A53721:445
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.
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.
2. Many of those concerning whom we have the Assurance mentioned, were not only sinners, but great sinners, as was said, which must be also insisted on, to obviate another objection. For some may say, that although they were sinners, yet they were not such sinners as we are. And although they obtained forgiveness, yet this is no Argument that we shall do so also, who are guilty of other sins than they were, and those attended with other Aggravations than theirs were. To which I say, that I delight not in aggravating, no nor yet in Repeating the sins and faults of the Saints of God of old. Not only the Grace of God, but the sins of men have by some been turned into lasciviousness; or been made a cloak for their lusts. But yet for the ends and purposes for which they are recorded by the Holy Ghost, we may make mention of them. That they may warn us of our duty, that we take heed lest we also fall, that they may yield us a relief under our surprisals, are they written. So then where