A53721:272
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.
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