they may approve themselves to him, and have his glory fet before their eyes, as the end of their actions: They are all gone out of the way; the Hebrew word fignifieth, they are gone back, turned afide, rehelled, become perverfe, rebellious and refractory or contumacious; the fame word is ufed, Hof. iv. 18. and there rendered four, expreffing their filthy drunkenness and gluttony to be fuch, as they caft up ftinking vomitings, or fo engorged their ftomach, as the drink fours upon it, and corrupts; fo they became like four ftinking drink, as it were caften up again. They are together become unprofitable, the Hebrew word fignifieth, they are altogether become filthy, ftinking, like froath, they are become rotten, and fo unfavoury and ufelefs, and good for nothing: There is none that doth good, no not one, there is none fo meek and jocund as to be ready to do good to others, no not fo much as one. The force of the apoftle's argument from this citation may be this; Thofe who are foolish, inconfiderate, without any faving practical knowledge of God, and are not careful to know God, nor his mind, and the way to please him; but are gone back and proven rebellious, and become fo filthy, abominable, and unprofitable, and every way ufelefs; cannot be counted juft by the law. But fo it is, that the moft part of the visible church in David's days, even all that were in black nature, not enlightened by God's word, nor fanctified by his Spirit, which were the greatest part by far, were fuch; and fuch as they were, are all by nature, (there being no difference betwixt one and another, by nature, until grace put a difference :) Therefore, &c. HENCE OBSERVE, I. The fcripture rightly studied and applied, will abundantly convince every man of his natural depravity and wickedness; and the little ferious confideration and fearching of God's mind out of his word in this particular, is the caufe why many remain ignorant of their natural condition, and never win to take up themselves aright, or to have right thoughts of themfelves, or to fee an abfolute neceffity of flying out of themfelves to feek for life and falvation in and thro' a Mediator; and there is that in the fcriptures, as being the unerring word of truth, fet out by the Spirit of truth, that will fettle the confcience in the belief of a truth, and filence all contrary objections, when it is fpiritually confidered and applied: all which Paul teacheth here, by bringing in fcripture proof, after all his former arguments, to convince the Jews of their fin; fhewing that their vain and foolish conceit of themfelves, flowed from their ignorance of the fcriptures; and now he would have them refting fatisfied, as fully confirmed of the truth of their natural depravity, upon thefe evidences brought from fcripture, in the last place; for he addeth, as it is written, &c. II. Let doctrines propofed feem never fo probable, and the propofers never fo judicious and racional, yet that should not be a fufficient ground for us upon which to reft perfuaded of the truth of thefe doctrines; but we must to the law and to the testimony, Ifa. viii. 20. and must try the Spirits, whether they be of God or not, i John iv. 1.; but that which folely, (in matters weighty and fundamental, and which are determined in the word) fhould move us to reft affured of the truth thereof, is, for thus it is written: Therefore Paul, tho' an apostle, will not have them taking this folely upon his word, but puts them to this, as it is written: the doctrines of the beft, even tho' angels, fhould be tried, whether it be another gofpel which they hear, or not: See Gal. i. 8. 9. III. It is impudent boldness, ignorance, and rafhnefs, for men under whatsoever pretext, and feeming colour, to go and curtail the law, and only rule by which they ought to walk, both in point of doctrine and manners, and to impair that' precious touch-itone, by which truth fhould be difcerned from error; feeing the apoftle Paul maketh ufe of the Old Teftament fcriptures, to confirm what he was faying; neceffary to be known, are frequently af ferted, and again and again confirmed, that for Paul's doing fo teacheth us, that asere may be no place left of doubting, and Old Teftament fcriptures are of force and authority, even after Chrift is both dead and rifen again, to confirm new gofpel truths; fo we may lawfully look upon the Old Teftament (excepting what was ceremonial, reprefenting, as a fhadow, Chrift the fubftance) as yet of force to direct us both in doctrine and manners, according to which we ought to walk; for Paul citeeth the Pfalms and Efaias's prophecy, to confirm his doctrine. IV. That all by nature are finful and corrupt, and fo cannot walk in perfect conformity unto the law of God, and therefore cannot be juftified by the works of the law, is a truth, which both