A53721:281
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.
It will then be said, doth not all this lye directly contrary to our daily experience? Do we not find all men full enough, most too full of Apprehensions of Forgiveness with God? What so common as God is merciful? Are not the Consciences, and Convictions of the most stifled, by this Apprehension? Can you find a man that is otherwise minded? Is it not a common complaint that men presume on it, unto their eternal ruin? Certainly then, that which all men do, which every man can so easily do, and which you cannot keep men off from doing, though it be to their hurt, hath no such difficulty in it as is pretended. And on this very account hath this weak endeavour to demonstrate this Truth been by some laughed to scorn; men who have taken upon them the teaching of others, but (as it seems) had need be taught themselves, the very first Principles of the Oracles of God.
It will then be said, doth not all this lye directly contrary to our daily experience? Do we not find all men full enough, most too full of Apprehensions of Forgiveness with God? What so common as God is merciful? Are not the Consciences, and Convictions of the most stifled, by this Apprehension? Can you find a man that is otherwise minded? Is it not a common complaint that men presume on it, unto their eternal ruine? Certainly then, that which all men do, which every man can so easily do, and which you cannot keep men off from doing, though it be to their hurt, hath no such difficulty in it as is pretended. And on this very account hath this weak endeavour to demonstrate this Truth been by some laughed to scorn; men who have taken upon them the teaching of others, but (as it seems) had need be taught themselves, the very first Principles of the Oracles of God.
Answ. All this then I say is so, and much more to this purpose may be spoken. The folly and presumption of poor souls herein, can never be enough lamented. But it is one thing to embrace a cloud, a shadow, another to have the truth in reality. I shall hereafter show the true nature of forgiveness, and wherein it doth consist, whereby the vanity of this self-deceiving will be discovered and laid open. It will appear in the issue that notwithstanding all their pretensions, that the most of men know nothing at all, or not any thing to the purpose of that which is under consideration. I shall therefore for the present, in some few Observations, show how far this delusion of many, differs from a true Gospel discovery of forgiveness, such as that we are enquiring after.