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cording to his cuftom, fuited himself to the capacity of his hearers, he spoke of divine things after the manner of men. But it is evident, that when any good comes of a fudden, it caufes greater joy than any other greater good one has for fome time been in quiet poffeffion of; and that the recovery of things loft more ftrongly affects the mind than in the uninterrupting keeping of others. The fame alfo in its meafure is the cafe here. The angels doubtlefs rejoice, that the juft labour after and prefs on to happiness; but they have for a long time been refcued from the fnares of the devil. But when a wicked perfon is newly delivered from the fnares he was in; that conver fion, and the falvation of the converted, which was the confequence of it, by how much the more it was unexpected, mufb alfo yield fo much the greater pleasure. 2dly, Here our Lord fpeaks according to the old Jewish divinity. The Jews affirmed, "That when a Hebrew fins, the angels weep" our Lord fays, that on the converfion of any perfon, the angels rejoice. The Jews faid, "The dignity of the penitent is greater than that of the perfectly juft. And, in ths place where the penitents ftand, there the perfectly just stand not.” Which teftimonies Drufius and Ludovicus Cappellus and Grotius, have long ago produced. The reafon of which is this: because it is more difficult to break off a custom or habit of vice, than after being brought to a commendable course of life, to go on without ftumbling. It yields a greater pleasure when virtue is fo very confpicuous. 3dly, The glory of the wisdom, power, and mercy of God, and the efficacy of the merits of Chrift fhine with greater glory in the converfion of a defperate finner, than in the prefervation of those who walk in the way of righteoufnefs. As therefore the devil is more enraged when that prey is fnatched from him, which he imagined he would have held faft for ever; fo, in like manner the angels juftly rejoice more, when their and the enemy of their Lord is mortified to fuch a high degree. 4thly, And generally thefe are warmer in the practice of righfeoufnefs, who are inftigated by the forrow of a paft life. An equable tenour of virtue is moftly more remifs; but they who are fuddenly brought over from a very bad to a very good courfe, by the powerful arm of God, ufually outstrip others by a quicker pace. They dread fin more who were deeper plunged therein have a more ardent love for religion, to whom its beauty has more unexpectedly appeared. And none prize the grace of God towards them more than thofe who know themfelves to be the most unworthy of it. And it is not poflible but this fenfe of fo great a love muft kindle the most ardent flames of a reciprocal love. As is evident from the example of Paul,

and

and the woman who was a finner, Luke vii. 40-48. All which yield matter of greater joy to the angels.

CXXX. Secing we have now made a frequent mention of repentance Milano, we will fubjoin fomething concerning the proper fignification of this word. The very learned Beza, either was the first or among the first, who observed on Mat. iii. 2. that the ten plavov is properly never put but to denote a a good; and that opgaves is always joined with layo; but that μlassista is expretive of a folicitude and anxiety after the doing of a thing for which the Latins fay pænitere; and that it is allo used to denote an evil, though fimply fignifying a kind of folicitude, and dragesno, a difplicency, which makes us with the thing that is done, whether good or bad to be undone, even though it be out of our power to correct it. Hence he thinks that μsrautas is denoted by the Hebrew word on as μstavoit is rather denoted by the word a, whence comes nɔwn, converfion. Peter therefore having faid, Acts iii. 19. pestavońcare repent, immediately fubjoins, xaì izsgálaṛs, and be converted, in order to explain the former. The fame thing Paul does, Acts xxvi. 20. In this the venerable Beza has been followed by very many commentators, especially when they treat of the μrquiλeia, repentance of the traitor Judas.

CXXXI. But it may be doubted, whether there is any folid ground for this diftinction. For it can neither be deduced from the etymology of either of thefe terms, nor confirmed by the authority of approved authors, nor proved from the constant style of Scripture, nor in fine, concluded from the correfponding Hebrew terms, which we are now to fhew in order.