law and gofpel, Old and New Teftament, do jointly, and with one confent, affirm: This is clear from Paul's proving this pofition from the Old Teftament. V. It is a duty lying on minifters, who hold forth truth unto people, and press them to duty, to examine well what they fay, and prefs, by the unerring rule of the word, and to affert nothing but what they have a warrant for from the word of the Lord; they ought to speak nothing of their own head, but according as it is written: for even Paul an apoftle (and fo much more we, who are not fo immediately infpired, and acted by an infallible Spirit, as he and the reft of the apoftles were, 2 Pet. i. 21.) would bring forth nothing but what he had a warrant for; and therefore fubjoins this, as it is written. VI. Tho' one word of fcripture be enough to perfuade us of the truth of what is therein afferted, being the word of one who cannot lie; yet seeing the Lord hath condefcended fo far, as to give us fuch an ample and rich treasure, wherein not only is contained all things neceffary for us to know, but even many things, efpecially fuch as are fundamental and moft that they who will remain ignorant may be made fo much the more without excufe, it is the duty of minifters, efpecially when they have to do with fuch as will hardly drink in thofe truths, having fome prejudice at them, (as the Jews had at this, which Paul was afferting here,) to be much in inculcating thefe truths from feripture, and in bringing feveral teftimonies, the more to confirm and clear the point, and the more to wind it in upon their confciences; confidering of what neceflity it is for them to be clear in thefe fundamentals, and neceffary truths, and how bufy Satan will be to juftle out thefe neceffary points, and ward them off; after the apoftle's example here, who contents not himself with one or two teftimonies, tho' they had been fufficient for the confirmation of the truth, in fuch a fundamental point as this is, but ufeth many, from feveral places, to this purpose, fome five or fix. VII. The Spirit of God fpeaking in the fcriptures, by the mouth of his fervants, is ftill the Spirit of truth, the fame uniform Spirit, not fpeaking one thing by one, and the contrary by another; tho' blind man oftentimes cannot fee the threed by which feveral truths are knit together: for we fee David and Ifaiah, tho' fpeaking at feveral times, upon feveral occafions, and for diftinct purpofes, yet both, as guided by one and the fame unerring Spirit, do jointly fet their fhoulder to the upholding of this truth; and this fhould not a little confirm us of the divine authority of the fcriptures, that we fee fuch a harmony and concord among the penmen, who spoke as they were acted by the Holy Ghoft, that there is not the leaft contradiction among them: this Paul teacheth us by citeing David and Ifaiah both, as feting to their feal unto this truth, which he was affirming. VIII. A point may be a fcripture truth, tho' tho' it cannot be proved from fcripture in fo many words and fyllables; and it is a molt unreasonable thing, and unwarranted in the word of God, to accept of nothing as fcripture truth, but what is fo proved, and to caft at all truths, tho' confirmed by never fo clear proofs drawn from fcripture, by neceffary confequence; as if the meaning and reafon of the text were not a better evidence, than the bare words without the meaning; and as if we were not commanded to fearch into this mine, and to tudy the fcriptures, that we may find out the Lord's mind, by comparing one place with another, 1 Cor. ii. 13.----Comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual: and as if nothing at all could be proved from fcripture, nor no truth affirmed, or preached, but what were fet down, in as many charafters in the fcriptures: for Paul, who knew the mind of the Spirit fpeaking in the feriptures, and what was fcripture, and what not, better than we, makes ufe of rational confequences from fcripture; and accounts it a fcriptural truth, no lefs than if it were fet down in as many fyllables and words: for here he is to prove, that mong the Jews there was none righteous, as not one; and among all the places brought by him to confirm this, there is not one of them that has it in as many fyllables; only they prove it by neceffary confequence, and yet Paul in citeing them fays, as it is written, or it is written there is none righteous, no not one; to teach us, that we may no lefs fay, that that is written, which is aly drawn by confequence from what is Written, than that which is fet down in exprefs terms. Moreover, when Paul eth rather the fenfe than the words (for the words run thus, The Lord looked down fee if there was any that did understand, and Paul takes the meaning, and fays, There is none that doth understand) he givthus to know, that the