AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. › General Scope of the whole Psalm. › Verse 4 › Section, A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm (John Owen, 1669) | AskReformation

A53721:448

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.

John Owen 1616–1683London: printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder, 1669

[6], 410 [i.e. 408] p. · 166k words · Wing O794 · ESTC R26853

Title page: Internet Archive scan of the Early English Books microfilm (opens the Internet Archive in a new tab)

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.

[ Earlier:445–460 of 1,036

:445p. 155

A. 1. I am not showing that this or that man shall be pardoned, but only demonstrating that there is forgiveness with God, and that for all sorts of sins and sinners which these Instances do assuredly confirm. And moreover they manifest, that if other men are not pardoned; it is merely because they make not that Application for forgiveness which they did.

A. 1. I am not shewing that this or that man shall be pardoned, but only demonstrating that there is forgiveness with God, and that for all sorts of sins and sinners which these Instances do assuredly confirm. And moreover they manifest, that if other men are not pardoned; it is meerly because they make not that Application for forgiveness which they did.

:446p. 155¶2

2. Yet by the way to take off this Objection also, consider what the Apostle says in particular concerning the several sorts of sinners that obtained mercy, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11. Be not deceived, neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor Abusers of themselves with mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God; and such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified. Hell can scarce in no more words yield us a sadder Catalogue. Yet some of all these sorts were justified and pardoned.

:447p. 155¶3

3. Suppose this Enumeration of sins doth not reach the condition of the soul, because of some especial Aggravation of its sin, not expressed. Let such a one add that of our Saviours, Matth. 12. 31. I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. They are not, they shall not be all actually remitted, and pardoned unto all men; but they are all pardonable, unto those that seek to obtain pardon for them according unto the Gospel. There is with God forgiveness for them all. Now certainly there is no sin, but only that excepted, but it comes within the compass of all manner of sins and blasphemy, and so consequently some that have been guilty of it are now in Heaven.

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Cited: :448
On this page: :445–460
Section: :434–497
Whole work: 1,036 passages

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John Owen, A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm (London, 1669), verse 4, p. 156. EEBO-TCP A53721.

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The book

Title as printed: 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.
Author: John Owen 1616–1683
Place: London
Printer: Robert White
Bookseller: Nathaniel Ponder
Year: 1669
Size: [6], 410 [i.e. 408] p.
Words: 165,835
Catalogue: Wing O794 · ESTC R26853
Text: EEBO-TCP A53721

Passages: 1,036
Sections: 48

The author

John Owen 1616–1683

PuritansEngland

Congregationalist theologian; Dean of Christ Church and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford.

Transcription key

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:448p. 156

We take it for a good token and evidence of a virtuous healing water, when without fraud or pretence, we see the crutches of cured Cripples, and impotent persons hung about it, as a memorial of its efficacy. And it is a great demonstration of the skill and ability of a Physician, when many come to a sick person and tell him, that we had the same distemper with you, it had the same symptoms, the same effects, and by his skill and care we are cured: Oh saith the sick man bring him unto me, I will venture my life in his hand. Now all the Saints of Heaven stand about a sin sick soul; for in this matter we are compassed with a cloud of witnesses, Heb. 12. 1. And what do they bear witness unto? What say they unto a poor guilty sinner? As thou art, so were we; so guilty, so perplexed, so obnoxious to wrath, so fearing destruction from God. And what way did you steer, what course did you take to obtain the blessed condition wherein now you are? Say they, We went all to God through Christ for forgiveness, and found plenty of Grace, Mercy and Pardon in him for us all. The rich man in the Parable thought it would be a great means of conversion, if one should rise from the dead and preach. But here we see that all the Saints departed, and now in glory do jointly preach this fundamental Truth, that there is forgiveness with God.

We take it for a good token and evidence of a vertuous healing water, when without fraud or pretence, we see the crutches of cured Criples, and impotent persons hung about it, as a memorial of its efficacy. And it is a great demonstration of the skill and ability of a Physitian, when many come to a sick person and tell him, that we had the same distemper with you, it had the same symptoms, the same effects, and by his skill and care we are cured: Oh saith the sick man bring him unto me, I will venture my life in his hand. Now all the Saints of Heaven stand about a sin sick soul; for in this matter we are compassed with a cloud of witnesses, Heb. 12. 1. And what do they bear witness unto? What say they unto a poor guilty sinner? As thou art, so were we; so guilty, so perplexed, so obnoxious to wrath, so fearing destruction from God. And what way did you steer, what course did you take to obtain the blessed condition wherein now you are? Say they, We went all to God through Christ for forgiveness, and found plenty of Grace, Mercy and Pardon in him for us all. The rich man in the Parable thought it would be a great means of conversion, if one should rise from the dead and preach. But here we see that all the Saints departed, and now in glory do jointly preach this fundamental Truth, that there is forgiveness with God.

:450p. 156–157

And this Evidence of forgiveness I the rather urge, because I find the Apostle Paul doing of it eminently in his own person, 1 Tim. 1. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me ⟨p. 157⟩into the Ministry; who was before a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and injurious. But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. A great sinner saith he, the chiefest of sinners I was, which he manifests by some notable instances of his sin. I was saith he a blasphemer, the highest sin against God; a Persecutor, the highest sin against the Saints; Injurious, the highest wickedness, towards mankind. But saith he, I obtained mercy, I am pardoned, and that with a blessed effect. First, That he should after all this be so accounted faithful as to be put into the Ministry. And then that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in him and towards him was exceeding abundant. And what was the Reason, what was the cause, that he was thus dealt withal? Why it was that he might be a pattern, an Evidence, an Argument, that there was Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness to be had for all sorts of sinners that would believe to life Everlasting.

