A53721:393
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.
1. There is no inbred notion of the Acts of Gods Will in the heart of man, which is the first way whereby we come to the knowledge of any thing of God. Forgiveness is not revealed by the light of nature. Flesh and blood, which nature is, declares it not: By that means, No man hath seen God at any time, John 1. 8. that is, as a God, of mercy and pardon, as the Son reveals him. Adam had an intimate acquaintance, according to the limited capacity of a creature, with the properties and excellencies of the nature of God. It was implanted in his heart, as indispensably necessary unto that natural worship, which by the Law of his creation he was to perform. But when he had sinned, it is evident, that he had not the least apprehension that there was forgiveness with God. Such a thought would have laid a foundation of some further treaty with God about his condition. But he had no other design but of flying and hiding himself, Gen. 3. 10. so declaring that he was utterly ignorant of any such thing as pardoning mercy. Such, and no other, are all the first, or purely natural conceptions of sinners; namely, that it is [Greek or Hebrew], the Judgement of God, Rom. 1. 32. that sin is to be punished with death. It is true, these conceptions in many are stifled, by Rumours, Reports, Traditions, that it may be otherwise; but all these are far enough from that Revelation of forgiveness, which we are enquiring after.
1. There is no inbred notion of the Acts of Gods Will in the heart of man, which is the first way whereby we come to the knowledge of any thing of God. Forgiveness is not revealed by the light of nature. Flesh and blood, which nature is, declares it not: By that means, No man hath seen God at any time, John 1. 8. that is, as a God, of mercy and pardon, as the Son reveales him. Adam had an intimate acquaintance, according to the limited capacity of a creature, with the properties and excellencies of the nature of God. It was implanted in his heart, as indispensibly necessary unto that natural worship, which by the Law of his creation he was to perform. But when he had sinned, it is evident, that he had not the least apprehension that there was forgiveness with God. Such a thought would have laid a foundation of some further treaty with God about his condition. But he had no other design but of flying and hiding himself,