A Key to the Key of Scripture, Title page – To the reader
A KEY TO THE KEY OF SCRIPTVRE: OR AN EXPOSITION with Notes, vponupon the Epiſtle to the ROMANES; the three firſt Chapters: Begun at Walſall in Staffordſhire, continued at Pitmiſter in Somerſet.
By William Sclater Batchelar in Diuinitie, and Miniſter of the Word of God at Pitmiſter in Somerſet.
LONDON: Printed by T. S. for George Norton, and are to be ſould at his ſhop neere Temple-barre. 1611.
TO THE RIGHT VVorſhipfull Sir. Henry Hawley Knight, Mr. John Simmes Eſquire, one of his Maieſties Iuſtices of Peace, in the County of Somerſet, Mr. Roger Warre, Mr. Richard Warre, Mr. Thomas Warre, Eſquires, grace and peace.
RIght Worſhipfull,a2 Pet. 1.13.14 St. Peter foreſeeing, by ſpeciall reuelation, the nighneſſe of his departure, thought it a part of dutie, ſo long as hee was in this Tabernacle, to ſtirre vp the people of God, by putting them in remembrance, and, as it ſhould ſeeme, iudged it not enough to teach voce & exemplo, except hee alſo left behinde him, a liuing remembrancer in writing: as if hee had conceiued the triple, paſce, giuen him in charge, to import as much, as paſce verbo, paſce exemplo, paſce ſcripto. The ſame, vponupon like ground, I cannot but acknowledge a duty in mee. Reuelation I hauehave none, but ſenſible notices enow, frequent infirmities, proclamers of mortalitie, that ſeeme to threaten a ſpeedy diſſolution of mine earthly tabernacle. God may be pleaſed to ſupport it, beyond my hopes, and aduiſed deſires; how euer, my prayer is, if God be ſo pleaſed, that my Maſter, when hee comesbLuk. 12.43., may finde me ſo doing, and my people hauehave ſome meanes to keepe in remembrance doctrines taught them.cHeb. 2.1. How leaking, and ſieue-like our veſſell of memory is, in retayning the liquor of diuine truth, whoſe wofull experience teacheth not? If I may heale theſe breaches in my people, and any whit further the faith of Gods Church, I hauehave my deſire, and ſhall glorifie God in this behalfe. The inſcription is yours by iuſt title; as, for the manie perſonall deſernings of you all at my hands, ſo for the ſupport, ſome of you affoorded to my preſſures: and help you lent mee in bringing theſe rude notes to their firſt light, which otherwiſe had periſhed, as abortiues, through malice of the aduerſary. You delight not in complements, elſe would I giuegive them. Thus onelyonly I pray to be reputed, thankfull: thus onelyonly to be recompenſed, with your conſcionable peruſing of what is here preſented. The many ſcapes, which as a man, I hauehave made, let your louelove couer. The helpes, if any, brought to the vnderſtanding of this Epiſtle, (iuſtly termed by Diuines The Key of Scripture) vſe to your further edifying in our moſt holy faith. I end with that prayer of Paul for Oneſiphorus. 1 Tim. 1.16.18The Lord grant mercy to you and your houſholdes, that hauehave ſo many wayes and often refreſhed me, and were not aſhamed of mine afflictions. The Lord graunt you, to finde mercy with the Lord at that day, Amen.
From Pitmiſter, May 5. 1611. Your Worſhips in all Chriſtian reſpectfulneſſe William Sclater.
To the Reader.
CHriſtian Reader, thou haſt here ſome part of that paynes, ſo long expected, ſo much deſired. As Caleb and Ioſua ſent forth to bring tidings and taſt of the promiſed land; ſo theſe, to taſt the acceptance, the reſt ſhall expect, from the Church of God. My deſire was, to hauehave forth-ſent them, with greater company, and better furniture: if either mine owne inceſſant imployments, would hauehave permitted more, or friends reſtleſſe opportunitie, had not extorted theſe. Where I fault, ſmite me friendly: it ſhall be as balme to mine head, and perhaps an Antidote to preuent the like, in that which followeth. Be intreated to conferre the Text with the gloſſe: and if I be not deceiued, thou ſhalt finde the fruit, ſuch as needs not to be repented. Now the Lord, ſole giuer of increaſe to our Labours, make it fruitfull, to the comfort of thy conſcience, and furtherance of thy faith. Amen.
Thine in Chriſt William Sclater.
AN EXPOSITION VPONUPON THE THREE FIRST Chapters of the EPISTLE of Saint Paul to the Romanes.
The Occaſion and Scope of the Epiſtle.
THE occaſion of this Epiſtle ſeemes this: Report of manifold diſagreements, both in iudgement and affection, riſen in the Church of Rome; conſiſting partly of Iewes, partly of Gentiles. The Iewes ſome of them wholy oppugning the Goſpell, others mingling Law and Goſpell together, in the caſe of Iuſtification; and ioyntly all excluding Gentiles from fellowſhip in Chriſt. The Gentiles againe, proudly inſulting ouer the Iewes; becauſe God, hauing reiected the body of the Iewes from being his people, had grafted them into the body of Chriſt. Now to allay all theſe controuerſies and to ſettle them in truth, and vnitie of iudgement and affections, the Apoſtle, being hindered from comming to them, deales by letters.