me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

14 For, we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, 'sold under sin.

▼ 1 Kings 21., 2. 2 Kings 17.17. 1 Mac. 1. 15.

Which law was given that sin might appear, might be set forth in its own colours; when we saw it subjected us to death by a law perfectly holy, just, and good; that sin, by the aw, night be represented what it really is: ka vepẞoλny apaprass, an EXCEEDING GREAT and deadly evil.

but unregenerate mind. 15 For, that which I do, I allow 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 consent unto the law that it is good.

w Gr. know, Psa. 1.6.—x Gal.5.17.

word carnal here, the apostle meant that corruption, which dwelt in him after his conversion: but this opinion is founded on a very great mistake; for, although there may be, after justification, the remains of the carnal mind, which will be less or more felt, till the soul is completely sanctified; yet the Thus it appears that man cannot have a true notion of sin, man is never denominated from the inferior principle, which but by means of the law of God. For this I have already is under control, but from the superior principle, which habit given sufficient reasons in the preceding notes. And it was ually prevails. Whatever epithets are given to corruption or one design of the law to show the abominable and destructive sin in Scripture, opposite epithets are given to grace or halinature of sin; as well as to be a rule of life. It would be al-ness. By these different epithets, are the unregenerate and most impossible for a man to have that just notion of the de- regenerate denominated. From all this it follows, that the inerit of sin, so as to produce repentance, or to see the nature epithet carnal, which is the characteristic designation of an and necessity of the death of Christ, if the law were not ap. unregenerate man, cannot be applied to St. Paul, after his conplied to his conscience by the light of the Holy Spirit; it is version; nor, indeed, to any Christian in that state. then, alone, that he sees himself to be carnal, and sold under sin; and that the law and the commandment are holy, just, and good. And let it be observed, that the law did not an swer this end merely among the Jews, in the days of the apostle; it is just as necessary to the Gentiles, to the present hour. Nor do we find that true repentance takes place where the moral law is not preached and enforced. Those who preach only the Gospel to sinners, at best only heal the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly. The law, therefore, is the grand instrument in the hands of a faithful minister, to alarm and awaken sinners: and he may safely show, that every sinner is under the law, and consequently under the curse, who has not fled for refuge to the hope held out by the Gospel; for, in this sense also Jesus Christ is the END of the LAW for justi fication to them that believe.

14. For, we know that the law is spiritual] This is a gene ral proposition, and probably in the apostle's autograph, concluded the above sentence. The law is not to be considered as a system of external rites and ceremonies; nor even as a rule of moral action; it is a spiritual system; it reaches to the most hidden purposes, thoughts, dispositions, and desires of the heart and soul; and it reproves and condemns every thing without hope of reprieve or pardon, that is contrary to eternal truth and rectitude.

But I am carnal, sold under sin] This was, probably, in the apostle's letter, the beginning of a new paragraph. I believe it is agreed, on all hands, that the apostle is here demonstrating the insufficiency of the law, in opposition to the Gospel. That by the former, is the knowledge, by the latter, the cure of sin. Therefore, by I here he cannot mean himself, nor any Christian believer; if the contrary could be proved, the argument of the apostle would go to demonstrate the insufficiency of the Gospel, as well as the law.

It is difficult to conceive how the opinion could have crept into the church, or prevailed there, that "the apostle speaks here of his rengenerate state; and that what was, in such a state, true of himself, must be true of all others in the same state." This opinion has, most pitifully and most shamefully, not only lowered the standard of Christianity, but destroyed its influence and disgraced its character. It requires but little knowledge of the spirit of the Gospel, and of the scope of this epistle, to see that the apostle is here either personating a Jew, under the law and without the Gospel, or showing what his own state was, when he was deeply convinced that by the deeds of the law no man could be justified: and had not as yet heard those blessed words, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way, hath sent me that thou might est receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, Acts

ix. 17.

In this, and the following verses, he states the contrariety between himself or any Jew, while without Christ, and the law of God. Of the latter he says, it is spiritual; of the former, I am carnal, sold under sin. Of the carnal man, in opposition to the spiritual, never was a more complete or accurate description given. The expressions in the flesh, and after the flesh, in ver. 5. and in chap. viii. 5, 8, 9, &c. are of the same import with the word carnal, in this verse. To be in the flesh, or to be carnally minded, solely respects the unregenerate. While unregenerate, a man is in a state of death and enmity against God, chap. viii. 6-9. This is St. Paul's own account of a carnal man. The soul of such a man has no authority over the appetites of the body, and the lusts of the flesh: reason has not the government of passion. The work of such a person, is to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, chap. xiii. 14. He minds the things of the flesh, chap. viii. 5. He is at enmity with God. In all these things the spiritual man is the reverse; he lives in a state of friendship with God in Christ, and the Spirit of God dwells in him; his soul has dominion over the appetites of the body and the lusts of the flesh; his passions submit to the government of reason; and he, by the Spirit, mortifies the deeds of the flesh; he mind eth the things of the Spirit, ch.viii. 5. The Scriptures, therefore, place these two characters in direct opposition to each other. Now, the apostle begins this passage by informing us that it is his carnal state that he is about to describe, in opposition the spirituality of God's holy law, saying, But I am carnal. se who are of another opinion, maintain that by the 46

