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.

The first particular actings of a soul towards a recovery out of the depths of sin. Sense of sin, wherein it consists. How it is wrought. Acknowledgement of sin; its nature and properties. Self-condemnation.

* 1.1What is the frame of the soul in general, that is excited by grace, and resolves in the strength thereof to attempt a reco∣very out of the depths of sin entanglements, hath been declared. We have also shewed what entertainment in general such a soul had need to expect, yea, ordinarily shall be sure to meet with∣all. It may be he goes forth at first like Sampson with his locks cut, and thinks he will do as at other times; but he quickly finds, his peace lost, his wounds painful, his Conscience restless, God displeased, and his whole condition, as to the utmost of his own Apprehension, hazardous. This fills him with the thoughts expressed in this third Verse, and fixes the conclusion in his

mind, discoursed of before. He finds now that he hath the Law afresh to deal withal. Thence ariseth that sense and ac∣knowledgement of sin, that self-condemnation, in the Justifica∣tion of God, whereof we now speak. He grows not sullen, stubborn, displeased, and so runs away from God; he doth not utterly saint, despond and give over; he pleads not any thing in his own Justification, or for the extenuation of his sin and guilt; he quarrelleth not with, he repineth not against the Holiness, Severity and Righteousness of the Law of God; but reflects wholly on himself, his own unworthiness, guilt and desert; and in a sence of them lyes down at the foot of God, in expectation of his word and sentence.

* 1.2Three things in this condition we ascribe unto such a soul. First, A sincere sense of sin. There is a twofold sense of sin. The one is general and notional, whereby a man knows what sin is, that him∣self is a sinner; that he is guilty of this or that, these or those sins; only his heart is not affected proportionably to that discovery and knowledge which he hath of these things. The other is active and efficacious. The soul being acquainted with the na∣ture of sin, with its own guilt in reference unto sin in general, as also to this or that sin, is universally influenced by that ap∣prehension unto suitable Affections and Operations.

Of both these we have an instance in the same person. Da∣vid before Nathans coming to him, had the former, afterwards he had the latter also. It cannot be imagined but that before the coming of the Prophet, he had a general knowledge and sense not only absolutely of the nature of sin, but also, that himself was a sinner, and guilty of those very sins which afterwards he was reproved for. To think otherwise is to suppose, not only that he was un-sainted, but un-manned also, and turned into a Beast. But yet this wrought not in him any one Affecti∣on suitable to his condition. And the like may be said of most sinners in the world. But now when Nathan comes to him and gives him the latter efficacious sense whereof we speak, we know what effects it did produce.

It is the latter only that is under consideration; and that also is twofold: (1.) Legal or Antecedaneous unto conver∣sion;

(2) Evangelical, and previous to the recovery from depths, whereof we treat. How these two differ, and how they may be discerned one from the other, being both of them in their kind sincere, is not my business to declare.

* 1.3Now this tast, which we assign as the first duty, work, or acting of a returning soul, is a deep and practical apprehension wrought in the mind and heart of a believing sinner by the Holy Ghost, of sin and its evils, in reference unto the Law, and Love of God, the Cross, and blood of Christ, the communion and consolation of the Spirit, and all the fruits of Love, Mercy, or Grace, that it hath been made partaker of, or on Gospel grounds. hoped for.

First, The principal efficient cause of it is the Holy Ghost. He it is who convinceth of sin, John 16. 8. He works indeed by means. He wrought it in David by the Ministry of Nathan; and he wrought it in Peter, by the look of Christ. But his work it is. No man can work it upon his own soul. It will not spring out of mens rational considerations. Though men may exercise their thoughts about such things, as one would think were enough to break the hearts of stones, yet if the Holy Ghost put not forth a peculiar efficacy of his own, this sense of sin will not be wrought or produced. As the waters at the Pool of Bethesda were not troubled, but when an Angel de∣scended and moved them; no more will the Heart for sin, without a saving elapse of the Holy Ghost.