CXXXII. As to their etymology, μstava is a word compounded of us, after and vow, I understand, and as Henr. Stephanus in his Thefuarus tranflates it, poftintelligo, and thus it is oppofed to the term "govos ante intelligo. Very elegantly fays, Clemens Alexandrinus Stromat. lib. 2. Ει ἐφ ̓ ὁῖς ἤμαρτν μετενόσκεν, ει σύνεσιν ἔλαβεν, εφ' οις επταισε, καὶ μετέγνω, ὅπερ ἐσι, μετα ταύτα εγνω. Βραδεία γάρ γνωσις μετάνοια. "If he has repented of his fins, recollect in what he has offended, and acknowledged it, that is, afterwards known it for trávia is a flow kind of knowledge that comes after fomething is done." But μraphs, according to its etymology, fignifies" folicitude, after having committed, or omitted any thing." And thus esrávo, which is properly an act of the understanding, reflecting on itself and its actions, in order of nature, goes before perausha, which rather belongs to the will and affections.

CXXXIII. Both words are fo ufed in the best authors, as indifferently to denote an after-forrow of mind, whether in good

or

or in evil. Hefychius explains sure, by μslavom. Suidas in like manner, avos. And in the Etymologicum magnum, μελανοει. μεταμέλομαι, μελανοῶ, μελαγινώσκω are ufed promifcuoudly. Gomarus on Mat. xi. 20. adduces a remarkable paffage from Plutarch, περι ευθυμίας, where he varies the terms, μεταμελεία and μετανοία, 25 words of the fame fignification, and defcribes laro, as danvομένην, συν αισχύνην της ψυχής, και κολαζομένην ὑφ ̓ αυτῆς ; remorfe and torture to itself with fhame of fout: which the venerable Beża will have to be appropriated to μlausa. Nay, I have observed inftances, where so denotes a fimple difplicency; as in Marc Antonin. lib. 8. §. 2 ; καθ ̓ ἑκάσην πράξιν έρωτα σεαυτόν, πως seos œilin sxs, un μslavonow is av;" In every action, afk thyfelf, how дель ใน it affects me, fhall I have reafon to repent it?" Ibid. §. 10. й μsΠάτοια έσιν επίληψις τις ἑαυτῆς, ὡς χρήσιμόν τι παρεικότος : repentance is a kind of reprehenfion of ourselves, as having omitted fomething useful. On the contrary, rain is sometimes of the fame fignification with peonopos, amendment. In which fenfe Plutarch faid. πάνυ γας η μεταμέλεια, σώτειρα δαίμων, amendement is quite a falutary genius.

CXXXIV. Nor does the fcripture use of these words differ. For even their μsraμ sometimes denotes a fincere repentance; as Mat. xxi. 29. vigor di pertapeanders aanroe, but afterwards be repented and went and verfe 32. where our Lord upbraided the Jews for not having true repentance, fays: iusîs dè idovres & merepixńlere vsegov, tõ xisivoa, 'quã, and ye when ye had feen it, repented not afterwards, that ye might believe him. Where elsAusra anfwers to John's invitation, expreffed by Mlavours. And on the contrary, stavo fometimes fignifies mere forrow. Thus Chrift, Luke xvii. 3. treating of fome degree of forrow, for offending a brother, fays, iar Tavonon, if he repent, and verfe 4. if he fhall fay, μrvavow, I repent, I could with it undone. And Mat. xiii. 41. stav, is affirmed of the Ninevites, and their repentance was external only, not internal; civil, not fpiritual temporary, not perfevering.

CXXXV. Befides, it is not univerfally true, that μstaura anfwers to the Hebrew ; and μstava to. For tho' perhaps the Syriac interpreter of the New Teftament renders Tam conftantly by ; yet the Septuagint promifcuously tranlate any by μιλαμέλευθται, οι μετανοεῖν. I hall fingle a few examples of each out of many; as, 1 Sam. xv. 35. and the Lord repented (on) that he made Saul king. The LXX. xai xugios μetsMenor. In verfe 29. of the fame chapter, pn, b: the LXX. વે μerevonos, nor will he repent, Again, Pf. cx. 4. ; the LXX. xai '& μeraμedsonora, and will not repent. On the con

trary,

trary, Joel. ii. 14,

: the LXX. 'msgé↓u xai peravońcu, be will return and repent. In like manner, John iii. 9. Jer. iv. 28. and viii. 6. and xxxi. 19. and in very many other places, they have tranflated by μeravo. Whence it is evident, they thought thefe Greek words were fynonymous.