a

But the word carnal, though used by the apostle to signify state of death and enmity against God, is not sufficient to de note all the evil of the state which he is describing; hence, he adds sold under sin. This is one of the strongest expressions which the Spirit of God uses in Scripture, to describe the full depravity of fallen man. It implies a willing slavery: Ahab had sold himself to work evil, 1 Kings xxi. 20. And of the Jews it is said, in their utmost depravity, Behold for your iniquities, ye have sold yourselves, Isa. 1. 1. They forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and WERE SOLD to do mischief, 1 Maccab. i. 15. Now, if the word carnal, in its strongest sense, had been sufficiently significant of all he meant, why add to this charge another expression still stronger? We must therefore understand the phrase, sold under sin, as implying, that the soul was employed in the drudgery of sin that it was sold over to this service, and had no power to disobey this tyrant, until it was redeemed by another. And if a man be actually sold to another, and he ac quiesce in the deed; then he becomes the legal property of that other person.-This state of bondage was well known to the Romans. The sale of slaves they saw daily, and could not misunderstand the emphatical sense of this expression. Sin is here represented as a person; and the apostle compares the dominion which sin has over the inan in question, to that of a master over his legal slave. Universally through the Scriptures, man is said to be in a state of bondage to sin, until the Son of God make him free: but in no part of the Sacred Writings is it ever said that the children of God are sold under sin.-Christ came to deliver the lawful captive, and take away the prey from the mighty. Whom the Son maketh free, they are free indeed. Then, they yield not up their members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: for sin shall not have the dominion over them; because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, has made them free from the law of sis and death, chap. vi. 13, 14. and viii. 2. Anciently, when regular cartels were not known, the captives became the slaves of their victors, and by them were sold to any purchaser: their slavery was as complete and perpetual, as if the slave had resigned his own liberty, and sold himself: the laws of the land secured him to his master; he could not redeem himself because he had nothing that was his own, and nothing could rescue him from that state, but a stipulated redemption. The apostle speaks here, not of the manner in which the person in question became a slave; he only asserts the fact, that sin had a fall and permanent dominion over hian. See Smith, on the carnal man's character.

I am carnal, sold under sin-I have been the more particu lar in ascertaining the genuine sense of this verse, because it determines the general scope of the whole passage.

15. For that which I do, I allow not, &c.] The first clause of this verse is a general assertion concerning the employment of the person in question, in the state which the apostle calls carnal, and sold under sin. The Greek word xarɛpyaga, which is here translated, I do, means a work which the agent continues to perform, till it is finished, and is used by the apostle, Phil. ii. 12. to denote the continued employment of God's saints in his service to the end of their lives. WORK OUT your own salvation; the word here denotes an employment of a different kind; and therefore the man who now feels the galling dominion of sin, says, What I am continually labour ing at, I allow not: ov ytrwow, I do not acknowledge to be right, just, holy, or profitable.

But what I hate that do 1.] I am a slave, and under the absolute control of my tyrannical master, I hate his service, but am obliged to work his will. Who, without blasphemy, can assert that the apostle is speaking this of a man in whom the Spirit of the Lord dwells? From ver. 7. to this one, the apos tle, says Dr. Taylor, denotes the Jew in the flesh, by a single I, here he divides that I into two l's, or figurative persons; representing two different and opposite principles which were in him. The one I, or principle, assents to the law that it s good: and wills and chooses what the other does not practise ver. 16. This principle he expressly tells us, ver. 22. is the inward man, the law of the mind, ver. 23. the mind, or rational faculty, ver. 25. for he could find no other inward man, or law of the mind, but the rational faculty, in a person who was car nal, and sold under sin. The other I, or principle, transgresser

verting my judgment; for which there is condemnation in the law, but no cure. So we find here that there is a princi ple, in the unregenerate man, stronger than reason itself; a principle which is, properly speaking, not of the essence of the soul, but acts in it, as its lord; or as a tyrant. This is inbred, and indwelling sin, the seed of the serpent; by which the whole soul is darkened, confused, perverted, and excited to rebellion against God.

the law, ver. 23. and does those things which the former principle allows not. This principle he expressly tells us, ver. 18. is the flesh, the law in the members, or sensual appetite, ver. 23. and he concludes in the last verse that these two principles were opposite to each other; therefore it is evident, that those two principles, residing and counteracting each other in the same person, are reason and lust; or sin that dwells in us. And it is very easy to distinguish these two Ps, or principles, In every part of this elegant description of iniquity, domi 18. For I know that in me, &c.] I have learned, by experineering over the light and remonstrances of reason. For in-ence, that in an unregenerate man, there is no good. There stance, ver. 17. Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sIN is no principle by which the soul can be brought into the that dwelleth in me. The I, he speaks of here as opposed to light; no principle by which it can be restored to purity indwelling or governing sin; and therefore plainly denotes the fleshly appetites alone prevail; and the brute runs away with principle of reason, the inward man, or lair of the mind: in the man. which, I add, a measure of the light of the Spirit of God shines : in order to show the sinfulness of sin. These two different principles he calls, one flesh, and the other spirit; Gal. v. 17. where he speaks of their contrariety in the same manner that he does here.

