Page:The works of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., late fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford (IA worksofrevjohnwe3wesl).pdf/346

 ginal is [Greek: lupêthentes;] made sorry, grieved, from [Greek: lupê], grief or sorrow. This is the constant, literal meaning of the word: and this being observed, there is no ambiguity in the expression, nor any difficulty in understanding it. The persons spoken of here were grieved: the heaviness they were in, was neither more nor less than sorrow or grief; a passion which every child of man is well acquainted with.

2. It is probable, our translators rendered it heaviness (tho' a less common word) to denote two things, first, The degree; and next, the continuance of it. It does indeed seem, that it is not a slight or inconsiderable degree of grief which is here spoken of, but such as makes a strong impression upon, and sinks deep into the soul. Neither does this appear to be a transient sorrow, such as passes away in an hour: but rather such as having taken fast hold of the heart, is not presently shaken off, but continues for some time, as a settled temper, rather than a passion, even in them that have living faith in Christ, and the genuine love of God in their hearts.

3. Even in these this heaviness may sometimes be so deep as to overshadow the whole soul, to give a colour, as it were, to all the affections, such as will appear in the whole behaviour. It may likewise have an influence over the body: particularly in those that are either of a naturally