A53721:546
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. The Nature of the Oath of God; The Apostle tells us that he sware by himself: And he gives this Reason of it, because he had no greater to swear by, Heb. 6. 13. An Oath for the confirmation of any thing, is an Invocation of a Supreme Power that can judge of the truth that is spoken, and vindicate the breach of the engagement. This God hath none other but himself, Because he could swear by no greater, he swear by himself. Now this God doth, (1.) By express Affirmation that he hath so sworn by himself, which was the form of the first solemn Oath of God, Gen. 22. 16. By my self have I sworn, saith the Lord. The meaning whereof is, I have taken it upon my self as I am God, or let me not be so, if I perform not this thing. And this is expressed by his soul, Jer. 51. 14. The Lord of Hosts hath sworn by his soul, that is, by himself, as we render the words. Secondly, God doth it by the especial Interposition of some such Property of his nature, as is suited to give credit and confirmation to the Word spoken; as of his Holiness, Psal. 89. 35. I have sworn by my Holiness: So also Amos 4. 2. Sometime by his life; As I live, saith the Lord. [Greek or Hebrew] I live saith God, it shall be so. And sometimes by his Name, Jer. 44. 26. God as it were engageth the Honour and Glory of the Properties of his Nature for the certain accomplishment of the things mentioned. And this is evident from the manner of the Expression, as in that place of Psal. 89. 35. Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lye unto David; so we; in the Original the words are elliptical: If I lye unto David, that is, Let me not be so, nor be esteemed to be so, if I lye unto David.
1. The Nature of the Oath of God; The Apostle tells us that he sware by himself: And he gives this Reason of it, because he had no greater to swear by,