CXXXVI. To conclude, it cannot be proved from Acts iii. 19. or Actsxxvi. 20. that μeráva conftantly answers to nawn, as the contrary may be deduced from thefe paffages. For gir επιτρέψατε expreffes the Hebrew, as we just fhewed from Joel ii. 14. As μstáva properly denotes the act of the foul recollecting its own actings, fo in the order of nature, it does before converfion, and is juftly prefuppofed thereto by Peter and Paul. Let thefe hints therefore fuffice concerning these words. If any defire more, they may confult Grotius on Mat. xxvii. 3. Scultetus, Exercitat. Evangelic. c. 19. Gataker advers. Mifcel. c. 29. and Suiceri Thefaurus.

İ.

CHA P. XIII.

Of* Confervation.

to

THOSE to whom God has freely given faith and holinefs, he likewife keeps with fuch folicitous care, that it is impoffible for any true believer totally and finally fall away from that holiness when once it is begun, and thereby forfeit the falvation appointed for him. "The Lord is faithful, who shall STABLISH you, and keep you from evil,” 2 Theff. iii. 3.

II. CONSERVATION " is a gracious work of God, whereby he fo keeps the elect, the redeemed, the regenerated, the faithful and the fanctified, though in themselves weak and apt to fall away, internally by the most powerful efficacy of his Spirit, externally by the means which he has wifely appointed for that purpose, that they shall never quite lofe the habits of thofe graces once infufed into them, but be certainly brought, by a stedfast perfeverance, to eternal falvation."

III. They whom God preferves and enables to persevere, are ELECTED persons, or persons appointed, by the immutable

counfel

Though this word is not very commonly used, yet it is of a very extenfive fignification, and conveys to us the idea, not only of perfeverance, but of the manner of it, viz. their prefervation by God. Accordingly our author makes perfeverahce, a branch of confervation,

counfel of God, not only to fome external communion of a national covenant, Deut. viii. 6. but to an internal glory, Eph. i. 4, 5. They are REDEEMED by Chrift: not only bought by that mafter of a family, who obtains very great, tho', only common benefits for fome, and takes them into his family in the capacity of fervants; who, in that great houfe, are at length found to be "veffels to difhonour," 2 Tim. ii. 20. of whom Peter fpeaks, 2 Pet. ii. 1. but also redeemed from the bondage of fin, by the precious blood of Chrift the Lord, 1 Pet. i. 18. 19. They are REGENERATED; who have not only acquired a name to live, whereby they impofe on themfelves and others, by fome external actions, which refemble the fpiritual life, Rev. iii. 1. but who have a prinicple of fpiritual life implanted in them by the Spirit of life which is in Chrift, Rom. viii. 2. They are FAITHFUL, or believers having not only that faith which confifts in a bare affent, nor that called temporary by our Lord, and having no root; but that which is unfeigned, 1 Tim. i. 5. which influences the whole foul, and, being rooted in Chrift, brings forth the fruits of holinefs. They are SANCTIFIED, not only by a federal holiness, which gives a right to the facraments in the vifible church, 1 Cor. vii 14. nor by that external holinefs, whereby one has "efcaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," 2 Pet. ii. 20. while yet they still retain ther nafty cannine and fwinifh nature, v. 22. but by a true and thorough holiness, whereby righteousness and true holiness, are brought into the foul, Eph. iv. 24.

IV. All these things are to be well obferved, leaft any one' fhould object to us, that either the covenant-breaking Ifraelites, who were really chofen to the communion of an external covenant, but diftinguifhed from thofe who were elected to glory, Rom. xi. 7. " or the falfe prophets who deny the mafter who bought them," and who are far different from thofe, whom not the mafter, but the Lord not only bought for any kind of benefits, but redeemed by his precious blood, 1 Pet. i. 18. " or those branches of Chrift, who abide not in him, but are caft forth and withered," John xv. 6. For though they may be faid to have been in Chrift, as to the knowledge and profeffion of him, and the external communion with the church, the myftical body of Christ, and in fo far with Chrift himself; yet they were always without the quickening communion of Chrift, and the nourishment of his vivifying Spirit, or thofe temporary believers mentioned Mat. xiii. 21. whofe faith, though it may be faid in a fenfe to be true, becaufe by a maik of a feigned profeffion they do not counterfeit what they have not in their heart,

but

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