Antenei by me koowels of good and end: To Filine limits that the ava boy, just. and good who las in mest visi 50 perSem' that when is - good.” mi vho - lates at viich is evil. 10- belis ʼn the av of Goo fere inner man.” azi serves it wi his mind. Of sich 1 man, it cannot be foubted that he barely instructed: that he reveres the probibitions, and is avakened by the exhortations, of the time av: that he is indieceed

even by higher motives, than the dread of future punishment, and the hope of future reward; and yet, what is actually the moral and spiritual condition of this man? We learn it from his own lips: he complains, and bitterly complains, that he is "carnal," "sold under sin;" that "in his flesh, dwelleth no good thing;" that "the good which he would, he does not, but the evil which he would not, that he does;" that he "feels a law in his members, warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin ;" and he concludes this melancholy exhibition of human inconsistency, with an exclamation of deep mental agony,-" Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death!"

This is the utmost which can be effected, independently of those higher influences, that imparted strength, that "law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus," which alone can make us free, from "the law of sin and death." (2) But, let it be carefully observed, that this state, low, imperfect, and unsatisfactory, as we must confess it to be, is far preferable to that frigid indifference, in which most men are content to live, respecting their spiritual state; respecting those tempers, habits, and tastes, which cannot be shaken off at the moment of death; which must

human ar gae ever was the wiex of ruman feeting ve may here seem that repentance. which s de freinner of me futh: that poverty of spurt, which leadeth to the kingiom of Heaven: that sighing of a Pontite heart. which God toth not desrise.

God dora not despise it. my brethren: and obsere, in the present instance, how immediately. I had aunest said how instantaneously, this ferment ayirator

bodo vel hy a sense of de

liverance and safety,-"I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!" The transition is rapid, vehement, unstudied: it is the quick return of gratitude, for unexpected mercy; it is the sudden emotion of a heart, rejoicing in the change, from death to life, from wretchedness to peace, from fruitless conflict, to victorious freedom. He who, till this moment, had been a culprit selfaccused and self-condemned, a captive to the law of sin and death, now feels himself restored to the calm approval of his own conscience, to the influences of Divine grace, to the employment of all his powers in the love and service of his Maker. (3) In the full consciousness of this happy transformation, he briefly sums up his past wretchedness, in a few significant words, as if to dismiss it for ever', and then triumphantly exclaims, "There is, therefore, now no condemnation, to them, which are in Christ Jesus; who walk, not after the flesh, but after the spirit; for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, has made me free from the law of sin and death." And, in the words of our text, he gratefully recognizes the influential agency, by which this happy change was accomplished: for, "What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son, in the like

1 Rom. vii. 25.

ness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk, not after the flesh, but after the spirit."

And here, it may be useful to consider the general character of the Apostle's language, throughout this whole chapter. It is, certainly, no slight, superficial, merely outward change, that he describes. The whole man is renewed, in body, soul, and spirit. A principle, unknown, or at least unfelt before, is now become the ruling principle of heart and life. And the subjects of this principle, are designated, by marks too distinct and definite, to leave any doubt respecting the reality of the change within them—they "mind," they relish, they think upon "the things of the Spirit;" they are

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spiritually minded, which is life and peace.' The Spirit dwelleth in them: the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Him who raised up Christ from the dead, the Spirit by which they are led, after which they walk, and through which they mortify the deeds of the body. They are become the sons of God; they have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby they cry Abba, Father! They know and feel, that they are the children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.