Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/348

 3. The fnt thing to which the notice of the reader is called, is some remarks on the use of the word pesasce, or do penance, as translations of the Greek word prravom, rel.ance, and parameters, repent. Roman- lets consider the Latin word poenitentia, coming from pens, /mnsA- meat, as always conveying the idea of pens/ or sat/sfactory punish- ments. But this term is not an exact rendering of the Greek word, which is derived from ,era, implying change, and oc, t/ mind, and therefore signifies a mental or spiritual change. And consequetly such a change has little to do with bodily ansterities. There were, however, two Greek words employed to designate repentance, the one m-rAa, signifying grief, sorrow, repentance, and the other the word mentioned above. These words are frequently used promiscuously-; but when a difference was made, peravoa was the better word to ex- press true repentance. The Latins also had two w)rds, pcenitentia and res/p/zcent/a; the latter being derived from re, again, and sapere, to be ,v/se. It is indifferent which is used, provided they were taken in sober sense. Pcenitentia is used by the old Latin translation, and is most tenaciously retained by all who make the very life of repentance to consist in corporeal ansterities, which, by way of eminence, they call pmumce. Besides, the Latin, agitepoenitentiam, is not so properly translated, do pensace, as it would be by simply rendering it, repent. And to ren- der the Greek word prravota by penance is a perversion of its true meaning. John the Baptist preached, Repent, &c.; not, as the Rhe- mists have it, Do penance; because the people practised according to what he preached; as in the following exhortation, Bring forth fault urtA/, or meet, for repentance. Outward penal acts, then, are the fruits of repentance; they are not repentance itseli'. Again: Repent and be baptized, (Acts ii, 38,) not, Do penance and e bailtired: for, .1. They were baptized the same day, and what time was there for do- ing penance ? 2. Romanism make penance a sacrament, to be received after baptism; how, therefore, could they do penance before they had received baptism, the fu'st sacrament . In short, no translation, can be more absurd and unhappy than that adopted by the Roman Catho- lics; and nothing but a false doctrine, and a great disregard for Scrip- ture, could ever have induced them to have recourse to such an unphi- lological rendering. But we have far more serious objections to their doctrine of satisfaction than a mere mistranslation, though it is one of the grossest departures from sober translation which the errors of men have produced. 4. Their doctrine is, according to the reason of things, absurd and without foundation in Scripture. Forgiveness of the guilt of sin im- plies, in the very nature of it, exemption of the punishment, otherwise it is not forgiveness. We allow that good men, after they have tndy repented of their sins, and God hath forgiven them, may, notwithstand- ing, be afterward severely visited by Go in this life. They may fall into many afflictions and calamities; but these are not properly parrish- monte for sins already pardoned, but are sent on them for other rea- sons. They are the natural result of the constitution of things here below, and God makes use of them as chastisements or trials to piou persons. They axe inflicted, not as punishments, but as morcie and gracious correctives; not the effects of God's justice, but of hi 1

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