A53721:639
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.
Evidences that most men do not believe Forgiveness.
1That which should now ensue, is the peculiar improvement of this Truth all along aimed at; namely, to give Exhortations, and encouragements unto believing. But I can take few steps in this work, wherein methinks I do hear some saying, Surely all this is needless; Who is there that doth not believe all that you go about to prove? And so these pains are spent to little or no purpose. I shall therefore before I persuade any unto it, endeavour to show that they do it not already. Many I say, the most of men who live under the dispensation of the Gospel, do woefully deceive their own souls in this matter. They do not believe what they profess themselves to believe, and what they think they believe. Men talk of fundamental Errors; this is to me the most fundamental error that any can fall into, and the most pernicious. It is made up of these two parts. (1.) They do not indeed believe forgiveness. (2.) They suppose they do believe it, which keeps them from seeking after their only remedy. Both these mistakes are in the foundation, and do ruin the souls of them that live and die in them. I shall then by a brief enquiry put this matter to a trial. By some plain Rules and Principles may this important Question, whether we do indeed believe forgiveness or no, be answered and decided. But to the Resolution intended, I shall premise two Observations.
1That which should now ensue, is the peculiar improvement of this Truth all along aimed at; namely, to give Exhortations, and encouragements unto believing. But I can take few steps in this work, wherein methinks I do hear some saying, Surely all this is needless; Who is there that doth not believe all that you go about to prove? And so these pains are spent to little or no purpose. I shall therefore before I perswade any unto it, endeavour to shew that they do it not already. Many I say, the most of men who live under the dispensation of the Gospel, do wofully deceive their own souls in this matter. They do not believe what they profess themselves to believe, and what they think they believe. Men talk of fundamental Errors; this is to me the most fundamental error that any can fall into, and the most pernitious. It is made up of these two parts. (1.) They do not indeed believe forgiveness. (2.) They suppose they do believe it, which keeps them from seeking after their only remedy. Both these mistakes are in the foundation, and do ruine the souls of them that live and die in them. I shall then by a brief enquiry put this matter to a tryal. By some plain Rules and Principles may this important Question, whether we do indeed believe forgiveness or no, be answered and decided. But to the Resolution intended, I shall premise two Observations.