A53721:732
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. This will place all your Obedience upon a sure foot of account in your own Souls and Consciences; even the same that ⟨p. 268⟩is fixed on in the Gospel. For the present all that you do, is indeed but to compound with God for your sin; you hope by what you do for him, and to him, to buy off what you have done against him; that you may not fall into the hands of his Wrath and Vengeance. This makes all you do to be irksome. As a man that labours all his days, to pay an old debt, and brings in nothing to lay up for himself, how tedious and wearisome is his work and labour to him. It is odds but that at one time or other, he will give over, and run away from his Creditor. So it is in this case, men who have secret reserves of recompensing God by their Obedience, every day find their debt growing upon them; and have every day less hopes of making a satisfactory payment. This makes them weary, and for the most part they faint under their discouragements, and at length they fly wholly from God. This way alone will state things otherwise in your Consciences; It will give you to see, that all your debts are paid by Christ, and freely forgiven unto you by God. So that what you do is of Gratitude or thankfulness, hath an influence into Eternity, leads to the Glory of God, the honour of Christ in the Gospel, and your own comfortable account at the last day. This encourageth the soul to labour, to Trade, to endeavour; all things now looking forward, and unto his advantage.
3. This will place all your Obedience upon a sure foot of account in your own Souls and Consciences; even the same that ⟨p. 268⟩is fixed on in the Gospell. For the present all that you do, is indeed but to compound with God for your sin; you hope by what you do for him, and to him, to buy off what you have done against him; that you may not fall into the hands of his Wrath and Vengeance. This makes all you doe to be irksom. As a man that labours all his dayes, to pay an old debt, and brings in nothing to lay up for himself, how tedious and wearisome is his work and labour to him. It is odds but that at one time or other, he will give over, and run away from his Creditor. So it is in this case, men who have secret reserves of recompensing God by their Obedience, every day find their debt growing upon them; and have every day less hopes of making a satisfactory payment. This makes them weary, and for the most part they faint under their discouragements, and at length they fly wholly from God. This way alone will state things otherwise in your Consciences; It will give you to see, that all your debts are paid by Christ, and freely forgiven unto you by God. So that what you doe is of Gratitude or thankfulness, hath an influence into Eternity, leads to the Glory of God, the honour of Christ in the Gospel, and your own comfortable account at the last day. This encourageth the soul to labour, to Trade, to endeavour; all things now looking forward, and unto his advantage.