A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 2 · Exposition of verse 13-15
Verſe 13. For the hearers of the Law are not righteous before God: but the doers of the Law ſhall be iuſtified.
Verſe 14. For when the Gentiles which hauehave not the Law, doe by nature the things contained in the Law, they hauing not the Law, are a Law vntounto themſelues.
Verſe 15. Which ſhew the effect of the Law written in their hearts, their conſcience alſo bearing witneſſe, and their thoughts accuſing one another, or excuſing.
THeſe three verſes included in a parentheſis, containe anſwere to obiections that might be made out of the twelfe verſe. As firſt, whereas Paul had ſaid, that the Iewes, ſinning in the law, ſhould be iudged and condemned by the law: the Iewes might thus except; that they are hearers of the law, and therfore not culpable of iudgement, by the law: Anſ. The Apoſtle anſweres to the conſequence: though hearers, yet not therefore free from the ſentence ot the law; reaſon, for not the hearers, but the doers of the law ſhall be iuſtified; hearing ſufficeth not, except there be doing alſo; the Gentiles plea for themſelues, is alſo propounded and anſwered, ver. 14 as we ſhall anone ſee.
For the meaning of the words, ſhall be iuſtified, it may be demanded what is here meant by iuſtifying, whether abſolution and acquitall from guilt of ſinne, and acceptation for righteous: or rather being made righteous by inherent iuſtice. Rhemists here triumph ouer vsus as making iuſtification, in this and all other places, to ſignifie nothing elſe but acquitall from ſinne, and acceptation for righteous. Anſ. Wherein firſt they ſlander vsus; for none of vsus teach that to be iuſtified alwayes ſignifieth to be abſolued from ſinne. Vt ſupra in Capite primo. ver. 17. Neither in this and other like legall ſentences, vrge wee that ſignification of the word; but to be iuſtified, we ſay in the tearmes of the law, ſignifies to be righteous by inherent iuſtice; and accordingly to be accepted as iuſt in the ſight of God: now whereas they hence inferre, that therfore good works iuſtifie a man in the ſight of God, and to that purpoſe alleadge this place, the doers of the Law ſhall be iuſtified. Anſ. Wee anſwere, that this ſentence is to be vnderſtood hypothetically; that is thus; that a man ſhall be iuſtified by the workes of the law; if he do the workes of the law; as the law preſcribes them to be done; & this is indeed the drift of the Apoſtle, as appeares to any man reading the place with attention, and iudgement: not ſimply to ſhew how a ſinner is iuſtified before God, but to ſhew what is requiſite to iuſtification, according to the tenour of the law: to wit, not the hearing onelyonly, but doing; and that in ſuch ſort, as the law preſcribes: and ſo we ſay, that if there be any man that ſhall bring vntounto the Lord the perfect obedience of the law, of his owne performing; that man ſhall be iuſtified, yea and ſaued by his workes; but in as much as no man, neyther naturall nor regenerate, can ſo fulfill the law as the law requires, therefore ſtill wee conclude, that a man is iuſtified by faith without the workes of the law. Thus much of the meaning: ſee now the inſtructions.
Obſer. And hence firſt may be collected, that the bare hearing of the law, ſufficeth not to iuſtification, in the ſight of GOD; becauſe it is ſo plaine, proofes needs not to be annexed: it hath truth both in law and Goſpell.
Vſe. And it may be applyed to the ouerthrow of all that vaine confidence, that our vulgar people hauehave in the worke done of religion: as how ſee wee in common experience our people thinke it enough to ſaluation, that they keepe their Church, are baptiſed, receiue Sacraments, ſay ouer their Pater-noſter euening and morning? things that euen Atheiſts may performe, Luke 81 13.14.15. Iam. 1 2….
Obſer. But more ſpecially here obſerue, that the Couenant of the law requires perfect obedience to righteouſnes and ſaluation, Mat. 1….17. Gal 3.13.
In which obedience theſe things muſt concurre according to the tenour of the law: firſt, that it be performed by our ſelues, for the law reueales not the mediatour: ſecondly, it muſt be inward, as well as outwardbRom. 7.14.: thirdly, perfect in parts and degreescDeut. 6.5.: fourthly, conſtant and continuall from the conception, without the leaſt interruption, through the whole courſe of the lifedGal. 3.10.: the leaſt thought diſſonant from the law, laying vsus open to the curſe.
Vſe. Whence it will eaſily follow, againſt all iuſticiaries: that no fleſh can be iuſtified in Gods ſight, by the works of the law, in as much as we are al tranſgreſſorseRom 8.3., which reaſon concludes as well men in grace as thoſe in their pure naturalsfPſal. 143.3.: this queſtion will be more ſeaſonablie diſcuſſed in the proceſſe of the Epiſtle; and therfore I here paſſe it ouer: onelyonly I ſay as Paul, Gal. 4.21. When hee had fully proued this point: tell mee ſaith he, you that will needs be vnderunder the law, and require righteouſneſſe and ſaluation thereby; do you not heare the law? you muſt perfectly keepe the law in all points, if you will be iuſtified thereby; which if it be impoſſible to fleſhgRom. 8.3., and wee hauehave all fleſh, though mingled with ſpirit after gracehRom. 7. Gal. 5.17., why ſtand we out at the ſtaues end with the Lord? refuſing his gracious offer of righteouſneſſe made vsus in Chriſt Ieſus. But to proceede.