To this I answer: The Apostle here speaks of, the Law in the fame Senfe, and ufes the Word in the fame Extent of Signification, as in the foregoing Parts of this Epistle.-'Tis the Scope and Defign of this Epiftle (as I have fhewn you) to prove," that both Jew and Gentile must be justified only by the Righteoufness of CHRIST, received by aith; : and not by their own Obfervance of any Law,· which they are under.-The Law therefore in Question is that Law which the Gentiles have written in their Hearts; and that Law which the Jews reft in, boafting themselves of God. Chap. ii.. 14, 15, 17.—It is that Law, by the Violation whereof both Jews and Gentiles are all under Sin; and against which all have finned, and come short of the Glory of God. Chap. iii. 9. 23.—It is that Law without which there could be no Tranfgreffion. Chap. iv. 15. And in a Word, that Law, by which every Mouth may be stopped, and all the World become guilty before God. Chap. iii. 19.—The Law therefore here must be taken in the largest Extent of the Word, including the whole Will of God, any Manner of Way manifefted, to any and every Part of Mankind, whether Jew or Gentile. Though it is evident, that the Apostle hath in this seventh Chapter a fpecial Reference to the Moral Law.This appears, 1. Because the Law here referred to is what thefe believing Romans had been married to, and been held by, as appears in the 4th and 6th Verses. Now thefe Romans, to whom the Apoftle wrote, were most of them (if not all of them) Gentiles, as he expressly declares, Chap. i. 13. and Chap. xi. 13. and were therefore never married to the Levitical or ceremonial Law, never held by it, and confequently never delivered from it. It was the moral Law only to which they had been marri 0 3 ed; ed; and from that only they were therefore made free; and that, confequently, must be what the Apostle especially refers to in this Chapter. 2. Because the Apoftle, in Exemplification of his Meaning, inftances in the moral Law and no other: The Law, by which Concupifcence is known, and which forbids coveting, Verfe 7th. The Law, which is fpiritual, Verfe 14th. Whereas the ceremonial Law, confidered in itself, was not fpiritual, but made up of carnal Ordinances, Heb. ix. 10. It is the Law, in which the Apostle delighted, after the inward Man, Verse 22d. But he was fo far from taking Delight in the Ceremonial Law, that he strongly and pathetically exclaims against the Obfervation of it now that Chrift is come, and reprefents the Ordinances of this Law to be become now beggarly Elements, Gal. iv. 9. and forward. In fine, he instances in that Law of God, which he himself ferved with his Mind, Verse 25th. But his Heart was not fo fet upon the Obfervation of the ceremonial Law, as to defire to be again brought into Bondage to it. From all which it is evident, if Demonstration may be taken for Evidence, that it is the moral Law, which is principally designed by the Apostle in this Chapter and Context, when he tells us, that no Man can be juftified by the Law; and that Believers are made free from the Law, by their Interest in Christ. I am now prepared to confider, in what Respects the Apostle here reprefents Believers to be freed from the Law, or to be not under the Law.And to fet this Matter in the clearest Light, it will be proper to confider it, 1. Negatively: Shewing in what Sense they are not here reprefented, as being freed from the Law. Particularly then, They They are not reprefented to be freed from the Law, as it is a Rule of moral Conduct. No! The Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, and just, and good, Verfe 12th: Believers confent to the Law, that it is good, Verse 16th. And with their Mind they ferve the Law of God, Verse 25th. They are not freed from Endeavours after, and Delight in Obedience to the Law of God: To will is prefent with them, even beyond their Capacity of Performance, Verse 18th. They would do good even when Evil is prefent with them; and they delight in the Law of God, after the inward Man, Verse 21ft and 22d. I add, they are not freed from being grieved and burthened, on the Account of the Imperfection of their Obedience to the Law of God, but must, on that Account, groan being burthened, while they are bere in this Tabernacle; and must cry out with the Apostle, O wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death! Verfe 24th. And now let us attend, 2. To the affirmative Defcription here given of the Believer's Freedom from the Law of God. They are here reprefented as freed from their Marriage Relation to the Law, or from the Obligations of it, as a Covenant of Life.--While in their carnal and unregenerate State, they were under the strictest Bonds of Subjection to the Law of Nature, or the moral Law. It rigorously exacted perfect Obedience of them, as the only Condition of their Acceptance with God; and, continuing in that State, they could have no Righteousness at all to plead, but their own Conformity to the whole Demands of the Law; and they must obtain eternal Life by perfect Obedience, or not all.But now that Marriage Covenant is diffolved by their Faith in Chrift. They are become dead to the Law, by by the Body of Christ, that they should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead. They are delivered from the Law, that being dead in which they were held, Verfes 4th and 6th. They have therefore another Righteoufnefs to plead,without a perfect, perfonal Conformity to the Law; and their Hópe of Salvation is held by another Tenor, built upon another Foundation, an Espoufal to Chrift, the one only Husband that is able to pay their Debts to offended Juftice, and fave them to the uttermoft.-They may now serve God in Newness of Spirit, from a new Principle, from new Motives, with new Affections, and with new Hopes, and not in the Oldness of the Letter, Verse 6th. Not from any Expectation, that by doing thefe Things they fhould live in them; nor under the Terror of the dreadful Curfes pronounced against every one who continues not in all Things, written in the Book of the Law to do them. is evidently the Defign of the firft fix Verfes of this. Chapter. This Moreover, they are freed from that Spirit of Bondage, which they were once under, when their Guilt, Danger, and Mifery were brought to their View by the Law. This the Apostle exemplifies, by reprefenting his own State, when under a LawWork.-For I was alive without the Law-once, but when the Commandment came, Sin revived, and I died; and the Commandment which was ordained to Life, I found to be unto Death, Verfes 9th, and 10th. That is, I thought myself once alive, was in a State of Safety and without the Curfe, in my own Apprehenfion, while ignorant or thoughtless of the Spirituality, Extent, and Terror of the Law of God, but when the Commandment came home to my Confcience, and I found what my State truly was, Sin revived, rofe up against me in its condemning Power, Power, or appeared to me, in its own Nature and Aggravations, exceeding finful; for by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin; and fo I found myself to be a guilty Creature, a dead Man, indeed under the Law, under its Curfe and damning Sentence, and died to felf-flattering Hope and Confidence in the Flesh. Now this is the very Cafe of all awakened Sinners, when the Law comes near to Confcience, lays the Weight of their Guilt upon them, and fets their Danger of everlafting Punifhment before them. But now thefe believing Romans were delivered from this Bondage to the Law; there being no Condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus, and that being dead wherein they were held. I may add to this, that they were also freed from the irritating Power of the Law. When an awakened Sinner firft obtains a fenfible View of the Strictnefs, Purity, and Spirituality of the Law, fo of the vaft Number and dreadful Aggravations of his Sins, with the amazing Wrath that hangs over his Head, this fills his Soul not only with Horror and Amazement, but with an impatient, difquieting Anxiety, which unhinges his Mind for Duty, inflames his Corruptions, and gives them the Advantage against all his good Purposes, Refolves, and Endeavours, fo that the Law inhibiting Sin, without giving Power to avoid it, does but make the Sinner's Lufts (like a Torrent dammed up) to fwell the more, and to run with greater Force, when they get Vent; and Sin, taking Occafion by the Commandment, works in the Soul all Manner of Concupifcence, deceives the Sinner, and flays him, as it is expreffed, Verfes 8th, and 11th.But thefe believing Romans were delivered from the Law in this Refpect alfo. Having a Difcovery of the glorious Way of Salvation by Chrift, and the Safety of depending upon his Righteoufnefs, they were quickened |