A53721:630
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.
And Moses manageth this plea for the forgiveness of that people under an high provocation, and a most severe threatening of their destruction thereon, Numb. 14. 17, 18. He pleads for pardon in such a way and manner, as may answer the great and glorious Properties of the Nature of God, and which would manifest an infiniteness of Power and Al-sufficiency to be in him.
And Moses manageth this plea for the forgiveness of that people under an high provocation, and a most severe threatning of their destruction thereon, Numb. 14. 17, 18. He pleads for pardon in such a way and manner, as may answer the great and glorious Properties of the Nature of God, and which would manifest an infiniteness of Power and Al-sufficiency to be in him.
This I say is an encouragement in general unto Believers. We have, as I hope, upon unquestionable grounds evinced that there is forgiveness with God, which is the hinge on which turneth the issue of our eternal condition. Now this is like himself, such as becomes him; that answers the infinite perfections of his nature; that is exercised and given forth by him as God. We are apt to narrow and straiten it by our unbelief, and to render it unbecoming of him. He less dishonours God (or as little) who being wholly under the power of the Law, believes that there is no forgiveness with him, none ⟨p. 226⟩to be obtained from him, or doth not believe it, that so it is, or is so to be obtained, for which he hath the voice and sentence of the Law to countenance him; then those who being convinced of the principles and grounds of it before mentioned, and of the Truth of the Testimony given unto it, do yet by straitening and narrowing of it, render it unworthy of him, whose Excellencies are all infinite, and whose ways on that account are incomprehensible. If then we resolve to rreat with God about this matter, which is the business now in hand, let us do it, as it becomes his Greatness, that is, indeed, as the wants of our souls do require. Let us not entangle our own Spirits by limiting his Grace. The Father of the Child possessed with a Devil being in a great Agony when he came to our Saviour, cries out, If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us,