A53721:418
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. That the prescription of Repentance doth indeed evince that there is forgiveness with God. 2. That every one in whom there is Repentance wrought towards God, may certainly conclude that there is forgiveness with God for him.
1. No Repentance is acceptable with God but what is built, or leans on the faith of forgiveness. We have a cloud of witnesses unto this Truth in the Scripture. Many there have been, many are recorded who have been convinced of sin, perplexed about it, sorry for it, that have made open confession and acknowledgement of it, that under the pr•ssing sense of it, have cried out even to God for deliverance, and yet have come short of mercy pardon and acceptance with God. The cases of Cain, Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, Judas, and others, might be insisted on. What was wanting that made all that they did abominable? Consider one instance for all: It is said of Judas that he repented, Mat. 27. 3. [Greek or Hebrew], he repented himself; but wherein did this repentance consist? he was convinced of his sin in general; [Greek or Hebrew], saith he, I have sinned, ver. 4. 2. He was sensible of the particular sin whereof he stood charged in conscience before God. I have saith he, betrayed innocent blood: I am guilty of blood, innocent blood, and that in the vilest manner, by treachery; ⟨p. 146⟩so that he comes (3.) To a full and open confession of his sin: (4.) He makes Restitution of what he was advantaged by his sin, he brought again the thirty pieces of silver, v. 3. all testifying an hearty sorrow that spirited the whole. Methinks now Judas his Repentance looks like the young mans Obedience, who cried out, all these things have I done; Is there any thing yet lacking? Yea, one thing was wanting to that young man, he had no true faith nor love to God all this while, which vitiated and spoiled all the rest of his performances. One thing also is wanting to this Repentance of Judas; he had no faith of forgiveness in God; that he could not believe; and therefore after all this sorrow instead of coming to him, he bids him the utmost defiance, and goes away and hangs himself.