meaning and fenfe of fcripture, and not the bare letter and ables, is that which we should take for Scripture. IX. It is very profitable and useful, for every one, to be often taking a lively view of their natural condition, and to be geting it convincingly and undeniably born in upon the confcience, so as it may not be eafily juftled out, both as to the keeping of them humble, under enjoyments and privileges, and magnifying free grace in their eyes, that hath any refpect to the like of them, and fitting them for welcoming Jefus Chrift, and juftification through him, without the works of the law: hence it is that Paul, having in the foregoing verfe faid, We have proved both Jew and Gentile under fin, comes over it again in this. tenth verfe, and fays, I here is none righteous, no not one.. X. Howbeit the pride of vain man be fuch, that he would fill be at the way of wining to heaven by the covenant of works, and is averfe to the way of faith, and trufting to another for juftification and falvation, and therefore is ftill imagining a righteoufness in himself; yet it is an immoveable and unqueftionable truth, and ftill will be in all ages, that there is none righteous, no not one. However fome may have more moral honefty than others, and not be altogether fo grofs; yea, and fome thro' grace may be helped to more confor-mity unto the law; yet as to a full conformity, and fuch a conformity as the covenant of works requireth, for the attaining of life by, this truth ftandeth unfhaken, There is none righteous, no not one: There is none that dare plead the fulfilling of the law in their own perfon, no not the holieft.. XI. There is fuch a likenefs betwixt the godly and the wicked, in refpect of their natures, all being pieces of one lump and mafs, that whatever is verified of the one, will hold true likewife of the other; and where-ever outbreakings and actual tranfgreffions are, they may abundantly lead us in to know what a foul fountain nature is, that fends forth corrupt muddy water: and hence it is, that one man's tranf tranfgreffion will prove all unrighteous, in regard that one man's tranfgreffion will fufficiently prove that man's nature corrupt; for a corrupt tree hath corrupt fruit; and all men have one and the fame nature, fince Adam's breach of covenant: for thus argueth the apoftle, from the iniquities of the wicked, mentioned in the places cited afterward, that there is none righteous, no not one; where alfo we fee a neceffity of Paul's making ufe of many confequences to prove this. From the text cited OBSERVE, I. As fin may fo far prevail, as to cover the face of a vifible church, and become univerfal, fo as very few may be free of the contagion; fo it fhould be matter of mourning, and a great regret unto God's own people, who have gotten grace to keep their garments clean, when the generality have corrupted their ways; as it was to godly David here, when he faw that the generality were gone wrong, it was a matter of heavy regret to him, and it went fo near his heart, that he could not win off it, but came over it, and over it again, as being much affected therewith; therefore does he fet it down in two feveral Pfalms, viz. Pfal. xiv. and liii. that there is none that understandeth, &c. themselves; and however they may take up a formal, fuperficial way of ferving God; yet with fuch God will not be mocked: but for all that, if they be not fetting themselves to feek God diligently, affiduoufly, with all the heart, in the right manner, and tor the right end, he will pafs this judgment on them, that they are not feckers of God. And this neglect of right feeking after God, is a fruit and evidence of their ignorance of him: for let men profefs what knowledge of God they pleate, if they be not taking pains to be favingly and heartily acquainted with God, their practice doth belye their profession : for with this, that there is none that underftandeth, is joined, and there is none that feeketh after God. IV. Tho' the Lord, in his wifdom and infinite goodness, hath carved out a way wherein a man ought to walk, and clearly delineated every step thereof; yet fuch is the wickedness of man by nature, as that he will not walk in that way, but stubbornly and proudly will turn afide, and rebel against God and his laws, and prove contumacious and refractory; and the conftant courfe of wicked, unregenerate folks is out of the right path, and still afide: therefore it is added, They are all gone out of the way. II. Howbeit carnal unregenerate men V. Folks rebellion, and fwerving from may seem to be prudent and provident e- the law of the Lord, and turning aside from nough, and wife in their own generation, the right ways of the Lord, is a neceffary and active enough in going about their refult and confequence of their want worldly bufinefs; yet all their