A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 3 · Exposition of verse 19
Verſe 19. Now wee know that whatſoeuer the Law ſaith, it ſaith it to them which are vnderunder the Law, that eueryevery mouth may be stopped, and all the world be culpable before God.
IN this verſe the Apoſtle preoccupa…es the exception of the Iewes Ob. Theſe teſtimonies conclude not vsus, but Gentiles. Anſ. Firſt, the records out of which they are drawne proue the contrarie; that Iewes eſpecially are here meant: what ſoeuer the law ſaith, it ſaith to them in the Law: but theſe things the law ſaith, therefore Iewes who onelyonly had the giuing of the LawoRom. 9.4., here eſpecially are intended: ſecondly, à fine: the ende of theſe and like ſpeeches in ſcripture, is that eueryevery mouth may be ſtopped, and the whole world be culpable before God. But except Iewes be here concluded; their mouthes are not ſtopped. Ergo.
Senſe. What the Law ſaith: Law: firſt, Scripture; Synecdochically; as Pſal. 19. & 119. &c. to them in the law, that is, to that people to whom God gaue his word written; ſuch were IewespRom. 3.2. Pſal. 147.19.20 Obſer..
Now that wee may here obſerue is; how deſirous nature is to ſhift off from it ſelfe the ſtroke of the word of GodqIoh. 9.40.: eſpecially where it cenſureth and condemneth of vnrighteouſneſſe; firſt, ſuch hypocrites are we by nature; ſecondly, and ſo deſirous to ſeeme ſomething, more then our brethren.
This that we hauehave dayly experience of in our miniſterie; Vſe. let a Miniſter deale in reproofe of any particular ſinne, our peoples vſe is to ſhare out to others their portion; he met with ſuch a one and told him his owne; vvhereas alas, if we had wiſedome to propound the queſtion, as the diſciples in that indefinite ſpeech of our Sauiour, one of you ſhall betray mee, and aske, is it I? vvee ſhould finde our ſelues the perſon meant; at leaſt by what is reproued in others; might ſee old Adam reproued in our ſelues; and take occaſion by correction of other mens breaking out into action, to bewaile and ſtriue againſt our owne inclinations.
For this cauſe, conſider wee, Obſer. what the Apoſtle addeth; what the law ſaith, it ſaith to them in the law; to them onelyonly and to them all; vnderſtand it generallie; firſt, of preſcription: ſecondly, reproofe: thirdly, inditement; fourthly, of commination: fiftly, condemnation. Duties equally preſcribed to all; breaches of duties equally reproued in all: tranſgreſſions equallie accuſed in all: puniſhment equallie threatned to all: ſentence of death equally paſſed on all that tranſgreſſerGal. 3.10..
Vſe. And I could wiſh, and doe pray, this might ſincke into the mindes of thoſe, that pleade exemption from obedience, and fondly expect immunitie from puniſhments threatned in the law. Who is the Lord (ſaith Pharaoh prophanely) that I, a King as I am; ſhould heare his voice, and let Iſrael goesExod. 5 2.?
Thus minded as Pharaoh, alas, how many are there? Deuotion is fit for Church-men; and religion for idlers, that hauehave nought elſe to doe; Amaziah vvill hauehave Amos diſmiſſed from Bethel tAm. 6.12.13.: ſinnes in the countrey, are no ſinnes in court. Prophecie in Iudah, &c. would GOD this corruption ſtayed onelyonly in Kings Courts; though they alſo ſhould remember their Lord is in heauen; that Rex Regum and Dominus Dominatum; whoſe law imperiall, reproues, accuſeth, threateneth; condemneth the ſinnes of all without partiality.
That eueryevery mouth may be stopped, &c. whether this, foreign, That, declare the intention of God, in thus conuincing vsus of ſinne by the law, or the euent onelyonly, there is ſome doubt, it is ſometimes put for foreign, ſo that; a note of illation rather then of intention.
I hauehave in the Analyſis interpreted in the firſt ſenſe, with other expoſitors; and leaue it in medio; becauſe the oddes is not much in the ſubſtance of the concluſion. EueryEvery mouth might be stopped Metaphora; that is, that all men might be put to ſilence, for any claime they can make to righteouſnes or ſaluation by the law; or as others, from boaſting of their own righteouſnes as verſe 27. or for iuſtifying themſelues in Gods ſight.
And all the world.] Firſt, not Gentiles onelyonly but Iewes alſo, all ſonnes of Adam be obnoxious or culpable before God. foreign; impleadable as guilty of tranſgreſſion, and ſo ſubiect to condemnation.
Now hath the Lord ſufficiently conuicted vsus of tranſgreſſion, Vſe. and ſtopped the mouths of all men from clayming righteouſneſſe by the law? Then how dares fleſh and bloud, open their mouth once to plead for iuſtification by the law? why doe wee not rather lay our hand vponupon our mouth, and ſupplicate to our iudge; be our righteouſnes in ſhew neuer ſo greatuIob. 9.15.? are we ſo loth to be beholden to our God for righteouſnes? had we rather magnifie the power of Nature, then tranſcribe glory of righteouſnes and ſaluation to the grace of our God? Surely, ſaith Paul, they muſt iudge, accuſe, condemne themſelues, that will eſcape the ſeueritie of Gods iudgementvv1 Cor. 11.32 foreign; impleadable as guilty; and ſubiect to condemnation; that this is the ſtate of all men, ſee teſtimoniesxGal. 3.10.: and if there vvere nothing elſe, yet that trembling of the conſcience at the leaſt euidence of Gods wrath, vvould ſufficiently euince ityIſay 57.20.21.: and Examples. Gen. 4.13.14. Mat. 27.4.
Now Lord that wee had eyes to ſee, Vſe. and hearts to feele this miſerie wherein we are by naturezEpheſ. 2.3.: wee had gone a good ſtep towards our happineſſeaMat. 5.3.4. Luke 18.13.14.: and let vsus all pray God to giuegive vsus that eye ſalue of his ſpirit; to ſee how miſerable, wretched, poore, blinde, and naked vve are by naturebApoc. 3.17..