Stromat. lib. 2. Ει ἐφ ̓ οἷς μαρίν μελενόηνεν, ἐι σύνεσιν ἔλαβεν, εφ' οἷς επλαισε, καὶ μελέγνω, ὅπερ ἐςι, μελα ταύτα έγνω. Βραδεία γὰρ γιῶσις melávara. If he has repented of his fins, recollected in what be has offended, and acknowledged it, that is, afterwards known ita for ueláva is a flow kind of knowledge, that comes after fomething is done. But plan, according toits etymology, fignifies follicitude, after having committed, or omitted any thing. And thus párja, which is properly an act of the understanding, reflecting on itself and its actions, in order of nature, goes before usa, which rather belongs to the will and affections.

1

1

CXXXIII. Both words are fo ufed in the best au- Both thors, as indifferently to denotean after-forrow of mind, wordsprowhether in good or in evil. Hefychius explainsulaaby mifcuoufMilára Suidas in like manner, la, pela And ly used by approved in the Etymologicum magnum, pelaμéropas, pelavow, pélaysvá authors, are used promifcuously. Gomarus on Mat. 11. 20, adduces a remarkable paffage from Plutarch, T

Quías, where he varies the terms, lai and yo, as words of the fame fignification, and deferibes μελανοία, 25 δακυομένην, συν αισχύνην της ψυχής, και κολαζομένην ὑφ' vis; remorse and torture to itself with fhame of foul: which the venerable Beza will have to be appropriated to lamerés. Nay, I have obferved instances, where lá denotes a fimple difplicency: as in Marc Antonin. lib. 8. δ. 25 καθ' ἑκάστην πράξιν ἐρῶτα σεαυτὸν, πῶς μοι åiln ixar, un pelaranow iπ avã; In every action, afk thyself, bow it affects me, fhall I have reafon to repent it? Ibid. § 10, ἡ μετάνοια έσιν επίληψίς τις έαυτώ, ὡς χρήσιμόν τι παρεισκόλα repentance is a kind of reprehenfion of ourselves, as having omitted fomething useful. On the contrary, laméλsıx is fometimes of the fame fignification with oppoviamos, amendment. In which fenfe Plutarch faid, má yàp 'n lén owlepçe Saímar, amendment is quite a falutary genius. 31

CXXXIV. Nor does the Scripture use of these As alfo in words differ. For even there a fometimes de- Scripture.

notes

Nor does it hold

univerfally, that the

Greek

fwer to

notes a fincere repentance: as Mat. 21. 29, sspor S pelameandels årñabe, but afterward he repented and went : and verfe 32, where our Lord upbraided the Jews for not having true repentance, fays: psd does μετεμελήθελε ὕφερον, τῷ πιτέυσαν αὐτῷ, and ye when ye had feen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. Where μlμ answers to John's invitation, expreffed, by elavile. And on the contrary, pláva fometimes fignifies mere forrow. Thus Chrift, Luke 17. 3, treating of fome degree of forrow, for offending a brother, fays, av pilavanon, if he repent, and verse 4, if he fhall fay, plavow, I repent, I could with it undone. And Mat. 13. 41, Melavo is affirmed of the Ninivites, and their repentance was external only, not internal; civil, not fpiritual; temporary, not perfevering.

CXXXV. Befides, it is not univerfally true, that plaμé anfwers to the Hebrew ; and μlars to . For tho' perhaps the Syriac interpreter of the New Teftament renders la conftantly by 10: words an- yet the Septuagint promifcuoufly tranflaten by μelaμéneçtras or μelavo. I fhall fingle a few examples of each out of many; as 1 Sam 15. 35, and the Lord repented () that he made Saul king. The LXX, nai nopros μelementen. In verfe 29, of the fame chapter, on, the LXX. doncs, nor will be repent. Again, Pf. 110. 4, ; the LXX. xala

the He

brew.

The

Greek

olas, and will not repent. On the contrary, Joel 2. 14, the LXX, 'isée zai pelaroños, be will return and repent. In like manner, John 3. 9. fer. 4. 28, and 8. 6. and 31. 19, and in very many other places, they have tranflated by lokiv. Whence it is evident, they thought thefe Greek words were fynonymous.