wit, how faving knowledge and fpiritual understand deep foever it be, in ploting and contriving, and of their neglect of feeking afte ing things of ftate, or touching their own particulars, is but black ignorance before God: and for all the wit they have in their head, they are, in God's account, without knowledge and understanding, feeing they know not God in a faving, practical manner: therefore fays he, There is none that underftandeth; they are void of that knowledge which is only worth the name. III. Whatever forms and out-fide vizors wicked men may put on, to deceive God, as their end and happiness; whe folks propofe not a right end, they car not take the right means: and therefo followeth, they are all gone out of the zea upon their want of knowledge, and fecking after God. Vl. As it is a honour and credit man to be a conftant follower of the L and to be walking in his ways; fo, howe fools think, it is the high way to fhame: difgrace, to be following a course of fea fection: for the fame word which fignifieth, to turn afide, or to rebel, fignifieth alfo, to grow four and taftlefs; to fhow, that fuch as make defection from God, they lofe their beauty, their taste and relish, and become four and unfavory. VII. When once men caft off God and his fervice, and follow ways of their own, the Lord either blasts them, that they can do no good, neither in kirk nor commonwealth, or whatever they do is in no esteem with God, but altogether unprofitable : and the high way to render men bafe, naughty, rotten, unfavory, and ufelefs, is to turn their backs on God: for it is add ed, they are become unprofitable, and useless, as ftinking froath. VIII. As fin is a moft bewitching thing, inticeing many; fo were there never fo many joining hand in fin, yea, even tho' the generality were going all one way, and following all one courfe of rebellion, their fin is no whit the lefs, nor will the bitter fruits of fin be any thing impaired; their numeroufnefs will not prove a fconce to fave them for the deferts of fin: for, as there was many of them together, fo, for all that, it is faid, they were altogether become filthy, or unprofitable. There being many of them together in this guilt, did not fave them from being all unprofitable, and becoming rotten and unfavory. IX. The unprofitablenefs of the wicked is proved and made out by this, that they❘ neither do, nor can do any thing that is good, or acceptable, and all that which they do is evil, and only evil, and continually evit; for while a man is unregenerate, and hath not fled in to Chrift, there is nothing he doth, or can do, that is acceptable in God's eyes; for all his actions, civil, natural, moral, or chriftian, not being done in faith, are but fin before God, Rom. xiv. 23. therefore fays the Pfalmift, There is none that doth good. X. However God may reftrain fome wicked men, as he did Abimelech from Wronging Sarah, fo as they become not altogether fo extravagant in their wicked courfes, as others who take great delight in finning, but, in point of morality, may be of a more tight, civil, polished life and converfation than the openly debauched; yet, nothing they do is acceptable in God's eyes, as long as they are out of Chrift: therefore it is faid, There is none that doth good, no not one, among all the unrenewed. VERSE 13. Their throat is an open fepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poifon of afps is under their lips. THE HE next teftimony is taken from Pfal. v. 9. where David is dealing with God, that he would guide him by his counfel, for he had to do with enemies that were watching for his halting, and therefore he fays, verfe 8th. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteoufnefs, because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. And this his petition he backs with arguments, taken from the nature and difpofition of his enemies, which made his danger fo much the greater; and among other things which he defcribeth them from, this is one: 1. That their throat is an open fepulchre: A metaphorical fpeech, but moft fignificant, holding forth their blood-thirstinefs, like an open grave ready to devour all the dead laid into it; and their infatiablenefs, that they can never be farisfied till they have him devoured; for the grave is never fatisfied, Prov. xxx. 16. As alfo, holding forth their carnal threatenings, their throat belching out nothing but flaughter and deftruction, as Prov. i. 12. and their horrible blafphemous fpeeches, which was like a filthy ftinking fmell, fent out from an opened grave. Or alfo, to hold forth their labouring to infnare him, and their fares to entrap him, and fo were like an open grave, which, in the nighttime, is ready to enfrare folk, and to make them ftumble. 2. He fays, They flatter with their tongues; for fo it is in the ori |