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A. D. 57. I had not known fin, but by the law: for I had not known luft, except the law had faid, Thou shalt not

covet.

guilty, and bring you under a greater Neceffity of Chrift as a Redeemer. But don't mistake me, as if I meant the Law were finful, or tended in its own Natureto carry Men to Sin. God forbid! I only fay, a Tranfgreffion of a revealed Law is a deeper Tranfgreffion than one against a natural Law. And fo the Law may, in fome Senfe, be faid to be an Occafion of aggravating your Guilt, but 'tis only from your Tranfgreffion of it. As for Inftance: No Man lies under fo much Guilt from the Sin of Govetousness, as he that has an express Law of God that forbids him

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Ver. 8. Wrought all Manner of Evil in me. Kalergzáσαλο τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, Wrought up my inordinate Defre into a great Degree of Guilt. As the Word pastía Sin is often ufed to fignify a Sacrifice for Sin; fo if that and upía, here be underflood of the Guilt of the A&ions, not the Actions themselves; it will make the Apostle's Argument much clearer. It being very easy to conceive a revealed Law to encrease the Guilt of Tranfgreffors; but how it should be an Incitement to Sin, is fomewhat hard.

+ Ver. 9. 'Eywy. I was alive. Here again, the Apoftle puts the Argument upon himself alone as a Jewish Christian, as he did in Chap. v. as a Gentile one; the better to infinuate himself into the Affections, and gain the Atten tion of both the contending Parties.

what we now have; that, in Comparison, we might A. D. 57. have been faid to be in a State of Life; but by living under the plain Expresses of a revealed Law, our Tranfgreffions fhow us to be in a perfect State of Death and Condemnation.

10. And the commandment which was ordained to life, I found

to be unto death.

10 & 11. And thus you must understand me, that our wilful Difobedience to the Mofaical Law, makes it as it were the Cause and Occafion of drawing us into Condemnation; tho' the natural Intent of the Law was to bring us to Obedience and Happiness. We have made that which was a good Rule of Life, to fail of its End, and turn upon us as a Means of Death.

11. For fin taking occafion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it flew me.

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12 & 13. So that the Nature and Defign of the Law is exceedingly wife and excellent; and efpecially the moral Parts of it, juft, and pure and good. And 'twould be very unjust in you to make me fay, This good Law was defigned for our Mifchief; when all I affirm is, that our Violations of it only have made it hurtful to us*; and that the Purity of its Precepts, fhews the high Aggravations of their Guilt that difobey it.

14. We must not, we cannot but allow the Law of Mofes, (the moral Laws particularly) to be a good Rule of Men's Lives and R 4 Prac

* Ver. 13. ἵνα φανῆ — ἵνα γένηται καθ' ὑπερβολὴν — duagría-So that Sin appears exceeding finful. This is the Conftruction of iva that takes off all Imputation from the Laws, and lays it upon their Tranfgreffions, as the whole Scope. of the Apoftle's Reafoning fhows; and which will justify my Paraphrafe of this Chapter. See Chap. iv. 11. and ver. 20.

A. D. 57. Practices: All the Fault of its being a Caufe of Death, lies in our habitual Difobedience to it.

15. For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I

hate, that I do.

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.

him to violate it.

18. For I know, that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is prefent with me, but bow 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 dwell

eth in me.

21. I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is prefent with me.

22. For I delight in the law of God, af

ter

15 & 16. Nay, 'tis plain we confefs the Goodness of the moral Law, even while we tranfgrefs it; fince every open Tranfgreffion is done against our Confcience and Knowledge of the Rule, and very often with great Reluctancy and Regret.

17. So that, it is not a Man's fettled Judgment, or ill Opinion of the Law, but his own irregular and exorbitant Paffions that caufe

18 & 19. And while these ungoverned Paffions have the Sway over us, 'tis not expected we fhould perform what is good, but run into open Tranfgreffions, though it be against even the Convictions and Reluctances of Confcience, and in Contradiction to all our more fober Thoughts and Reflections.

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to indulge our Lufts, even while A. D. 57.
we cannot but inwardly condemn
fuch Practices.

ter the inward man.
23. But I fee ano-
ther law in my mem-
bers, warring against
the law of my mind,
law of fin, which is in my members.

24. O wretched man that I am, who

fhall deliver me from the body of this death?

and bringing me into captivity to the

24. Having thus therefore by wilful Tranfgreffions reduced ourfelves to thefe Habits, and * laid ourselves under the Curfes annexed to them; what Method is there left for our Pardon and Redemption from them? Certainly the external Performances, the typical and carnal Sacrifices of the Jewish Law, can have no Virtue to purge the Confcience, and bring us to true Righteousness.

25. I thank + God through Jefus Chrift our Lord. So then, with the mind I my felf ferve the law of God: but with the God: but with the flefh the law of fin.

25. But the Merits of Chrift's Death and our embracing his Religion will effectually † do it; for which Mercy God be for ever praised! You fee then, by the whole Tenor of my Discourse, I caft no Difparagement upon your Law; allowing every Man muft needs approve of the moral Rules of it. 'Tis to your Violations of them that I afcribe your fad Condition of Sin and Death; in order to fhew you the abfolute Neceffity of relying wholly upon the Faith and Obedience of the Gospel for your Juftification †.

See Chap. ii. and Chap. iii. x, &c.

+ See the Reading of fome of the beft MSS. and Verfions in Dr. Mills.

Note, It having been much difputed by Commentators, Who, and what Sort of Perfon it is that St. Paul here reprefents, from the 7th Verse to the End of this Chapter; and it having appear'd to me very plain, that the Apostle's whole Argument requir'd us to understand it of no other, but that of an unconverted Jew; it is now a Matter of great Satisfaction to me, to find my Interpretation of this Chapter confirmed with great Strength and Clearnefs, by the learned Dr. Clark. Serm. on Ver. 7. of this Chap. in Vol. VIII. Serm. IX.

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A.

CHAP. VIII.

The CONTENTS.

The Ceremonial Law, being proved infufficient to cure the Habits, or to atone for the Guilt of Sins against the Moral Law; the Chriftian Religion is here shown fully able to do both: The Merits of Christ's Death being a fufficient Satisfaction for past Offences; and the Spiritual Nature of his Laws, with the Affiftance of the divine Spirit enabling us to attain fuch Habits of righteous Living, as will qualify us for, and affure us of a Refurrection to eternal Life and Happiness. This fpiritual Life the great Obligation, and only Mark and Character, of a true Chriftian. It will intitle the Gentile as well as Jewish Converts to the future Glory and Happiness of God's true Church and Children. God did not leave the Gentile World deftitute of all Hopes of the future Happiness which all Mankind naturally defire and wish for. That the Gentile Believers shall enjoy it, proved from Chrift's dying and interceding for them, from their being called into the Chriftian Faith, and fuffering for the Sake of it; which if they perfevere in, nothing can ever deprive them of its happy Fruits, and final Bleffings. [See the Note on Ver. 31.]

Here is there

1. D. 57. 1. THe

fore now no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

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being dead to the Jews; and the Gentiles being not originally obliged to it at all; it must follow, that all Chriftian Converts are to be justified and saved by embracing the Gospel Religion, that by the fpiritual Nature of its Laws brings them to that heavenly Courfe of Life, which the external and carnal Ordinances of the Law could never do.

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2. The Jewish Converts, I fay, ought by all Means to rely upon it; becaufe the Merits of Chrift's Death have freed them of the

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