it self, as being a general Rule, rests, Conscience helps it on, and sayes, This and that sin, so worthy of death, is the soul guilty of; then dye saith the Law as thou hast deserved. Now this must needs have a mighty efficacy to prevail with the soul to give credit to the report and Testimony of the Law; it speaks not one word but what he hath a witness within himself to the truth of it. These witnesses alwayes agree; and so it seems to be established for a truth, that there is no forgiveness.
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⟩