: ginal; but Paul, following the Seventy, has it thus, With their tongues they have ujed deceit, or laboured to deceive, or dealt deceitfully; but all is one, for flatterers ufe deceit and having their tongues divided from their hearts, (as the word fig. nitying to flatter, fignifieth alfo to divide and feparate) they make their words fmooth as butter, and flatter, to the end they may deceive: So David fays of these his enemies, they fmooth and sweeten their words, as who but they, and yet they are but falfe and deceitful, labouring to deceive me, for they are but flatterers. The third teftimony, viz. The poifon of afps is under their lips, is taken from Pfal. cxl. 3. Where David is again troubled with his enemies, and goes to God for help and falvation, and fays, verfe ift, Deliver me, O Lord; and for arguments he layeth forth the difpofition and carriage of his enemies; and, among other things, fays this of them, That the poison of afps, or adders, is under their lips. A very emphatic fpeech, to hold forth the cruelty of their wrath and indignation, and the malicioufnefs of their wrathful fpeeches: their wrath and indignation was hot and burning like fire, and fo was as venom, which burns up and confumes the vitals, for the word rendered poifon, cometh from a verb fignifying to burn. And, fays he, the poifon of afps; a worfe kind of ferpents, which, as fome fay, fpeweth out its venom afar off, and that most quickly; and tho' at first it tickle and delight the man whom it toucheth, yet prefently it difperfeth the poifon thro' all the veins, and striketh a man with a deadly fleep, and fo killeth, for its wound is incurable, unlefs the part hurt be prefently cut off; to fhew the malicioufnefs and venomoufnefs of his enemies, who fpewed out damnable and virulent expreffions, in their heat and rage, as deadly as the poifon of the worst of ferpents, killing afar off. HENCE LEARN, I. As all the unregenerate are fold un der fin, and lying under the dominion thereof by nature; fo they are flaves and fervants thereunto, and yield their members weapons of unrighteousness, and are nimble fervants to Satan, with foot and hand, and all for him for here we fee that with all their members they work wickedness, throat, tongue, lips, mouth, fout, and band, &c. II. Such is the malice that wicked children of Satan have against the children of God, that they are ftill fet on edge against them, feeking by all means to destroy them, and never will be in peace fo long as they are undeftroyed; fo cruel and unmerciful are they, when they can get their mifchievous purpofes followed forth, and if God's grace preferved not his own out of their hands, they would be but like a dead man caft into an open grave; for their throat is as an open fepulchre. III. As the heart of the unrenewed is full of rottennefs, and wickedness; fo, feeing out of the abundance of the heart the mouth Speaks, their expreffions are most unfavory and corrupt, and as loathfome to God and the godly, as the ftinking favour of a rotten grave; their difcourfes are not, for the most part, heavenly, but carnal, noughty, filthy, and rotten; fmelling of much rottennefs and wickednefs within 1 heir throat is an open fepulchre. IV. So like are the unrenewed natural men unto their father the devil, that, as he was a liar from the begining, fo they have learned of him to flatter and deceive, for their own bafe ends, and can glofs over their devilish purpofes and projects, with fair pretexts and words; and when they pretend molt refpect and kindness unto the Lord's children, they intend most mifchief; for they can flatter, that they may deceive, with their tongue, and ufe deceit. V. So ftrong and irreconcileable is that enmity, which is betwist the feed of the woman and the feed of the ferpent, that wicked, gracelefs, unrenewed fouls have a heart hatred against the godly; that they they can hardly fpeak a good word of them, with good will; and when they dare vent themselves, and are countenanced in their wickedness, and encouraged, then they fpue out the venom and poifon of their hearts,' and their devilith rage gets vent, and they express themselves moft malici-bours: for with their curfing is joined oufly, and all their words are like fharpen- bitterness, whereof their mouth is full ed arrows, diped in moft deadly poifon, alfo. and thereby they would kill, if they could, both foul and body; for the poison of afps is under their lips. themfelves bitterly and unbefeemingly against God, but by their horrible blafphemies and curfings, will wrong his name, will not ftand to wound the good name, and, by their amarulent, bitter fpeeches, hurt the credit and efteem of their neigh III. It is too great an evidence that men are given to use deceit and craftinefs, and are set to wrong their neighbours by fraudulent dealing, when they are given to VERSE 14. Whofe mouth is full of curfing fwearing, and all their expreffions are and bitterness. THE backed with horrible oaths, and direful imprecations and curfings: for as their mouth is full of curfing, fo of deceit, according to the Hebrew text. 