p. 38 | On Rom. iii, 19, 20

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 17, 1858

The following are the Notes of Scott above referred to:

On Rom. iii, 19, 20.

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

The straitness of that perfect rule detects and makes known the crookedness of men's dispositions and actions; and it must therefore convict the transgressor as guilty, instead of pronouncing not guilty, or a righteous person. Every attentive reader must observe that the Apostle uses the word, law, in various meanings, which is rather to be considered a defect of human language, than the result of ambiguity in his style. But the context generally shows how the word is to be understood; and common sense united with a teachable spirit will usually determine this far better than critical learning, which is too often employed to perplex what is plain, rather than to clear up what is obscure. The nature of the argument requires us to suppose, that the Apostle means the sacred Scriptures in general when he says, "Whatsoever the law saith," for the quotations are not from the law of Moses, and it is evident the Old Testament was thus spoken of. When he spoke of the Jews, as under the law, he evidently meant the whole legal dispensation, by which they were distinguished from the Gentiles. But when he says, "By the law is the knowledge of sin," he must be understood of the moral law especially, the extent, spirituality, and excellency of which shows what things are sinful, and how evil sin is: whereas the ceremonial rather gave the knowledge of salvation, by prefiguring the shedding of that atoning blood, and the communication of that sanctifying grace by which sin is taken away. Indeed, this subject seems capable of an easy solution. If there be any law, which a man has perfectly kept, he may doubtless be justified by it: and surely no man can be justified by a law which condemns him for breaking it! But there is no law of God which any man has kept, therefore no law by the deeds of which a man can be justified. The Gentile broke the law of his reason and conscience; the Jew broke the moral law; and even the attempt to justify himself by observing the ceremonial law, contradicted the very nature and intent of it. And as to that "new law" which requires sincere obedience, as the condition of justification those who dream of it should show when it was promulgated, where it may he found, what it requires, whom it can condemn, or whom it can justify. When this is done, it may be worth while to prove that it makes void the law and the gospel; that it introduces a new, vague and unintelligible rule of duty, which every one may interpret according to his own inclinations; that it introduces hoasting, and unites together pharisaical pride and antinomial licentiousness. Yet this vague, unscriptural notion, which is replete with such complicated absurdities, so well suits men's natural indolence of thought in matters of religion; serves so conveniently to reconcile a quiet conscience with a worldly life, and so coincides with their enmity against both the holiness of the law, and the humiliating doctrine of the gospel; that perhaps it deceives more souls than all other false systems of religion put together in this superficial, dissipated age.

"By law, which is the publishing of the rule with a penalty, we are not delivered from the power of sin, nor can it help men to righteousness, but by law we come experimentally to know sin, in the power and force of it; since we find it prevails upon us, notwithstanding the punishment of death is annexed to it." Locke.

"The knowledge of sin being chiefly by the moral law, shows that the Apostle includes that, as well as the ceremonial law, from justification; and evident it is, that the antithesis runs all along, not between moral and ceremonial works; but between works in general, and faith."—Whilby.

Whatever Pharisees, Sadducees, or infidels may object; whatever Antinomians or Enthusiasts may plead or profess; the doctrine of faith establishes the law in its real honor, and lays the true foundation for all holy obedience, and this doctrine alone establishes the law."—Scott's Practical Observations on Rom iii, 21–31.