Secondly, It is a deep Apprehension of sin, and the evils of it. Sleight transient thoughts about them, amount not to the sense of which we speak. My sorrow, saith David, is continually be∣fore me, Psal. 38. 17. It pressed him alwayes and greatly. Hence he compares this sense of sin wrought by the Holy Ghost, to arrows that stick in the flesh, v. 2. They pain sorely, and are alwayes perplexing. Sin in this sense of it, layes hold on the soul, so that the sinner cannot look up, Psal. 40. 12. And it abides with him, making his sore run in the night with∣out ceasing, Psal. 77. 2. and depriveth the soul of rest; my soul saith he, refused to be comforted. This Apprehension of sin, lyes down, and rises with him in whom it is. Transient thoughts

attended with infrequent sighs and ejaculations, little be∣come a returning soul. And

Thirdly, It is Practical. It is not seated only in the specu∣lative part of the mind, hovering in general notions; but it dwel's in the practical understanding, which effectually influ∣enceth the Will and Affections. Such an Apprehension as from which sorrow and humiliation are inseparable. The acts of the practical understanding, do so necessarily produce, together with them suitable acts of the Will and Affections, that some have concluded that those are indeed proper acts of the Will, which are usually ascribed to the Understanding. It is so in the mind, as that the whole soul is cast into the mould and likeness of it, humiliation, sorrow, self-abhorrency, do live and dye with it.

Fourthly, It hath in the first place, respect unto the Law of God. There can be no due consideration of sin, wherein the Law hath not its place. The Law calls for the sinner, and he wil∣lingly gives up his sin to be judged by it. There he sees it to be exceeding sinful, Rom. 7. 17. Though a Believer be less under the power of the Law than others, yet he knows more of the Authority and nature of it than others. He sees more of its spirituality and holiness. And the more a man sees of the excellency of the Law, the more he sees of the vileness of sin. This is done by a soul in its first endeavour for a recovery from the entanglements of sin. He labours throughly to know his disease, that he may be cured. It will do him no good, he knows, to be ignorant of his distemper, or his danger. He knows that if his wounds be not searched to the bottom, they will stink and be corrupt. To the Law then he brings him∣self and his sin. By that, he sees the vileness of the one, and the danger of the other. Most men lye still in their depths, because they would willingly escape the first step of their rising. From the bottom of their misery, they would fain at once be at the top of their felicity. The soul managed in this work by the Holy Ghost doth not so. He converseth with the Law; brings his sin unto it; and fully hears the sentence of it. When the sin is throughly condemned, then he farther takes care of the sinner. As ever you desire to come to rest, avoid not this

entrance of your passage unto it. Weigh well, and attend un∣to what the Law speaks of your sin and its desert, or you will never make a due application to God for forgiveness. As ever you would have your souls justified by Grace, take care to have your sins judged by the Law.

Secondly, There is a respect in it to the Love of God. And this breaks the heart of the poor returning sinner. Sorrow from the Law, shuts it self up in the soul, and strangleth it. Sor∣row from the thoughts of the Love of God opens it, and caus∣seth it to flow forth. Thoughts of sinning against the Love of God, managed by the Holy Ghost; what shall I say? their ef∣fects in the heart are not to be expressed. This made Ezra cry out, O my God I blush and am ashamed to lift up my face to thee, Chap. 9. 6. and v. 10. What shall we say after this? After what? why all the fruits of love and kindness they had been made partakers of. Thoughts of love and sin laid together, make the soul blush, mourn, be ashamed and confounded in its self. So Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall you remember your own evil wayes, and your doings that were not good; When shall they do so? when thoughts and apprehensions of love shall be brought home to them; and saith he, then shall you loath your selves in your own sight. The soul now calls to mind, what Love, what kindness, what mercy, what grace, what patience hath been exercised towards it, and whereof it hath been made partaker. The thoughts of all these now come in upon him as streams of water. Such Mercy, such Communion, such Priviledges, such hopes of Glory, such tastes of Heaven, such Peace, such Consolation, such Joy, such Communications of the Spirit, all to a poor, wretched, cursed, lost, forlorn sinner; and all this despised, neglected, the God of them all provoked, forsaken. Ah saith the soul, Whither shall I cause my sorrow to go? This fills him with shame and confusion of face; makes him mourn in secret, and sigh to the breaking of the loyns; and then,

