A53721:727
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.
3. In the other way, every individual person stands upon his own bottom, and must do so, to the last, and utmost of his continuance in this World. You are desirous to go unto God, to obtain his favour, and come to an enjoyment of him. What will you do? What course will you fix upon, for the obtaining of these Ends? if you were so holy, so perfect, so righteous, so free from sin as you could desire, you should have some boldness in going unto God; why if this be the way you fix upon, take this along with you: You stand upon your own personal Account all your days. And if you fail in the least you are gone for ever. For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all, Jam. 2. 10. And what peace can you possibly obtain, were you as holy as ever you aimed or desired to be, whilst this is your Condition? But in this way of Forgiveness, we all stand upon the Account of one common Mediator in whom we are complete. Col. 3. 10. And a want of a due improvement of this Truth, is a great principle of disconsolation to many Souls. Suppose a man look upon himself as loosed from the Covenant of Works, wherein exact and perfect Righteousness is rigidly required; and to be called unto Gospel Evangelical Obedience to be performed in the room thereof, in sincerity and integrity; yet if he be not cleared in this also, that he stands not in this ⟨p. 265⟩way purely on his own account, he will never be able to make his Comforts hold out to the end of his Journey. There will be found in the best of men so many particular failings, as will seem in difficult seasons to impeach their integrity; And so many questionings will after arise, through the darkness of their minds, and Power of their Temptations, as will give but little rest unto their Souls. Here lies the great security of this way; We abide in it on the account of the faithfulness and Ability of our Common Mediator Jesus Christ.
3. In the other way, every individual person stands upon his own bottom, and must do so, to the last, and utmost of his continuance in this World. You are desirous to go unto God, to obtain his favour, and come to an enjoyment of him. What will you doe? What course will you fix upon, for the obtaining of these Ends? if you were so holy, so perfect, so righteous, so free from sin as you could desire, you should have some boldness in going unto God; why if this be the way you fix upon, take this along with you: You stand upon your own personal Account all your dayes. And if you fail in the least you are gone for ever. For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all,