Wesley Corpus

(2.) “He is here speaking, not of all men, but of the Jews; of those alone who were “under the law,’ (verse 19,) and proving from their own writings that there were great cor ruptions among them as well as other people.” (Page 103.) He is speaking of them chiefly; but not of them only, as appears from the ninth verse: “We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin: As it is written, There is none righteous,” (neither among the Jews nor Gen tiles,) “no, not one.” Does this respect them in their na tional only, not personal, capacity? Does it prove no more than, that there were great corruptions among the Jews, as well as other people? (3.) “The section consists of several quotations out of the Old Testament; but, (i.) None of them, taken separately, speaks of any depravity of nature; but of habits of wickedness, which men had themselves contracted.” (Page 103.) They do speak of habits which men had contracted themselves; but do they speak of these only? The way to know this is, not to “take them separately;” not to consider the precise meaning, wherein they were occasionally spoken by David, Solomon, or Isaiah; but to take them conjointly, as they are here put toge ther by the Holy Ghost, to form the character of all mankind. On one of them, “separately taken,” you say, “How could God look down from heaven, to see if there were any that did seek God, if he knew all mankind were naturally disabled from seeking him?” Why not, if, whatever they were by nature, the grace of God was more or less given to all? Though they were wholly inclined to all evil by nature, yet by grace they might recover all goodness. You affirm, (ii.) “In none of these places does God speak strictly of every individual Jew under David or Solomon. Very many were bad; but some were good.” (Page 104.) They were; though by grace, not nature. But among all those of whom God speaks by St. Paul, “there” was “none” good or “righteous, no, not one;” every individual, whether Jew or Heathen, was guilty before God.