'HE fourth teftimony is taken out of Pfal. x. 7. where David is giving a defcription of the wicked; of whom he fays, Their mouth is full of curfing and deteit; but Paul turns it here, Their mouth is full of curfing and bitterness, therein fol-Destruction and mifery are in their ways: lowing the Seventy, who poffibly read And the way of peace have they not known. וּמִרְכוֹת fignifying bitternes, for וּמְרוֹרוֹת fignifying deceits: However, hereby is held forth, what the nature of his enemies was; they were much given to horrible blafphemy, curfing, reviling, and falfe accufing, with oaths and horrible imprecations, with curfes annexed: and all their words were bitter, falfe and fraudulent. HENCE OBSERVE, L. It is a black mark of a child of Satan, and one in black nature, and under the bonds of fin, to be much given to curfing and fwearing; reviling and menacing the Cldren of God, accufing them, with horrible imprecations and curfes, if their actations be not true: And fuch is the levous wickednefs of the enemies of God's children, that they will, with great bidness and confidence, lay falfe things to their charge, and with fuch and fuch curfes to light upon them, if all be not true ich they fay; for David's enemies had beir mouths full of curfing. II. Such as will not forbear to exprefs VERSES 15. 16. 17. Their feet are fwift to fhed blood. THE fifth teftimony is from Ifa. lix. 7. 8. where the prophet is relating fe veral of the enormities of that people, which were the caufe of thefe fad calamities that did ly heavy upon them; and therefore fays, Their feet run to evil, and they make hafte to fhed innocent blood:---wasting and destruction are in their paths, and the way of peace they know not. Now, the apoftle, in citeing this place, flicks not at the words, but contents himself with the fenfe, and faith, Their feet are fwift to fhed blood, leaving out innocent, as the Seventy do. Destruction (or rather contrition, as the Greek word properly fignineth, which the Seventy and Paul ufe; the Hebrew word indeed fignifieth vaftation, deftruction, fpoliation, rapine; but the Greek word ufed by the Seventy, who poffibly read with the point on the left fide, fignifying contrition or bruifing, comeing from a verb fignifying to break or bruife, for with points on both fides, fignifying deftruction and vaftation, figni N fieth once imagine, they run violently, and are mad to get it done. II. Such hatred and malice have the wicked conceived against the godly, that they cannot live in peace befide them; and fo imbittered are their hearts against them, that they would take all courfes to ruin, destroy, crush under feet, and grind them to powder, if they could; they carry fuch rancour and fpleen at them, that they could even find in their heart to eat them with their teeth, and make pot-meat of them, and ftill are molefting them, and keeping them in hot water; for deftruction and mifery are in their ways. fierh contrition, bruifing, or the like) and mifery (or calamity that cometh through con tinual and troublesome fightings; and the Hebrew word fignifieth tuch contrition and fraction as followeth chewing, for the fame word fignifieth both meat and contrition) are in their paths; their ways, and caufeys, or high streets, as the fame word is rendered, Ifa. vii. 3. and xxxii. 8. And the way of peace have they not known. By all which is held forth, their cruelty and bloodinefs; they were prompt, and ready, and at a call, to fhed innocent blood, as Prov. i. 16. they run violently after fuch finful and cruel courfes, and their common and ordinary way of walking is nothing but to wafte and deftroy, fpoil and rob the poor, to break and crush them under their feet, as fo many clods of earth; and to endeavour to bruise them in pieces, and chew them as small as meat; they are fet on nothing but mifchief and deftruction, to ruin and vex, with continual fightings, the Lord's people; and this is their comfery are in their ways, their very highmon beaten path'd