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

A53721:312

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

Title page: Internet Archive scan of the Early English Books microfilm (opens the Internet Archive in a new tab)

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:309–324 of 1,036

:309p. 102

¹Secondly, Forgiveness hath respect unto the Propitiation made in and by the blood of Christ the Son of God. This was declared in the opening of the words. Indeed here lies the knot and centre of Gospel forgiveness. It flows from the Cross, and springs out of the Grave of Christ.

¹Secondly, Forgiveness hath respect unto the Propitiation made in and by the blood of Christ the Son of God. This was declared in the opening of the words. Indeed here lyes the knot and center of Gospel forgiveness. It flows from the Cross, and springs out of the Grave of Christ.

1Forgiveness as it hath respect to the blood of Christ.

:310p. 102–103

Thus Elihu describes it, Job 33. 24. God is gracious unto him, and saith, deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom. The whole of what is aimed at, lies in these words. (1.) There is Gods gracious and merciful heart towards a sinner; He is gracious unto him. (2.) There is Actual Condonation it self, of which we shall treat afterward; He saith, deliver him from going down to the pit. And (3.) There is the centre of the whole, wherein Gods gracious heart and actual pardon do meet; and that is the ransom, the propitiation or atonement ⟨p. 103⟩that is in the blood of Christ, of which we speak, I have found a ransom.

Thus Elihu describes it, Job 33. 24. God is gracious unto him, and saith, deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom. The whole of what is aimed at, lyes in these words. (1.) There is Gods gracious and merciful heart towards a sinner; He is gracious unto him. (2.) There is Actual Condonation it self, of which we shall treat afterward; He saith, deliver him from going down to the pit. And (3.) There is the center of the whole, wherein Gods gracious heart and actual pardon do meet; and that is the ransome, the propitiation or attonement

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On this page: :309–324
Section: :291–330
Whole work: 1,036 passages

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John Owen, A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm (London, 1669), verse 4, p. 103. EEBO-TCP A53721.

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The book

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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•

:311p. 103

The same is expressed, Isa. 53. 11. My righteous servant shall justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Of the justification of sinners, Absolution or pardon is the first part. This ariseth from Christs bearing of their iniquities. Therein he finished the transgression, made an end of sin, and made Reconciliation for iniquity; Dan. 9. 24. Even all the Sacrifices, and so consequently the whole worship of the Old Testament, evinced this Relation between forgiveness and bloodshedding; whence the Apostle concludes, that without shedding of blood there is no remission, Heb. 9. 22. that is, all pardon ariseth from bloodsheding, even of the blood of the Son of God. So that we are said in him to have Redemption, even the forgiveness of sins, Ephes. 1. 17. Our Redemption in his blood is our forgiveness; not that we are all actually pardoned in the blood of his Cross, for thereunto must be added Gospel condonation, of which afterwards; but thereby it is procured, the grant of pardon is therein sealed, and security given, that it shall in due time be made out unto us. To which purpose is that discourse of the Apostle, Rom. 3. 24, 25, 26. The work there mentioned, proceeds from Grace, is managed to the interest of Righteousness, is carried on by the blood of Christ, and issues in forgiveness; now the blood of Christ relates variously to the pardon of sin.

The same is expressed, Isa. 53. 11. My rightoous servant shall justifie many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Of the justification of sinners, Absolution or pardon is the first part. This ariseth from Christs bearing of their iniquities. Therein he finished the transgression, made an end of sin, and made Reconciliation for iniquity; Dan. 9. 24. Even all the Sacrifices, and so consequently the whole worship of the Old Testament, evinced this Relation between forgiveness and bloodshedding; whence the Apostle concludes, that without shedding of blood there is no remission, Heb. 9. 22. that is, all pardon ariseth from bloodsheding, even of the blood of the Son of God. So that we are said in him to have Redemption, even the forgiveness of sins, Ephes. 1. 17. Our Redemption in his blood is our forgiveness; not that we are all actually pardoned in the blood of his Cross, for thereunto must be added Gospel condonation, of which afterwards; but thereby it is procured, the grant of pardon is therein sealed, and security given, that it shall in due time be made out unto us. To which purpose is that discourse of the Apostle, Rom. 3. 24, 25, 26. The work there mentioned, proceeds from Grace, is managed to the interest of Righteousness, is carryed on by the blood of Christ, and issues in forgiveness; now the blood of Christ relates variously to the pardon of sin.

:318p. 105

This also adds to the mysterious depths of forgiveness; and makes its discovery a great matter. The soul that looks after it in earnest, must consider what it cost. How light do most men make of pardon? What an easy thing is it to be acquainted with it? and no very hard matter to obtain it. But to hold Communion with God, in the blood of his Son, is a thing of another nature than is once dreamed of by many, who think they know well enough what it is to be pardoned. God be merciful is a common saying; and as common, to desire he would be so for Christs sake. Poor Creatures are cast into the mould of such expressions, who know neither God, nor Mercy, nor Christ, nor any thing of the mystery of the Gospel. Others look on the outside of the Cross; to see into the mystery of the Love of the Father, working in the blood of the Mediator, to consider by faith the great transaction of Divine Wisdom, Justice and Mercy therein, how few attain unto it? To come unto God, by Christ for forgiveness, and therein to behold the Law issuing all its threats and curses in his blood, and loosing its sting, putting an end to its obligation unto punishment in the Cross, to see all sins gathered up in the hand of Gods Justice, and made to meet on the Mediator; and eternal love springing forth triumphantly from his blood, flourishing into Pardon, Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness, this the heart of a sinner can be enlarged unto only by the Spirit of God.

This also adds to the mysterious depths of forgiveness; and makes its discovery a great matter. The soul that looks after it in earnest, must consider what it cost. How light do most men make of pardon? What an easie thing is it to be acquainted with it? and no very hard matter to obtain it. But to hold Communion with God, in the blood of his Son, is a thing of another nature than is once dreamed of by many, who think they know well enough what it is to be pardoned. God be merciful is a common saying; and as common, to desire he would be so for Christs sake. Poor Creatures are cast into the mould of such expressions, who know neither God, nor Mercy, nor Christ, nor any thing of the mysterie of the Gospel. Others look on the outside of the Cross; to see into the mysterie of the Love of the Father, working in the blood of the Mediator, to consider by faith the great transaction of Divine Wisdom, Justice and Mercy therein, how few attain unto it? To come unto God, by Christ for forgiveness, and therein to behold the Law issuing all its threats and curses in his blood, and loosing its sting, putting an end to its obligation unto punishment in the Cross, to see all sins gathered up in the hand of Gods Justice, and made to meet on the Mediator; and eternal love springing forth triumphantly from his blood, flourishing into Pardon, Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness, this the heart of a sinner can be enlarged unto only by the Spirit of God.