- Quorum os execratione et amarulentia
plenum: - Whose mouth is full of cursing and
bitterness: - Veloces pedes eorum ad effundendum
sanguinem; - Their feet are swift to shed blood:
- Destruction and misery are in their ways: 16. Contritio et calamitas in viis eorum;
- And the way of peace have they not 17. Et viam pacis non noverunt:
known: - There is no fear of God before their eyes. 18. Non est timor Dei præ oculis eorum.^97
10.As it is written,etc. He has hitherto used proofs or arguments to convince men of their
iniquity; he now begins to reason from authority; and it is to Christians the strongest kind of proof,
when authority is derived from the only true God. And hence let ecclesiastical teachers learn what
their office is; for since Paul asserts here no truth but what he confirms by the sure testimony of
Scripture, much less ought such a thing to be attempted by those, who have no other commission
but to preach the gospel, which they have received through Paul and others.
There is none righteous,etc. The Apostle, who gives the meaning rather than the entire words,
seems, in the first place, before he comes to particulars, to state generally the substance of what
the Prophet declares to be in man, and that is — that none is righteous;^98 he afterwards particularly
enumerates the effects or fruits of this unrighteousness. - The first effect is, that there is none that understands: and then this ignorance is immediately
proved, for theyseek not God; for empty is the man in whom there is not the knowledge of God,
whatever other learning he may possess; yea, the sciences and the arts, which in themselves are
good, are empty things, when they are without this groundwork. - It is added,^99 There is no one who doeth kindness By this we are to understand, that they
had put off every feeling of humanity. For as the best bond of mutual concord among us is the
knowledge of God, (as he is the common Father of all, he wonderfully unites us, and without him
there is nothing but disunion,) so inhumanity commonly follows where there is ignorance of God,
as every one, when he despises others, loves and seeks his own good. - It is further added, Their throat is an open grave;^100 that is, a gulf to swallow up men. It
is more than if he had said, that they were devourers (ἀνθρωποφάγους — men-eaters;) for it is an
(^97) The references given in the margin are these, — Psalm 14:1-3; Psalm 53:3 Psalm 5:9; Psalm 14:3; Psalm 9:7; Isaiah 56:7;
Proverbs 1:16; Psalm 36:1.
(^98) Psalm 14:1. The Hebrew is, “There is none that doeth good;” and the Septuagint, “There is none doing kindness, ( ),
there is not even one, ( .)” So that the Apostle quotes the meaning, not the words.
The eleventh verse (Romans 3:11) is from the same Psalm; the Hebrew, with which the Septuagint agree, except that there
is the disjunctive between the participles, is the following, — “Whether there is any one who understands, who seeks after
God.” — Ed.
(^99) This verse is literally the Septuagint, and as to meaning, a correct version of the Hebrew. “All have gone out of the way —
” “is in Hebrew , “the whole (or every one) has turned aside,” or revolted, or apostatized. Then, “they have become
unprofitable” or useless, is , “they are become putrid,” or Corrupted, like putrified fruit or meat, therefore useless, not fit for
what they were designed — to serve God and to promote their own and the good of others. Idolatry was evidently this putrescence.
— Ed.
(^100) This is from Psalm 5:9, that is, the first part, and is literally the Septuagint, which correctly represents the Hebrew. The last
clause is from Psalm 140:3, and is according to the Septuagint, and the Hebrew, too, except that “asps,” or adders, is in the
singular number. Stuart gives the import of this figurative language different from Calvin: “As from the sepulchre,” he says,