A53721:539
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.
1Wherefore we may now return unto our former enquiry. All things being thus excellently and admirably disposed in infinite Wisdom and Holiness in this Covenant, the whole Duty and Blessedness of man being fully provided for, and the Glory of God absolutely secured upon all Events, what was the Reason that God left not all things to stand or fall according to the terms of it? Wherefore doth he reject and lay aside this Covenant and Promise to make another, and do so accordingly? Certain it is, that he might have continued it with a blessed security to his own Glory; and he makes all things for himself, even the wicked for the day of evil.
- 1Reason of Alteration of the first Covenant.
God himself shows what was the only and sole Reason of this dispensation, Heb. 8. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. The sum of it is this. Notwithstanding the blessed Constitution of the first Covenant; yet there was no provision for the pardon of sin, no room or place for forgiveness in it; but on supposition that man sinned, he was in that Covenant left remediless. God had not in it revealed that there was any such thing as forgiveness with him; nor had any sinner the least hope or grounds of expectation from thence of any such thing in him. Dye ⟨p. 191⟩he must and perish, and that without remedy or recovery. Now, saith God, this must not be. Mercy, Goodness, Grace, require another state of things. This Covenant will not manifest them; their effects will not be communicated to poor sinners by it. Hence saith he it is faulty; that is defective, I will not lose the glory of them, nor shall sinners be unrelieved by them. And therefore although I may strictly tie up all mankind unto the terms of this; yet, I will make another Covenant with them, wherein they shall know and find, that there is forgiveness with me, that they may fear me.