Thirdly, The blood and Cross of Christ is also brought to re∣membrance by the Holy Ghost. Ah, saith the soul, have I thus re∣quited the wonderful astonishing Love of my Redeemer? Is this the return, the requital, I have made unto him? Are not Heaven

and Earth astonished at the despising of that Love, at which they are astonished? This brake Peters heart upon the look of Christ. Such words as these from Christ, will in this conditi∣on, sound in the ears of the soul. Did I love thee, and leave my glory to become a scorn and reproach for thy sake? Did I not think my life, and all that was dear unto me too good for thee, to save thee from the wrath to come? Have I been a Wilderness unto thee, or a land of darkness? What could I have done more for thee; when I had nothing left but my life, blood and soul, they went all for thee that thou mightest live by my death, be washed in my blood, and be saved through my souls being made an offering for thee? And hast thou thus requited my love? to prefer a lust before me, the world before me, or by meer sloth and folly to be turned away from me; go unkind and unthankful soul, and see if thou canst find another Redeemer: This overwhelms the soul, and even drowns it in tears and sorrow. And then the bitterness also of the sufferings of Christ, are brought to mind. They look on him whom they have pierced and mourn, Zech. 12. 10. They remember his gall and wormwood; his cryes and tears; his agony and sweat, his desertion and anguish; his blood and death; the sharpness of the Sword that was in his soul, and the bitterness of the Cup that was put into his hand. Such a soul now looks on Christ, bleeding, dying, wrestling with wrath and curse for him, and seeth his sin in the streams of blood that issued from his side. And all this encreaseth that sense of sin whereof we speak. Also,

Fourthly, It relates to the communion and consolations of the Holy Ghost, with all the priviledges, and fruits of Love we are by him made partakers of. The Spirit is given to Believers upon the promise of Christ to dwell in them. He takes up their hearts to be his dwelling place; to what ends and purposes? that he may purifie and sanctifie them, make them holy, and de∣dicate them to God; to furnish them with Graces and gifts, to interest them in priviledges; to guide, lead, direct, comfort them; to seal them unto the day of Redemption. Now this Spirit is grieved by sin, Ephes. 4. 30. and his dwelling place de∣filed thereby, 1 Cor. 6. 19. and 3. 17. Thoughts hereof great∣ly sharpen the spiritual sense of sin in a recovering soul. He considers, what Light, what Love, what Joy, what Consola∣tion,

what Priviledges it hath by him been made partaker of; what motions, warnings, workings to keep it from sin, it hath found from him; and sayes within it self; What have I done, whom have I grieved, whom have I provoked; what if the Lord should now for my folly and ingratitude utterly take his holy Spirit from me? What if I should have so grieved him that he will dwell in me no more, delight in me no more? What dismal darkness and disconsolation, yea, what utter ruine should I be left unto? However, what shame and confusion of face belongs to me for my wretched dis∣ingenuity, and ingratitude towards him?

This is the first thing that appears in the returning souls act∣ings and frame; a sincere sense of sin on the accounts mentioned wrought in it by the Holy Ghost. And this a soul in the depths described, must come unto, if ever it expect or look for deliverance, and a recovery. Let not such persons expect to have a renewed sense of mercy, without a revived sense of sin.

