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.

Influence of the Promises into the souls waiting in time of trouble. The nature of them.

Having therefore laid down these Considerations from the second Observation taken from the Words; namely, That Jeho∣vah himself is the proper object of the souls waiting in the condition described; I shall only add one direction, how we may be enabled to perform and discharge this duty aright, which we have manifested to have been so necessary, so reasonable, so pre∣valent for the obtaining of relief, and this ariseth from ano∣ther of the Propositions laid down for the opening of these verses not as yet spoken unto. Namely that

* 1.1The Word of promise is the souls great supportment in waiting for God. So saith the Psalmist; In his word do I hope, that is, the Word of promise. As the Word in general is the adequate rule of all our Obedience unto God, and Communion with him; so there are especial parts of it that are suited unto these especial actings of our souls towards him. Thus the Word of Promise, or the Promise in the Word, is that which our faith especially regards, in our hope, trust and waiting on God; and it is suited to answer unto the immediate actings of our souls therein. From this Word of Promise therefore, that is from these

promises doth the soul in its distresses take incouragement to continue waiting on God, and that on these two accounts.

1. Because they are declarative of God, his Mind and his Will: And secondly, because they are communicative of grace and strength to the soul; of which latter we shall not here treat.

1. The End and Use of the Promise is to declare, reveal and make known God unto Believers, and that in an especial man∣ner in him, and concerning him, which may give them en∣couragement to wait for him.

1. The promises are a declaration of the Nature of God, espe∣cially of his Goodness, Grace and Love. God hath put an impression of all the glorious Excellencies of his nature on his Word, especially as he is in Christ, on the Word of the Gospel. There as in a Glass do we behold his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ. As his Commands express unto us his Holiness, his Threatnings, his Righteousness and Severity; so do his Pro∣mises, his Goodness, Grace, Love and Bounty. And in these things do we learn all that we truly and solidly know of God; that is, we know him in and by his Word. The soul there∣fore that in this condition is waiting on, or for God, considers the Representation which he makes of himself, and of his own nature in and by the promises, and receives supportment and encouragement in its duty. For if God teach us by the pro∣mises what he is, and what he will be unto us, we have firm ground to expect from him all fruits of Benignity, Kindness and Love. Let the soul frame in it self that Idea of God, which is exhibited in the Promises, and it will powerfully prevail with it to continue in an Expectation of his gracious returns; they all expressing Goodness, Love, Patience, Forbearance, Long∣suffering, Pardoning Mercy, Grace, Bounty, with a full satis∣factory reward. This is the beauty of the Lord mentioned with admiration by the Prophet; How great is his goodness! how great is his beauty! Zeph. 9. 17. Which is the great at∣tractive of the soul to adhere constantly unto him. Whatever difficulties arise, whatever temptations interpose, or weari∣someness grows upon us in our streights, troubles, trials and desertions, let us not entertain such thoughts of God as our

own perplexed imaginations may be apt to suggest unto us. This would quickly cast us into a thousand impatiencies, mis∣givings and miscarriages; but the remembrance of, and me∣ditation on God in his promises as revealed by them, as expres∣sed in them, is suited quite unto other ends and purposes. There appears, yea gloriously shines forth, that Love, that Wisdom, that Goodness, Tenderness and Grace, as cannot but encou∣rage a believing soul to abide in waiting for him.

2. The Word of Promise doth not only express Gods nature as that wherein he proposeth himself unto the contemplation of faith, but it also declares his Will and Purpose of acting towards the soul suitable unto his own Goodness and Grace. For Promises are the declarations of Gods purpose and will to act towards Believers in Christ Jesus, according to the infinite Goodness of his own nature, and this is done in great variety according to the various conditions and wants of them that do believe. They all proceed from the same spring of Infinite Grace, but are branched into innumerable particular streams according as our necessities do require. To these do waiting souls repair for stay and encouragement. Their perplexities principally arise from their misapprehensions of what God is in himself, and of what he will be unto them; and whither should they repair to be undeceived, but unto that faithfull Representation that he hath made of himself and his Will in the Word of his Grace. For no man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father, he hath revealed him, John 1. 17. Now the Gospel is nothing but the Word of Promise explained in all the Springs, Causes and Effects of it; thither must we repair to be instructed in this matter. The imaginations and reason∣ings of mens hearts will but deceive them in these things. The informations or instructions of other men may do so; nor have they any truth in them further than they may be resolved into the Word of Promise. Here alone they may find rest and refresh∣ment. The soul of whom we speak, is under troubles, per∣plexities and distresses as to its outward condition; pressed with many streights it may be on every hand; and as to its spiritual estate under various apprehensions of the mind and will of God towards it, as hath before at large been explained; in this con∣dition

