ginning of the eighth, he illuftrates this matter; and fhews in what refpect they are not under the law, and how, or in what refpects they are made free from fin.

This, Sir, appears plainly to be the scope and connection of the firft feven chapters of the epiftle to the Romans; as may be easily observed by any one, that will impartially look into the cafe, without prejudice in favour of a party; or a preconceived opinion, which he is refolved to maintain.

And thus I come to a more particular consideration of this seventh chapter; which (as was obferved) is defigned to clear up these two things, how we are made free from the law, and, how we are made free from fin, and become the fervants of righteousness.

The first thing confidered by the apostle in this chapter is, in what refpects these believing Romans were under grace, and under the law. But previous to a direct attendance to this, it will be neceffary to remove a ftumbling-block out of the way, by confidering again, what law it is that the apoftle refers to, when he declares these Romans not to be under the law, but under grace; to be dead to the law; and to be delivered from the law, that being dead, wherein they were held. Does he herein. fpeak of the ceremonial law, or of the moral law; or of both?

To this I answer: the apoftle here fpeaks of the law in the fame fenfe, and ufes the word in the fame extent of fignification, as in the foregoing parts of this epiftle. It is the fcope and defign of this epiftle (as I have fhewn you) to prove that both Jew and Gentile must be justi. fied only by the righteoufness of Chrift, received by faith; and not by their own obfervance of any law, which they are under. The law therefore in queftion is that law, which the Gentiles have written in their hearts; and that law, which the Jews reft in, boafting themfelves of God. chap. ii. 14, 15, 17. It is that law, by the violation whereof both Jews and Gentiles are all under fin 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 tranf greffion.' chap. iv. 15. And in a word, that law, by which every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may

become guilty before God, chap. iii. 19. The law there.. fore 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 feventh chapter a fpecial reference to the moral law. This appears,

1. Because the law here referred to, is what these be. lieving Romans had been married to, and been held by; as appears in the 4th and 6th verfes. Now thefe Romans to whom the apoftle wrote, were most of them (if not all of them) Gentiles; as he exprelly 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 as the moral law only to which they had been married; 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 apofile, in exemplification of his meaning, inftances in the moral law, and no other: the law, by which concupifcence is known, and which for bids coveting, verfe 7th. The law, which is fpiritual, verfe 14th. Whereas, the ceremonial law, confidered in itself, was not spiritual, but made up of carnal ordinances, Heb. ix. 10. It is the law, in which the apoftle delighted, after the inward man, verfe 22d. But he was fo far from taking delight in the ceremonial law, that he ftrongly and pathetically exclaims against the obfervation of it now that Chrift is come, and reprefents the ordinances of this law, to become now beggarly elements, Gal. iv. 9. and forward,

In fine, he inflances in that law of God, which he himself served with bis mind, verfe 25. 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 demonftration may be taken for evidence, that it is the moral law, which is principally defigned by the apoftle in this chapter and context, when he tells us that no man can be justified by the law; and that believers are made free from the aw, by their intereft in Chrift.

I am now prepared to confider, in what refpects the apoftle 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 fenfe they are not. here reprefented, as being freed from the law. Parti cularly then,

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 12. Believers confent to the law, that it is good, verfe 16. And with their mind they ferve the law of God, verfe 25.

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 18. They would do good, even when evil is prefent with them; and they delight in the law of God, after the inward man, ver. 21. 22.

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 muft, on that account, groan being burthened, while they are here in this tabernacle: and must cry out with the apoftle, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! Verfe 24. 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 free from their marriagerelation to the law; or from the obligations of it, as a covenant of life. While in their carnal and unregenerate ftate, they were under the ftricteft bonds of fubjection 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 righteoufnefs at all to plead, but their own conformity to the whole demands of the law; and they muft obtain eternal life by perfect obedience, or not at all. But now that marriagecovenant is diffolved by their faith in Chrift. They are become dead to the law, by the body of Chrift, that they fhould be married to another, even to him who is raifed from the dead. They are delivered from

the law, that being dead in which they were held.' verfe 4. 6. They have therefore another righteousness to plead, without a perfect perfonal conformity to the law; and their hope of falvation is held by another tenure, built upon another foundation, an efpoufal to Chrift, the one only husband, that is able to pay their debts to offended justice, and save them to the uttermoft. They may now ferve God in newness of fpirit, from a new principle, from new motives, with new affections, and with new hopes; and not in the oldness of the letter. verfe 6. Not from any expectation, that by doing these 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. This is evidently the defign of the first six verfes of this chapter.

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 law-work. For I was alive without the law once but when the commandment came, fin re• vived, and I died; and the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death,' ver. 9, 10. That is, I thought myself once alive, was in a state of fafety and without the curfe in my own apprehenfion, while ignorant or thoughtless of the fpirituality, extent, and terror of the law of God: but when the commandment came home to my confcience, and I found what my ftate truly was, fin revived, rofe up against me in its condemning power, or appeared to me in its own nature and aggravations, exceeding finful; for by the

law is the knowledge of fin;' and so I found myself to be a guilty creature, a dead man, indeed under the law, under its curfe and damning fentence: and dead to selfflattering hope, and confidence in the flesh. Now this is the very cafe of all awakened finners, when the law comes near to confcience, lays the weight of their guilt upon them, and fets their danger of everlafting punishment 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 alfo freed from the irritating power of the law. When an awakened finner firft obtains a fenfible view of the ftrictness, purity, and fpirituality of the law, fo of the vaft number and dreadful aggravations of his fins, with the amazing wrath that hangs over his head; this fills his foul 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 purpofes, refolves, and endeavours. So that the law inhibiting fin, without giving power to avoid it, does but make the finner's lufts (like a torrent damm'd up) to fwell the more, and to run with greater force, when they get vent: and fin taking occafion by the commandment, works in the foul all manner of concupifcence, deceives the finner, and flays him, as it is expreffed, ver. 8. 11. But thefe believing Romans were delivered from the law in this refpect alfo. Having a difcovery of the glorious way of falvation by Chrift, and the fafety of depending upon his righteoufnefs, they were quickened by adoring views of redeeming mercy; acted by a principle of love to God; and ftrengthened by the divine influences of the Spirit of grace, to mortify their lufts, and to live a life of fincere and fpiritual obedience; or as the apostle expreffes it, ver. 6. to ferve God in newness of fpirit; and not in the oldness of the letter.

These three things are moft certainly reprefented in the context, as the fervitude, that unregenerate men are under to the law. This is too evident to be disputed. Believers are certainly reprefented, as being delivered from the fervitude of the law: Whence it follows that their freedom from the law, here treated of, must confift in thefe particulars which I have confidered.

And now, I am further to obferve to you, that there is another glorious privilege of believers, distinctly infifted upon in the fixth chapter, which is (as I hinted before) particularly illuftrated in this. And that is, that they are dead unto fin; and alive unto God. Sin has no more dominion over them, they being not under the law, but under grace. They are made free from fin, and be

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