CXXXVI. To conclude, it cannot be proved. from Acts 3. 19, or Acts 26. 20, that μlávce conwords an- ftantly anfwers to na, as the contrary may be defwering duced from thefe paffages. For pale expreffes

the

.שוב

the Hebrew 1, as we just fhewed from Joel 2, 14. Acts, 3. As Milávia, properly denotes the act of the foul recol- 26, to lecting its own actings, fo, in order of nature, it goes before converfion, and is juftly prefuppofed thereto by Peter and Paul. Let these hints therefore fuffice concerning these words. If any defire more, they may confult Grotius on Mat. 27. 3, Scultetus, Exercitat. Evangelic. c. 19, Gataker advers. Mijcel. c. 29, and Suiceri Thefaurus.

1.

CHA P. XIII.

Of+ Confervation.

HOSE, to whom God has freely given Believers "T faith and holinefs, he likewife keeps with and faints fuch follicitous care, that it is impoffible for any true preserved by God. believer, totally and finally to fall away from that ho linefs, when once it is begun, and thereby forfeit the falvation appointed for him. The Lord is faithful, who ball STABLISH you, and KEEP you from evil, 2 Theff. 3. 3.

fcribed.

II.CONSERVATION isa gracious work of God, whereby Confervabe fo keeps the Elett, the redeemed, the regenerated, the tion defaithful and the fanctified, tho' in themselves weak and apt to fall away, internally by the most powerful efficacy of his fpirit, externally by the means, which he has wifely appointed for that purpose, that they shall never quite lofe the babits of thofe graces once infufed into them, but

Tho this word is not very commonly ufed, 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 perfeverance, a branch of confervation.

ke

be certainly brought, by a fledfaft perfeverance, to eternal falvation. Its object. III. They whom God preferves and enables sto perfevere, are ELECTED perfons, or perfons appoint ed, by the immutable counsel of God, not only to fome external communion of a national covenant, Deut. 8. 6, but to an internal glory. Eph. 1. 4,5 They are REDEEMED by Chrift; not only bought by that master 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 house, are at length found to be veffels to difhonour, 2 Tim. 2, 20, of whom Peter fpeaks, 12 Pet. 2. 1; but also redeemed from the bondage of fin, by the precious blood of Chrift the Lord, Pet. al 18, 19. They are REGENERATED; who have not only acquired a name to live, whereby they impofe on themselves and others, by fome external actions, which resemble the fpiritual life, Rev. 3. 1; but who have a principle of fpiritual life implanted in them by the fpirit of life, which is in Chrift. Rom. 8. 2. They are FAITHFUL, or believers, having not only that faith, which consists in a bare affent; nor that called temporary by our Lord, and having no root but that which is unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1. 5, which influ ences the whole foul, and, being rooted in Christ, brings forth the fruits of holiness. They are SANCTIFIED, not only by a federal holinefs, which gives a right to the facraments in the vifible church, 7. 14; nor by that external holiness, whereby one has escapad the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 2 20; while yet they still retain their nafty canine and fwinifh nature, v. 22; but by a true and thorough holinefs, whereby righteoufnefs and true holiness, are brought into the foul, Eph. 4. 24.

From the exact con

Coru

IV. All these things are to be well obferved, leaft fideration any one should object to us, that either the COVENANTL of this, the BREAKING Ifraelites, who were really, chofen to the

com

faries ob.

703 communion of an external covenant, but diftinguifhed objections from those who were elected to glory, Rom. 11. 7; or of adverthe FALSE PROPHETS, who deny the mafter who bought viated. 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. 1. 18 or thofe BRANCHES of Chrift, who abide not in him, but are caft forth and withered, John 15. 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 Chrift, and in fo far with Chrift himself; yet they were always without the quickening communion of Chrift, and the nourishment of his vivifying fpirit; or those TEMPORARY believers, mentioned Mat.. 13. 21, whofe faith, tho' it may be faid, in a fense to be true, because, by a mask of a feigned profeffion, they do not counterfeit what they have not in their heart, but fincerely profefs what they believe concerning Chrift; yet this is not that true faith eminently fo called, which knoweth the grace of God in truth, Col. 1 6, and which alone conftitutes the true difciples of Chrift, John 8. 31; or in fine thofe, who TRAMPLE UNDER FOOT the blood of the covenant, by which they were fanctified, Heb. 10. 29. For, if that fanctification is to be referred to thofe profane men (which yet is not neceffary, as we have elsewhere fhewn), it is altogether to be underflood of a federal, a facramental, and any external fanctification, fuch as is alfo found in the dogs and fwine mentioned by Peter. It was proper to premice these things, concerning the genuine object of a gracious confervation, becaufe, by this very means, we obviate many objections of adverfaries, arifing from the improper manner of handling this fubject.

V. It is true, elect believers, confidered in them- Believers felves, and in their internal principles, are weak, and may fall away; nor are they alone fufficient to fur- weak.

mount

in themfelves