it is brought in some measure unto an holy submission unto God, and a patient waiting for the issue of its trials. In this estate it hath many temptations to, and much working of unbelief. The whole of its opposition amounts to this, that it is neglected of God, that its way is hid, and his judgement is passed over from him, that it shall not be at present delivered, nor hereafter saved. What course can any one advise such a one unto for his relief, and to preserve his soul from fainting or deserting the duty of waiting on God wherein he is engaged, but only this, to search and enquire what Revelation God hath made of himself and his Will concerning him in his Word: And this the promise declares. Here he shall find hope, patience, faith, expectation to be all encreased, comforted, encouraged. Herein lyes the duty and safety of any in this condition. Men may bear the first impression of any trouble with the strength, courage and resolution of their natural spirits; under some con∣tinuance of them they may support themselves with former ex∣periences, and other usual springs and means of consolation: But if their wounds prove difficult to be cured, if they despise ordinary remedies, if their diseases are of long continuance, this is that which they must be take themselves unto. They must search into the Word of promise, and learn to measure things not according to the present state and apprehensions of their mind, but according unto what God hath declared concern∣ing them. And there are sundry Excellencies in the promises when hoped in, or trusted in, that tend unto the establishment of the soul in this great duty of waiting. As,

1. That Grace in them, that is, the Good Will of God in Christ, for help, relief, satisfaction, pardon and salvation, is suited unto all particular conditions and wants of the soul. As Light ariseth from the Sun, and is diffused in the beams thereof to the especial use of all creatures, enabled by a visive faculty to make use of it; so cometh Grace forth from the Eternal Good Will of God in Christ, and is diffused by the promises, with a blessed contem∣poration unto the conditions and wants of all Believers. There can nothing fall out between God and any soul, but there is grace suited unto it in one promise or another, as clearly and

evidently, as if it were given unto him particularly and imme∣diately. And this they find by experience who at any time are enabled to mix effectually a promise with faith.

2. The Word of promise hath a wonderfull mysterious especial impression of God upon it. He doth by it secretly and ineffably communicate himself unto Believers. When God appeared in a dream unto Jacob, he awaked and said, God is in this place and I knew it not. He knew God was every where, but an in∣timation of his especial presence surprized him. So is a soul surprized when God opens himself and his Grace in a promise unto him. It cryes out, God is here and I knew it not. Such a near approach of God in his Grace it finds, as is accompanied with a refreshing surprizal.

3. There is an especial Engagement of the Veracity and Truth of God in every promise. Grace and Truth are the two ingre∣dients of an Evangelical promise; the matter and form where∣of they do consist. I cannot now stay to shew where in this espe∣cial engagement of Truth in the promise doth consist. Besides, it is a thing known and confessed. But it hath an especial influ∣ence to support the soul when hoped in, in its duty of waiting. For that hope can never make ashamed or leave the soul unto disappointments, which stayes its self on Divine Veracity un∣der a special engagement.

And this is that duty which the Psalmist engageth himself in, and unto the performance of, as the only way to obtain a com∣fortable interest in that forgiveness which is with God, and all the gracious effects thereof. And in the handling hereof, as we have declared its nature and necessity; so we have the Psalmists directions for its practice unto persons in the like condition with him, for the attaining of the end by him aimed at; so that it needs no further Application. That which remains of the Psalm is the Address which he makes unto others, with the en∣couragement which he gives them to steer the same course with himself; and this he doth in the two last verses, which to com∣pleat the Exposition of the whole Psalm, I shall briefly explain and pass through, as having already dispatched what I princi∣pally aimed at.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Support∣ment in trouble from the Word of Promise.