The same may be said with respect to the vice ' of anger. This is the way to avoid the severity ' of that just rebuke of our Lord concerning the 'mote and the beam. He who rejoices in another's 'fall rejoices in the devil's victory. Let us rather grieve when we hear that a man perishes for 'whom Christ died. Let us repent, and hope ' for pardon by faith, not as an act of justice. 'God wants not our money, but our faith.' The language of this quotation is frequently inaccurate; and there is a lamentable want of reference to the righteousness, atonement, and intercession of Christ, and of " redemption by his blood, even "the forgiveness of sins." The Holy Spirit, 'who sanctifies all the elect people of God,' is not mentioned: and the way in which the writer speaks of his own sins is incautious, and capable of being misconstrued, as palliating the evil of sin, and quieting the conscience of those who live in habitual and actual transgression, by the confessions of an eminent minister; who only meant, that the same evils dwelt in him, and might occasionally prevail: and that, all things considered, this might be more heinous in him, than the crimes which he was called to reprove; and that therefore he ought to do it with humility, tenderness, and sympathy. "If a man be overtaken in "a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an "one in the spirit of meekness; considering thy"self, lest thou also be tempted."2 The whole, church and to the poor all his gold and silver: he gave also his lands to the church, reserving the annual use of them to the use of his sister Marcellina, during her life. 'Ambrose in Milner, vol. ii. p. 250, 251. 2 Gal. vi. 1. however, shews more of the contrite spirit; the simple dependence on the mercy and grace of the Lord Jesus; and the loving, tender, and compassionate mind of a true Christian and minister than we generally meet with in these ancient fathers. JEROME. This celebrated father was ingenious, learned, acute, assiduous, injudicious, fanciful, impatient of contradiction, and vehement in controversy; exceedingly superstitious, and a miserable expositor of scripture. Yet, after all, though his general views are certainly Anticalvinistic, especially in that he everywhere (as far as these quotations go,) ascribes the beginning of conversion to man's good use of free will, and not to special preventing grace, "working in us to will;" yet he is not very hostile to many of our sentiments, when well understood. There is also far more of what is peculiarly Christian in his writings than in those of many of the preceding fathers; and the Christian world is under very great obligations to him, for his labours in giving and revising translations of the holy scriptures. UNWILLING WILLINGNESS. 'They do those things which they are unwilling to do.'1 Even Homer may teach those who do not understand the apostle, that willingness in one sense, and unwillingness in another, are compatible; and that circumstances may induce a man to do voluntarily. what he was otherwise habitually most unwilling to do: Καὶ γὰρ ἐγώ σοι δῶκα ἑκὼν, αέκοντί γε θυμῷ, I voluntarily gave up this city to thee, yet with an unwilling 'Jerome, Ref. 384. • mind. Thus the person who speaks in the seventh of Romans was habitually Εκών, αέκοντί γε θυμῷ, Voluntary, but with an unwilling mind. He knows little of human nature, who is not aware that a large proportion of men's actions are performed with this unwilling willingness; not by compulsion, yet contrary to a man's habitual judgment and inclination, as well as conscience. I really 'could not refuse him.' I could not, as I was 'circumstanced, do otherwise.' And he knows as little of vital experimental religion, who is not aware that a considerable proportion of the actions, even of pious men, though by no means the effect of compulsion, are contrary to their previous purposes, resolutions, and habitual character. These are therefore reflected on with shame and remorse, as done against their judgment and conscience. Judas acted in character when he betrayed Christ, deliberately and purposely: but Peter, trusting in his own heart and the strength of his resolution, was, through the weakness and sinfulness of human nature, induced, by the power of temptation, to deny his Lord, contrary to his habitual character, and his fixed purpose and resolution, both before and afterwards. In Peter's case, but not in that of Judas, "it was not he, but sin which dwelt "in him."-The text on which Jerome grounds his observation 2 seems only to mean, that hasty vows prove occasions to temptation, and should be avoided. "For thus the mouth causes the flesh," or the depraved nature, " to sin:" Nor does it appear at all to relate to the subject under consideration. Iliad iv. 43. 2 Ecc. v. 6. "" In whorn also we have obtained an inheri'tance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the 'counsel of his own will." It is to be considered, 'that predestination and purpose are here placed together, according to which "God worketh 'all things after the counsel of his own will." Not 'that all things which are done in the world are 6 done with the will and counsel of God: for then 'wicked things might be imputed to God: but ' that all things which he does he does with coun'sel and will, because they are full of reason, and ' of the power of him who acts. We men will to 'do most things with counsel; but effect by no 6 means follows the will. But no one can resist 'Him, to prevent his doing whatever he wills. But 'he wills those things which are full of reason ' and counsel: "He wills all men to be saved, and 'to come unto the knowledge of the truth." But, 'because no one is saved without his own will, (for we have free will) he wills us to will that 'which is good, that, when we have willed it, he ' himself also may will to fulfil his own counsel ' in us.'1 'All things which are done are not done' according to the commandment of God, nor by any positive influence on the mind. "God cannot be "tempted of evil, neither tempteth he any man.” But nothing takes place which he did not foresee, or which he could not have prevented; so that permission takes place where direct influence does not: and he purposes, or decrees, to leave both fallen angels and many fallen men, to the lusts of 1 Jerome in Ref. 405, 406. their own hearts, without renewing them to holiness, that they may voluntarily accomplish his secret designs; but, when their free agency combined with depravity and enmity, would carry them further, he limits and restrains them in his providence, or by inward convictions and terrors. Thus "his counsel stands, and he does all his plea"sure," by voluntary agents of opposite characters. Many of them think evil against him and his cause, "but God means it for good." The wrath of man "shall praise him, and the remainder of wrath "shall he restrain." Thus Herod fulfilled the purpose of God, in putting James to death; yet, when he proceeded to take Peter also, he was restrained, and came to a fearful end.2" Him, "being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by "wicked hands have crucified and slain." 3 This was permission: but, when fallen men will and do what is good before God, it is positive influence; "it is God who worketh in them both to will and "to do of his good pleasure:" He" worketh in "them, that which is well pleasing in his sight, "through Jesus Christ."4-He "wills all men to be "saved, &c." "He wills us to will &c.' That is, he is willing, that all men should be saved; he commands all men willingly to repent, believe, and obey. But does he will this in the same sense in which our Lord said "I will, be thou clean?" If so, why are not all cleansed and saved? The revealed will of God, as a Law-giver, and as a Saviour, commanding, and inviting, and declaring his readiness to rePsal. lxxvi. 10. 66 3 Acts ii. 23. 2 Acts xii. |