* 1.4Secondly, From hence proceedeth an ingenious, free, gracious Acknowledgement of sin. Men may have a sense of sin, and yet suffer it to lye burning as a fire shut up in their bones, to their continual disquietment, and not be able to come off unto a free soul opening acknowledgement. Yea, confession may be made in general, and mention therein of that very sin where∣with the soul is most intangled, and yet the soul come short of a due performance of this Duty. Consider how the case stood with David, Psal. 32. 3. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. How could David keep silence, and yet roar all the day long? What is that silence which is consistent with roaring? It is a meer negation of that duty, which is expressed, v. 5. that is intended. I acknowledge my sins unto thee, and mine iniquities I have not hid. It was not a silence of submission and waiting on God that he intends. That would not have produced a wasting of his spiritual strength, as he complains, this silence did; My bones waxed old; nor yet was it a sullen, stubborn and contumacious frame that was upon him; but he notes, saith Calvin, (and he sayes well) affectum qui medius est inter tolerantiam & contumaciam, vitio & vertuti affinis; An affection between patience and stubborness bordering on

the one and other. That is, he had a deep sense of sin; this dis∣quieted and perplexed him all the day long; which he calls his roaring; It weakned and wearied him, making his bones wax old, or his strength decay; yet was he not able to bring his heart to that ingenious gracious acknowledgement, which like the launcing of a festered wound, would have given at least some ease to his soul. Gods children are oft-times in this matter like ours. Though they are convinced of a fault, and are really troubled at it, yet they will hardly acknowledge it. So do they. They will go up and down, sigh and mourn, roar all the day long; but an evil and untoward frame of spirit under the power of unbelief and fear, keeps them from this duty.

Now that this acknowledgement may be acceptable unto God it is required, First, that it be free, then that it be full.

First, It must be free and spiritually ingenious. Cain, Phara∣oh, Ahab, Judas, came all to an acknowledgement of sin; but it was whether they would or no. It was pressed out of them; it did not flow from them. The confession of a person under the convincing terrors of the Law, or dread of imminent Judgements, is like that of Malefactors on the rack; who speak out that, for which themselves and friends must dye. What they say, though it be the truth, is a fruit of force and tor∣ture, not of any ingenuity of mind. So is it with meerly con∣vinced persons. They come not to the acknowledgment of sin with any more freedom. And the Reason is because all sin hath shame; and for men to be free unto shame, is naturally impos∣sible, shame being natures shrinking from it self, and the posture it would appear in. But now the returning soul, hath never more freedom, liberty and amplitude of spirit, than when he is in the acknowledgement of those things whereof he is most ashamed. And this is no small evidence that it proceeds from that spirit which is attended with liberty, for where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3. 17. When David was delivered from his silence, he expresseth this frame in the performance of this Duty, Psal. 32. 5. I acknowledged my sin, and mine iniquities. I have not hid; I said I will confess my transgression. His mouth is now open, and his heart inlarged. And he multiplies one ex∣pression

upon another, to manifest his enlargement. So doth a soul rising out of its depths, in this beginning of his address unto God. Having the sense of sin, before described wrought in him by the Holy Ghost, his heart is made free and inlarged unto an ingenious acknowledgement of his sin before the Lord. Herein he pours out his soul unto God; and hath not more freedom in any thing, than in dealing about that, whereof he is most ashamed.

Secondly, Full also it must be. Reserves ruine confession. If the soul have any secret thought of rolling a sweet morsel under its tongue, of a bow in the house of Rimmon, it is like part of the price kept back, which makes the whole robbery, instead of an offering. If there be remaining a bitter root of favouring any one lust or sin, of any occasion of, or temptation unto sin, let a man be as open, free, and earnest as can be imagined in the acknowledgement of all other sins and evils, the whole duty is rendered abominable. Some persons when they are brought into depths and anguish about any sin, and are thereon forced to the acknowledgement of it, at the same time they are little concerned, with their other follies and iniquities, that it may be, are no less provoking unto God, than that is from whence their present trouble doth arise. Let not, as James speaks in another case, such a man think, that he shall receive any thing from God. It must be full and comprehensive, as well as free and ingenious.

