A53721:366
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. In particular, it removes the overwhelming consideration of the unspeakable greatness of sin; This presseth the soul to death when once the heart is possessed with it. Were not their sins so great, such as no heart can imagine, or tongue declare, it might possibly be well with them, say distressed sinners. They are not so troubled that they are sinners, as that they are great sinners; Not that these, and those sins they are guilty of, but that they are great sins attended with fearful aggravations. Otherwise they could deal well enough with them. Now though this discovery free men not from the entanglement of their sins as theirs; yet it doth, from the whole entanglement of their sins, as great and many. This consideration may be abstracted. The soul sees enough in God to forgive great sins, though it doth not as yet, to forgive his sins. That great sins shall be pardoned, this discovery puts out of Question. Whether his sin shall be pardoned, is now all the enquiry. Whatever any faith can do, that this faith will do, unless it be the making of particular Application of the things believed unto it self. The soul then can no longer justly be troubled about the greatness of sin; the infiniteness of forgiveness that he sees in God will relieve him against it. All ⟨p. 123⟩that remains, is, that it is his own sin, about which he hath to deal; whereof afterwards. These, and the like difficulties are removed by it.
3. It gives some Life in, and Encouragement unto duty. And that (First) Unto duty as duty; Eying God by faith in such a fullness of Grace, the soul cannot but be encouraged to meet him in every way of duty, and to lay hold upon him thereby. Every way leading to him, as leading to him, must be well liked and approved of; and (Secondly,) To all duties; and herein lies no small advantage. God is oftentimes found in duties; but in what, or of what kind he will be found of any one in particular, is uncertain. This faith puts the soul on all: So it did the Spouse in the parallel to that in hand. Cant. 3. 2, 3, 4