road; and thus are they continually exercifed, neither are they afhamed thereof and as for peace they have no will of it, they like no mo tion thereof, they know not what it is to walk peaceably, and fuffer others to profper befide them; they defire to hear no overtures of peace, or any course that might breed peace; their minds are fet on other courfes. OBSERVATIONS. I. Such delight and pleafure do the wicked take in their profane, godlefs courfes, as they are never, as it were, in their element but when their hand is about fome ill turn or other; and are most ready, and on the wing, to lay hold on the fift opportunity to act their villainy; and how great and heinous foever the ill turn. be, yet they fcar not nor fhrink; their feet are fwift even to shed innocent blood: and whatever curfed defign and enterprize they III. Though it be but at fome times wherein the Lord loofeth the reins to the wicked to perfecute the faints, and do the worst they may to them; yet it is their ordinary temper, and, when God restrains them not, it is their conftant courfe, the ordinary beaten path wherein they walk for the most part; for deftruction and mi ways. And the wicked may come to that height of impiety, as to avow and declare their wickednefs; and always it is their trade and conftant occupation to be one way or other breeding a fore heart to God's children, when they are their own men, and at liberty. IV. It is a black mark of a wicked gracelefs man, to be delighting in contention and ftife, and averfe from peaceable motion and practices; for it is the wicked ene mies of God who have not known the way of peace; they love beft to fish in trou bled waters, and peaceable times are no their world; and therefore are they activ to fow fedition, and breed trouble fuch as are about them; and, Ishmael-lik their hand is against every man whom the fee thriving befide them; they love that courfe which would procure pea but ftill they would have their hand i brewed in mifchief; and therefore it is a ed, The way of peace they have not kno VE the edge of his argument, and fo fhift the VERSE 18. There is no fear of God before conviction. The objection might be this: their TH eyes. HE laft teftimony is from Pfal. xxxvi. 1. where the prophet is making out this to be the common character of the wicked, that they have not the fear of God before their eyes, but are altogether grofsly profane, contemners of God: And this being the ground and fountain-spring of all other vices, the apostle produceth it in the laft place. OBSERVATIONS. Thofe teftimonies which you have produced are not meant of us, we are not concerned in them, they ftrike not against us who are Jews, the peculiar covenanted people of God, but against the Gentiles, who are finners. To this he replieth, from a maxim that they could not deny, feeing it was a clear unquestionable truth, that what the law faid, it faid to them that were in it, or under it; and fo his reafon ftands thus: What the law fays, it fays to them who are under the law; this he takes for granted: But fo it is that you are I. It is an undeniable mark of a pro- under the law; Therefore, &c. The affane wretch, to flake off all fear and awe fumption they could not deny, for the law of God, and have atheistical thoughts was given to them, and made for their ufe dwelling in him, as if God were not taking and inftruction; nor could they deny it, notice of their carriage, or would not take feeing they gloried of the law, as their course with them for their wicked acts; peculiar privilege, and would not yield, that for, fays he, the fear of God is not before the Gentiles fhould be fharers thereof with their eyes. them. So that it will clearly follow, that II. The want of the lively fenfe and these things brought out of the Old Tefapprehenfion of a divine Majefty, takingtament (which is here called the law, benotice of our carriage, and of every action caufe it contained a rule unto which they we go about, is a main cause of folks run-fhould have conformed themselves; and ing loofe to all wickednefs and abomination; and had we our hearts filled with the awe and dreadfulnefs of the Almighty, it Were a notable mean to keep us from macy grofs outbreakings; for their not having the fear of God before their eyes, is brought in, in the laft place, as the ground and main caufe of all the reft; and the Palaift, from whom it is brought, proves it by acts of iniquity, as its fruits and effects. all of it was either the law given by Mofes, or an expofition or commentary thereof) fpeak home to