A53721:444
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. It is most certain, that they were all sinners; They were all so by nature; for therein there is no difference between any of the Children of men. And personally they were sinners also. They confessed so of themselves, and some of the sins of all of them stand upon record. Yea some of them were great sinners, or guilty of great and signal miscarriages. Some before their Conversion, as Abraham who was an Idolater, ⟨p. 154⟩Josh. 24. 2, 3. and Paul who was a Persecutor and a Blasphemer. Some after their Conversion. Some in sins of the flesh against their Obedience, as David; and some in sins of Profession against saith, as Peter. Nothing then is more evident, than that no one of them came to rest with God but by forgiveness. Had they never been guilty of any one sin, but only what is left upon Record concerning them in Holy Writ, yet they could be saved no other way. For he that transgresseth the Law in any one point is guilty of the breach of the whole, James 2. 10.
What shall we now say? Do we think that God hath forgiveness only for this or that individual person? No man questions but that all these were pardoned. Was it by virtue of any especial personal privilege that was peculiar unto them? Whence should any such privilege arise, seeing by nature they were no better than others, nor would have been so personally, had not they been delivered from sin, and prepared for Obedience by Grace, Mercy and Pardon? Wherefore they all obtained forgiveness by virtue of the Covenant from the forgiveness which is with God. And this is equally ready for others, who come to God the same way that they did; that is, by faith and Repentance.
What shall we now say? Do we think that God hath forgiveness only for this or that individual person? No man questions but that all these were pardoned. Was it by vertue of any especial personal priviledge that was peculiar unto them? Whence should any such priviledge arise, seeing by nature they were no better than others, nor would have been so personally, had not they been delivered from sin, and prepared for Obedience by Grace, Mercy and Pardon? Wherefore they all obtained forgiveness by vertue of the Covenant from the forgiveness which is with God. And this is equally ready for others, who come to God the same way that they did; that is, by faith and Repentance.