but under grace. 15. What then? shall we a fin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield your selves fervants to obey, his fervants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of fin unto death, or of Obedience unto righteousness? 17. But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of fin; but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine * which was delivered you [Gr. whereto ye were delivered]. 18. Being then made free from fin, ye became the fervants of righteousness. 19. I fpeak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh: for asye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity, unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, unto holinefs. 20. For when ye were the fer vants of fin, ye were free from righteousness [Gr. to righteousness.] 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22. But now being made free from fin, and become fervants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.23. For the wages of fin is & death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. a i CHAP ing the Grace of our God into Lafciviousness. 16. Mat. 6.24. † 2 Pet. 2. 19. See on Joh.8.34. 3 † Gal. 5. 15. t 1 Cor. 9. 21. To them that are without the Law, as without the Law, (being not without the Law to God, but under the Law to Chrift,) that I might gain them 5 17. See on Rom. 2. 20. that are without the Law. 1 Pet. 2. 16. As free, and not using your Liberty for a Cloke of Maliciousness, but as the Servants of God. Jude ver. 4. There are certain Men crept 10 in unawares, ungodly Men, turn 18. d + 1 Cor. 7. 22. 21. † Gen. 2. 17. † Jam.1.15. 23. gations to Holiness are greater than those the Jews were under, which are enforced upon us by a much clearer Discovery of eternal Rewards for good Men, and eternal Punishments for wicked Men, than was ever made to any other People, K NOW ye not, brethren, (for I fpeak to them that know the law) how that the law hath dominion over a man so long as he liveth. 2. For the a woman which hath an husband, is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth: but if the husband be dead, the is loofed from the law of her husband. 3. So then if while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, The is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though the be married to another man. 4. Wherefore, my brethren,ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Chrift; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth • fruit unto God. 5. For when we were in the flesh, the * motions [Gr. paffions of fins which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6. But now we are delivered from the law, * that being dead [Or, being dead to that] wherein we were held; that we should ferve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. 7. What shall we say then? Is the (1) law fur? God forbid. Nay, I had not known fin, but by 2.1 Cor. 7.39. The Wife is her to commit Adultery bound by the Law as long as her 4. Rom. 8.2. † Gal. 2. 19. Husband liveth; but if her Hus† Gal. 5.18. See on Rom. 6. 2. band be dead, she is at liberty to d 2 Cor. 11. 2. -I have espoused be married to whom she will, only s you to one Husband, that I may present you as a Chaste Virgin to Christ. in the Lord. Prov. 6. 29. So is he that goeth in to his Neighbours Wife, whosoever toucheth her fhall not be innocent. Ecclesiasticus 99. Sit not at all with another Manso Wife, nor fit down with her in thine Arms, and spend not thy Money with her at the Wine; left thy Heart incline unto her, and fo through thy defire thou fall into 15 • Destruction. bf b+M 3. Mat. 5. 32. Whosoever shall put away his Wife, saving for the Caufe of Fornication, causeth † Gal. 5. 22. The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, &c. See on Joh. 15.8. 5. 5. 12 f See on Rom. 6. 13. 6. h See on Rom. 6. 2. 2. 29. 1 7. k Rom. 3. 20. -By the Law is the Knowledge of Sin. (1) The Apostle will not allow that the Law is the Caufe of Sin; but his Meaning feems to be, That he who commits a Sin, which he knows is forbidden both by the revealed Will of God, and law of Nature, is guil ty by the law: for I had not known * luft [Or, concupiscence], except the law had faid, Thou shalt not covet. 8. But fin taking occafion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupifcence. For without the law fin was dead. 9. For I was alive without the law once : but when the commandment came, fin revived, and I died. 10. And the commandment which was ordained to P life, I found to be unto death. 11. For fin taking occafion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it flew me. 12. Wherefore the law is holy; and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13. Was then that which is good, made death unto me? God forbid. But fin that it might appear fin, working death in me by that which is good; that fin by the command 14 Exod. 20. 17. † Deut. 5. 21. The Tenth Commandment. † A&. 20. 33. I have coveted no Mans Silver, or Gold, or Apparel. P Pfal. 119. 116, 144. Uphold me according to thy Word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my Hope: The righteousness 8. m† Rom. 5.20. See on Rom. 5 of thy Testimonies is everlasting: give me Understanding and I shall live. Neh. 9. 29. - Which [Commandments] if a Man do, he shall live in them. II. See on Heb. 3. 13. 12. † 1 Tim. 1. 