the Jews, who lived under the law of Mofes, and that polity; and whoever may plead exemption therefrom, they cannot, feeing this law was properly made for their ufe, and what it fpoke to others, it was but by the bye, for they, and they only, were properly intended. From this the apoftle infereth the conclufion which he hath been proving all this while, touching the Jews, viz. That they, no lefs than the Gentiles, are under fin, under the condemning power thereof, (of which he fpoke, verfe 9th) and thus concludeth of both Jews and Gentiles, that they are guilty before God; and this is the refult of all the apoftle's difpute, from verfe 18th of the firft chapter hitherto: which difpute we may fhortly take up in this argument: If both Jews and Gentiles N 2 have have broken the law, and drawn upon | themselves wrath, then are they guilty before God: this is clear and undeniable. But fo it is that both Jews and Gentiles have done fo, as is abundantly proven; therefore now it is concluded, that all mouths are floped, wanting all fhift and excufe; fo that they have no ground of any juft defence for themfelves, the courfe of their fubterfuges and fhiftings is now damm'd up, (for the word properly fignifies to hedge up) and become guilty before God, or found out to be fo, or to ly under the fentence of condemnation. And that this last part of the verfe may be fo looked on as the conclufion, will be clear if we confider, that the particle rendered that, importing a final caufe, may be rendered, as well, so that, as being put for wre as it is put fometimes, Rev. xiii. 13. and viii. 12. fo, as fome think, John v. 20. and, as others think, 2 Cor. i. 17. and vii. 9. Rev. ix. 20. and fo here may be taken as a note of illation: yet it may be confidered as another proof of the anfwer he gave unto the objection which might have been propofed thus, as if he had faid, The law faid thofe things which I brought out of it, to the end that all mouths might be floped, and all the world might become guilty before God; and therefore the Jews must not be excepted here in the law, otherways they fhould not be found guilty. Or, more clearly, his argument might be conceived to be this: Thofe truths were fet down in the law to ftop fome body's mouth, &c. but not to ftop the Gentiles mouths; for, 1ft, they had not that law made known to them; and, 2dly, this needed not have been faid to have convinced the Jews, how the Gentiles are guilty before God, becaufe that was past all queftion with them, and a received maxim, that the Gentiles were finners, as we fee, Gal. ii. 15. We who are Jews by nature, and not finners of the Gentiles: So that it must be mainly meant of the Jews; and if they be once proven guilty before God, it will undoubtedly follow that the Gentiles are, and fo the whole world is guilty before God. And fo however the words be read, they will hold out thefe three things: 1. That these fore-cited teftimonies are meant of the Jews, properly. 2. That hence followeth, that the Jews have no excuse, but are found guilty. And, 3. That all the world are in the fame condition. DOCTRINAL OBSERVATIONS. I. Tho' of all proofs fcripture proof is the most folid, ftrong, and convincing; yet fo doth vain man fwell with felf-love, and fo loth is he to take with guilt, and look upon himself as condemned, and as lying under the fentence of God's curfe, that he will even find fhifts to evade the clearest and fulleft teftimonies that can be: for tho' Paul had brought feveral teftimonies out of the word of the Lord to prove the Jews guilty, yet we fee how they labeur to fhift this evident demonftration, and have an objection against it, whereby to evade its force, which puts the apofile to fubjoin an answer. II. Among the many fhifts that felfconceited and proud hypocrites make use of, to juftle out a conviction from the word, this is one, They imagine ftill, that the word which fpeaks fo clearly, is to be underflood of other folks, and not of themfelves, and fo wave all teftimonies brought from the word, as not to be meant of them; they have fuch high thoughts of themfelves, that they will not let it light, they are fuch as the word fpeaketh unto: for this was it, under which the Jews thought to shelter themfelves from thef teftimonies, they would not have it faid they were meant of them, for this wa their objection. III. As there are none more ready to fhif by challenges and convictions than fuch t whom they do moft properly belong; tho' fuch fools fhould imagine a freedo and exemption from thefe convincing truth |