Sect. LXI. — BUT our friend Diatribe, proceeding to still greater lengths of inconsiderateness, not only infers from that passage of Malachi iii. 7., “turn ye unto me,” an indicative sense, but also, goes on with zeal to prove therefrom,

the endeavour of “Free-will,” and the grace prepared for the person endeavouring.

Here, at last, it makes mention of the endeavour and by a new kind of grammar, ‘to turn,’ signifies, with it, the same thing as ‘to endeavour:’ so that the sense is, “turn ye unto me,” that is, endeavour ye to turn; “and I will turn unto you,” that is, I will endeavour to turn unto you: so that, at last, it attributes an endeavour even unto God, and perhaps, would have grace to be prepared for Him upon His endeavouring: for if turning signify endeavouring in one place, why not in every place?

Again, it says, that from Jeremiah xv. 19., “If thou shalt separate the precious from the vile,” not the endeavour only, but the liberty of choosing is proved; which, before, it declared was ‘lost,’ and changed into a ‘necessity of serving sin.’ You see, therefore, that in handling the Scriptures the Diatribe has a “Free-will” with a witness: so that, with it, words of the same kind are compelled to prove endeavour in one place, and liberty in another, just as the turn suits.

But, to away with vanities, the word TURN is used in the Scriptures in a twofold sense, the one legal, the other evangelical. In the legal sense, it is the voice of the exactor and commander, which requires, not an endeavour, but a change in the whole life. In this sense Jeremiah frequently uses it, saying, “Turn ye now every one of you from his evil way:” and, “Turn ye unto the Lord:” in which, he involves the requirement of all the commandments; as is sufficiently evident. In the evangelical sense, it is the voice of the divine consolation and promise, by which nothing is demanded of us, but in which the grace of God is offered unto us. Of this kind is that of Psalm cxxvi. 1, “When the Lord shall turn again the captivity of Zion;” and that of Psalm cxvi. 7, “Turn again into thy rest, O my soul.” Hence, Malachi, in a very brief compendium, has set forth the preaching both of the law and of grace. It is the whole sum of the law, where he saith, “Turn ye unto me;” and it is grace, where he saith, “I will turn unto you.” Wherefore, as much as “Free-will” is proved from this word, “Love the Lord,” or from any other word of particular law, just so much is it proved from this word of summary law,

“TURN YE.” It becomes a wise reader of the Scriptures, therefore, to observe what are words of the law and what are words of grace, that he might not be involved in confusion like the unclean Sophists, and like this sleepily-yawning Diatribe.