And this Evidence of forgiveness I the rather urge, because I find the Apostle Paul doing of it eminently in his own person, 1 Tim. 1. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me ⟨p. 157⟩into the Ministry; who was before a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and injurious. But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might sh•w forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. A great sinner saith he, the chiefest of sinners I was, which he manifests by some notable instances of his sin. I was saith he a blasphemer, the highest sin against God; a Persecutor, the highest sin against the Saints; Injurious, the highest wickednes, towards mankind. But saith he, I obtained mercy, I am pardoned, and that with a blessed effect. First, That he should after all this be so accounted faithful as to be put into the Ministry. And then that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in him and towards him was exceeding abundant. And what was the Reason, what was the cause, that he was thus dealt withal? Why it was that he might be a pattern, an Evidence, an Argument, that there was Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness to be had for all sorts of sinners that would believe to life Everlasting.

:456p. 158–159¶4

4. Let us therefore consider what is the true and proper end of this patience of God towards the world, enduring it in sin and wickedness, for so long a season, and suffering one Generation to be multiplied after another. Shall we think that God hath no other design, in all this Patience towards mankind in all Generations, but merely to suffer them all and every one without Exception, to sin against him, dishonour him, provoke ⟨p. 159⟩him, that so he may at length everlastingly destroy them all? It is confessed that this is the Consequent, the event of it with the most, through their perverse wickedness, with their love of sin and pleasure. But is this the design of God? his only design? hath he no other purpose but merely to forbear them a while in their folly, and then to avenge himself upon them? Is this his intendment not only towards those who are obstinate in their Darkness, Ignorance and Rebellion against him, whose damnation is just and sleepeth not; but also towards those whom he stirs up by his Grace to seek after a Remedy and Deliverance from the state of sin and death? God forbid; yea, such an apprehension would be contrary to all those notions of the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God which are ingrafted upon our hearts by nature, and which all his works manifest and declare. Whatever therefore it be, this cannot be the design of God, in his patience towards the world. It cannot be, but that he must long since have cut off the whole race of mankind, if he had no other thoughts and purposes towards them.

4. Let us therefore consider what is the true and proper end of this patience of God towards the world, enduring it in sin and wickedness, for so long a season, and suffering one Generation to be multiplyed after another. Shall we think that God hath no other design, in all this Patience towards mankind in all Generations, but meerly to suffer them all and every one without Exception, to sin against him, dishonour him, provoke ⟨p. 159⟩him, that so he may at length everlastingly destroy them all? It is confessed that this is the Consequent, the event of it with the most, through their perverse wickedness, with their love of sin and pleasure. But is this the design of God? his only design? hath he no other purpose but meerly to forbear them a while in their folly, and then to avenge himself upon them? Is this his intendment not only towards those who are obstinate in their Darkness, Ignorance and Rebellion against him, whose damnation is just and sleepeth not; but also towards those whom he stirs up by his Grace to seek after a Remedy and Deliverance from the state of sin and death? God forbid; yea, such an apprehension would be contrary to all those notions of the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God which are ingrafted upon our hearts by nature, and which all his works manifest and declare. Whatever therefore it be, this cannot be the design of God, in his patience towards the world. It cannot be, but that he must long since have cut off the whole race of mankind, if he had no other thoughts and purposes towards them.

:458p. 159–160¶6

6. Let us therefore see what is the End of this Patience, and what it teacheth us. Now it can have no end possible but only that before rejected, unless there be forgiveness of sins with God. Unless God be ready and willing to forgive the sins of them that come to him according unto his appointment, his patience is merely subservient unto a design of wrath, anger, severity and a Resolution to destroy. Now this is an abomination once ⟨p. 160⟩to suppose, and would reflect unspeakable dishonour upon the Holy God. Let a Man but deal thus, and it is a token of as evil an habit of mind, and perverse, as any can befall him. Let him bear with these that are in his power in their faults, for no other end, or with no other design, but that he may take advantage to bring a greater punishment and revenge upon them, and what more vile affection, what more wretched corruption of heart and mind, can he manifest? and shall we think that this is the whole design of the Patience of God? God forbid.

6. Let us therefore see what is the End of this Patience, and what it teacheth us. Now it can have no end possible but only that before rejected, unless there be forgiveness of sins with God. Unless God be ready and willing to forgive the sins of them that come to him according unto his appointment, his patience is meerly subservient unto a design of wrath, anger, severity and a Resolution to destroy. Now this is an abomination once ⟨p. 160⟩to suppose, and would reflect unspeakable dishonour upon the Holy God. Let a Man but deal thus, and it is a token of as evil an habit of mind, and perverse, as any can befall him. Let him bear with these that are in his power in their faults, for no other end, or with no other design, but that he may take advantage to bring a greater punishment and revenge upon them, and what more vile affection, what more wretched corruption of heart and mind, can he manifest? and shall we think that this is the whole design of the Patience of God? God forbid.