8. We know that the Law is good if a Man use ic lawfully. ty of a greater Transgression, than he who commits the fame Sin knowing only the Law of Nature. In this Senfe, the revealed Law of God may be said to be the Occasion of making Men more guilty; not that the Law confidered in its self does this, but Mens Wickedness in breaking the Law, and doing what they know is forbids. The Apostle instances in Covetousness: 1 had not, fays he, known that Luft or Defire had been a Sin, if the Law had not faid, Thou shalt not covet. That is, he that knows Covetousness to be forbidden by the revealed Law of God, is guilty of a greater Sin, than he who knows only the Law of Nature, and allows in himfelf the fame covetous Defires. We may here observe, that the Laws of God extend vastly farther than humane Laws poflibly can. Humane Laws do not denounce any Penalty against him who entertains finful Lufts and Defires in his Mind, because our fecret Thoughts are not known to Men; but they being as perfectly known to God, as our open Actions are to Men, He accounts him a Tranfgreffor, who indulges himself in Thinking, and consents to evil and wicked Thoughts and Defires. There are many Instances of Oppression, and Injuitice, and other Sins, which humane Laws cannot forbid, nor could punish if they did, by reason of the Imperfection of the Legislators; all which are forbidden by the Divine Laws, and will be severely punished by God. See Instances in Bishop Taylor of Repentance, Chap. 7. Sect. 1. Number 5. commandment might become exceeding finful. 14. For we know that the law is spiritual: but (1) I am carnal, foldunder fin. 15. For that which I do, I allow [Gr.know] not for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16. If then I do that which I would not, I confent unto the law that it is good. 17. Now then it is no more I that do it, but fin that dwelleth in me. 18. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not. 19. For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but fin that dwelleth in me. 21. I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. 23. But I t 14.+ 1 King. 21. 20, Thou hast fold thy self to work evil in the Sight of the Lord. There was none like unto Ahab, which did fell himself to work Wickedness in the Sight of the Lord 2 King. 17. 17. They-fold themselves to do Evil in the Sight of the Lord, to provoke him to Anger Mac. 1. 15. And made themselves uncircumcifed, and forsook the holy Covenant, and joined themselves to the Heathen, and were sold to do Mischief. u 15. Gal. 5. 16, 17. Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the Luft of the Flesh. For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the Things that ye would. See on Mat. 57.23. T 18. † Gen 6. 5. † Gen. 8. 21. See on Mat. 15. 19. 22. b Rom. 2. 29. He is a Jew which is one inwardly; and Cirrocumcifion is that of the Heart† 2 Cor. 4. 16. -Though our outward Man perish, yet the inward Man is renewed day by day. † Eph. 3. 16. -To be strengthned with 15 might by his Spirit in the inner Man. + Col. 3. 9, 10. Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the (i) It must be confessed, that some learned and pious Men have thought that the Apostle here speaks in his own Person, and that he represents what passes within a regenerate Person. But others, no less learned and pious, have clearly demonstrated, That the Apostle does not speak of himself, but, that he represents the State of a corrupt and wicked Man, who may possibly be convinced of the Excellency and Goodness of the divine Law, but not being yet truly converted, he suffers his Lufts to get the better of him. I cannot but judge this to be a Matter of mighty Importance; but it would carry me too far from my main Defign to enter upon it. Those who have a Mind to fee it largely discoursed of, may read what Mr. Ostervald has written of it in his excellent Book, entituled, The Causes of the present Corruption of Chriftians: Cause 4. Part 1. Sect. 5. And Mr. Kettlewell's Measures of Christian Obedience, Book III. Chap. 4. Alfo Bishop Taylor of Repentance, Chap. 7. Self. 4. fee another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin, which is in my members. 24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from * the body of this death [Or, this body of death]! 25. I thank God, through Jesus Chrift our Lord. So then, with the mind I my felf serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of fin. T CHAP. VIII. HERE is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jesus, who a walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2. For the law of the Spirit of lite, in Chrift Jefus, hath made med free from the law of fin and death. 3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of finful flesh, and * * for fin [Or, by a Sacrifice for fin], condemned fin in the flesh: 4. That the righteoufnels of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5. For they that are h after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh: but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. C 6. For to the old Man with his Deeds; and have put on the new Man, which is renewed in Knowledge, after the Image of him that created him. 1 Pet. 3. 3, 4. Whose adorning, 5 3. Heb. 10. 4. It is not poffible stament, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit: for the Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life. I let it not be that outward adorn- Gal. 5. 17. The Words under Ver. 15. 25. d 1 Cor. 15.57. Thanks be to God, which giveth us the Victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. CHAP. VIII. 1. † Gal. 5. 16,25. Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the Luft of the Flesh. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. d See the Note on Joh. 8. 36. that the Blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away Sins. f Gal. 4. 9. How turn ye again to the weak and beggarly Ele10 ments. Heb. 7.18. There is verily a disanulling of the Com mandment going before, for the Weakness and Unprofitableness thereof. 15 2. b + Rom. 6. 18,22. + Gal.20 2.19. † Gal. 5. 1. See on Joh. 8.36. 62 Cor. 5. 21. He hath made him to be Sin for us, who knew no Sin 5. 3.6. ht1 Cor. 2. 14. See on Joh. i Gal. 5. 22. The Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, &c. Gal. 5. 25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk 1 Cor. 15. 45. The last Adam was made a quickning Spirit. 12 Cor. 3.6. Who also hath made 25 in the Spirit. us able Minifters of the new Te |