A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm

Let us consider then, whether the infinitely Wise and Holy God, pursuing his purpose of bringing souls unto himself, laying aside one way of his own appointment as useless, and infirm, because of the coming in of sin, against which there was no relief found in it, and substituting another way in the room of it; would not provide such an one, as should be absolutely free from the faults and inconveniences, which he charged upon that, which he did remove. That which alone rendered the former way faulty was sin; it could do any thing but save a sinner; this then was to be, and is principally provided against in this way of Forgiveness. And we see here, how clearly God hath severed, yea and in this matter opposed these two things, (1.) Namely, the way of personal Righteousness, and the way of forgiveness. He finds fault with the first; what then doth he do? what course doth he take? doth he mend it, take from it what seems to be redundant, mitigate its severity, and supply it where it was wanting, by Forgiveness, and so set it up anew? This indeed is the way that many proceed in in their notions, and the most in their practice. But this is not the way of God. He takes the one utterly away, and establishes the other in its place. And mens endeavours to mix them will be found of little use to them at the last. I can have no great expectation from that which God pronounced faulty.

Let us consider then, whether the infinitely Wise and Holy God, pursuing his purpose of bringing souls unto himself, laying aside one way of his own appointment as useless, and infirm, because of the coming in of sin, against which there was no relief found in it, and substituting another way in the room of it; would not provide such an one, as should be absolutely free from the faults and inconveniencies, which he charged upon that, which he did remove. That which alone rendred the former way faulty was sin; it could do any thing but save a sinner; this then was to be, and is principally provided against in this way of Forgiveness. And we see here, how clearly God hath severed, yea and in this matter opposed these two things, (1.) Namely, the way of personal Righteousness, and the way of forgiveness. He finds fault with the first; what then doth he do? what course doth he take? doth he mend it, take from it what seems to be redundant, mitigate its severity, and supply it where it was wanting, by Forgiveness, and so set it up anew? This indeed is the way that many proceed in in their notions, and the most in their practice. But this is not the way of God. He takes the one utterly away, and establishes the other in its place. And mens endeavours to mix them will be found of little use to them at the last. I can have no great expectation from that which God pronounced faulty.