2. The second thing which is said is that God winked at these times. There — (1.) AVe must open the meaning ; (2.) The necessity and use of this reflection.
[1.] The meaning. Certainly it is not meant of God's allowing of their idolatries ; that would entrench upon his honour, and hinder their repentance for former sins, and resolution of taking a new course for the future. What is the meaning then ? for some interpret the clause as speaking indulgence, others as intimating judgment, which though to appearance they seem contrary, yet both may stand together.
(1.) Some think it speaketh indulgence, as we translate it, ' winked at,' that is, looked not after them to punish or destroy them for their idolatries. Ignorance is sometimes made an excuse a tanto, though not a ioto ; as Acts iii. 17, ' I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers ;' and 1 Tim. i. 13, ' I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious ; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly.' It somewhat mollified the sin,
(2.) Others think this clause speaketh a judgment. The vulgar readeth neglexit, God neglected those times, or regarded them not. As the Greeks complained, Acts vi. 1, ' That their widows were neglected,' TrapeOecopovvTo, overseen ; so here, virepihiov, overlooked, or not re- garded. So God is said elsewhere to deal with an apostate and sin- ning people : Heb. viii. 9, ' They continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not ; ' I took no notice of them to do them good. So God regarded not those times of ignorance, gave them not such helps and means as afterwards, or as now he did when he sent the gospel to them. To this sense I incline, partly because it is so explained in a parallel place : Acts xiv. 16, 17, ' Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own wavs ; nevertheless he left not himself without a
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witness.' And partly because it agreetli with the thing itself : Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20, ' He hath showed his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel ; he hath not dealt so with any nation : and as for his judgments, they have not known them.' The grace of external vocation is a great mercy, and the apostle would have them apprehensive of it ; for when God sendeth the light of the gospel, he showeth the care that he hath of the lost nations : Eph. iii. 5, ' Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit' Partly because God did punish the ignorance and error of the gentiles by giving them up to vile affections : Eom. i. 24, ' Wherefore God gave them up to uncleanness.' It is a severe judgment to be given up to our own lusts, and blindness and hardness of heart. But yet I do not exclude the former sense, because though the idolatry of the nations continued for many years, yet God continued many signal temporal mercies to them.
[2.] The necessity and use of this reflection.
(1.) It is an answer to their cavil, ver. 18, ' He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods.' Now the apostle replieth that the gods of their fathers were idols, and not gods. But how can it stand with the pro- vidence of the true God to permit it and forsake mankind so long ? Those times of ignorance God overlooked, sent them no means nor messengers then, but now he doth ; and so he teacheth them and us that it is not sufficient to follow the religion of our forefathers, unless they had followed the will of God. If God overlooked them, and vouchsafeth you more grace, you must not be prejudiced by the tradi- tion, but improve the present advantage.
(2.) He, as much as in him lieth, taketh off the prejudice of the practice of former times by a prudent and soft censure. As also else- where : 1 Cor. ii. 8, ' Which none of the princes of this world knew ; for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.'
(3.) He insinuateth that ignorance doth not wholly excuse those that err, but rather commendeth the Lord's patience.
Secondly, The duty of the present time.
1. The duty pressed is repentance. The word is fieravoetv. Eepent- ance is a returning to our wits again. We were sometimes uvoriroi., ' foolish,' Titus iii. 3. When the conversion of the nations is spoken of, it is said, Ps. xxii. 27, ' All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord ; ' as if they were asleep, distracted, or out of their wits before the light of Christ's gospel shined into their hearts, not making use of common reason. We never act wisely nor with a condecency to our reasonable nature, till we return to the love and obedience of God.
2. This is here represented not as an indifibrent and arbitrary thing, but as expressly and absolutely commanded. God's authority is absolute ; if he hath commanded anything, contradiction must be silent, hesita- tion satisfied, all cavils laid aside, and we must address ourselves to the work speedily and seriously, without delaying, or disputing, or mur- muring. God doth not advise or entreat only, but commandeth, or interposeth his authority. Now to break a known command, especially