And of such importance is the right performance of this du∣ty, that the promise of pardon is oft-times peculiarly annexed unto it, as that which certainly carries along with it, the other duties which make up a full returnal unto God, Prov. 28. 13. 1 John 1. 9. and that place in Job is remarkable, Chap. 33. 27, 28. He looketh upon men, and if any say I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. He shall not only be made partaker of pardon, but of consolation also, and joy in the light of Gods coun∣tenance.

* 1.5Thirdly, There yet remains, self-condemnation with the Justi∣fication of God, which lyes expresly in the words of the Verse un∣der consideration, and hereof are two parts.

First, Self-abhorrency or dislike. The soul is now wholly di∣spleased with it self, and reflects upon it self with all affecti∣ons of regret and trouble. So the Apostle declares it to have been with the Corinthians when their godly sorrow was work∣ing in them, 2 Cor. 7. 11. among other things, it wrought in them indignation and revenge; or a reflection on themselves with all manner of dislike and abhorrency. In the winding up of the Controversie between God and Job, this is the point he rests in. As he had come in general to a free, full, ingenious acknow∣ledgement of sin, Chap. 40. 4, 5. So in particular he gives up his whole contest, in this abhorrency of himself, Chap. 42. 6. I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes. What a vile wretched creature have I been, saith the soul; I blush and am ashamed to think of my folly, baseness and ingratitude; is it possible that I should deal thus with the Lord? I abhorr, I loath my self, I would fly any where from my self, I am so vile and loathsome; a thing to be despised of God, Angels and Men; and

Secondly, There is self-judging in it also. This the Apostle invites the Corinthians unto, 1 Ep. Chap. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged. This is a persons pro∣nouncing sentence on himself according to the tenor of the Law. The soul brings not only its sin, but it self also to the Law. It puts it self as to merit and desert under the stroke and severity of it. Hence ariseth a full justification of God, in what sentence soever he shall be pleased to pronounce in the case before him. And these three things which we have passed through, compose the frame and first actings of a gracious soul, rising from its depths. They are all of them signally expressed in that place where we have a signal recovery exemplified, Hos. 14. 1, 2, 3, 4. And this makes way for the exaltation of grace, the great thing in all this dispensation aimed at by God. Ephes. 1. 6. That which he is now doing, is to bring the soul to glory in him, 1 Cor. 1. 31. which is all the return he hath

from his large and infinitely bountiful expence of Grace and Mercy. Now nothing can render Grace conspicuous and glo∣rious, until the soul come to this frame. Grace will not seem high, until the soul be laid very low. And this also suits or prepares the soul for the receiving of mercy, in a sense of par∣don, the great thing aimed at on the part of the sinner. And it prepares it for every duty that is incumbent on him in that condition wherein he is. This brings the soul to waiting with diligence and patience. If things presently answer not our expectation, we are ready to think, we have done what we can; if it will be no better we must bear it as we are able; which frame God abhors. The soul in this frame is con∣tented to wait the pleasure of God, as we shall see in the close of the Psalm? Oh saith such an one; if ever I obtain a sense of Love, if ever I enjoy one smile of his countenance more, it is of unspeakable Grace. Let him take his own time, his own season; it is good for me quietly to wait, and to hope for his salvation. And it puts the soul on prayer; yea a soul alwayes in this frame, prayes alwayes. And there is nothing more evident, than that want of a through engagement into the performance of these duties, is the great cause why so few come clear off from their en∣tanglements all their dayes. Men heal their wounds slightly; and therefore after a new painful festering, they are brought into the same condition of restlesness and trouble, which they were in before.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The souls. actings to∣wards a Recovery.
• * 1.2

  Sense of sin, where∣in it con∣sists.
• * 1.3

  Nature and Causes of Gospel convicti∣ons of sin.
• * 1.4

  Acknow∣ledgement of sin, the true nature of it.
• * 1.5

  Self-con∣demnati∣on, where∣in it con∣sists.