And we may give a probable reason why the apostle dwells so long upon the struggle and opposition between these two principles; it appears intended to answer a tacit but very obment, reason, and will. And by means of these, we have vious objection. The Jew might allege," But the law is holy and spiritual; and I assent to it as good, as a right rule of ac tion which ought to be observed; yea, I esteem it highly; I glory and rest in it, convinced of its truth and excellency. And, is not this enough to constitute the law a sufficient prin. ciple of sanctification?" The apostle answers, "No; wicked. ness is consistent with a sense of truth. A man may assent to the best rule of action, and yet still be under the dominion of lust and sin; from which nothing can deliver him but a principle and power proceeding from the Fountain of life." The sentiment in this verse may be illustrated by quotations from the ancient heathens; many of whom felt theruselves in precisely the same state, (and expressed it in nearly the same language,) which some most nonstrously tell us, was the state of this heavenly apostle, when vindicating the claims of the Gospel against those of the Jewish ritual! Thus OVID describes the conduct of a depraved man:

Sed trahit invitam nova vis, aliudque cupido;
Mens aliud snadet. Video meliora, proboque;
Deteriora sequor.
OVID, Met. lib. vii. ver. 19.

My reason this, my passion that persuades;
Isee the right, and I approve it too;
Condemn the wrong, and yet the wrong pursue.
-indignum facinus! nunc ego et

Ilam scelestam esse, et me miserum sentio:
Et tædet, et amore ardeo: et prudens et sciens,
Virus, vidensque pereo: nec quid agam scio.
TERENT. Eun. ver. 70.
An unworthy act! Now I perceive that she is wicked, and
I am wretched. I burn with love, and am vexed at it. Al
though prudent, and intelligent, and active, and seeing, I pe.
rish: neither do I know what to do.

Sed quia mente minus validus, quam corpore toto
Que nocuere sequar; fugiam, que profore credam.
HOR. Ep. lib. i. E. 8. ver 7.
More in my mind than body lie my pains;
Whate'er may hurt me, I with joy pursue;
Whate'er may do me good, with horror view.

FRANCIS.

Έπει γαρ ὁ αμαρτάνων ου θέλει αμαρτάνειν, αλλά κατορθώσαι·
Δηλον ότι, ὁ μὲν θέλει, ου ποιεί, καὶ ὁ μη θέλει, πάει,
ARRIAN. Epist. ii. 26.
For truly he who sins, does not will sin, but wishes to walk
uprightly yet it is manifest that what he wills he doth not:
and what he doth he wills not.

αλλα νικωμαι κακοίς,
Και μανθάνω μεν δια τολμήσω κακα
Θυμος δε κρείσσων των εμών βουλευμάτων
Όσπερ μεγίςων αίτιος κακών βροτοις EURIP. Med. v. 1077.
But I am overcome by sin,

And I well understand the evil which I presume to commit.
Passion, however, is more powerful than my reason;
Which is the cause of the greatest evils to mortal men.
Thus we find that enlightened heathens, both among the
Greeks and Romans, had that same kind of religious expe-
rience; which some suppose to be, not only the experience of
St. Paul in his best state; but to be even the standard of
Christian attainments! See more examples in Wetstein.
The whole spirit of the sentiment is well summed up and
expressed by St. Chrysostum: Orav TIVOS ETTITOμaμED, ELTE
πολυώμεθα, αίρεται μάλλον τες επιθυμίας η φλοξ. If we lust
after any thing, which is afterward prohibited, the flame of
this desire burns the more fiercely.

16. If then I do that which I would not, &c.] Knowing that the law condemns it, and that, therefore, it must be evil: I consent unto the law; I show by this circumstance, that I acknowledge the law to be good.

17. Now then, it is no more 11 It is not that I, which constitutes reason and conscience; but sin, corrupt and sensual inclinations, that dwelleth in me: that have the entire domination over my reason, darkening my understand rg, and per

For to will is present with me] Though the whole soul has suffered indescribably by the FALL, yet there are some faculties that appear to have suffered less than others; or rather have received larger measures of the supernatural light, be cause their concurrence with the Divine principle is so necessary to the salvation of the soul. Even the inost uncon cerned about spiritual things, have understanding, judg seen even scoffers at Divine revelation, become very eminent in arts and sciences; some of our best metaphysicians, phy. sicians, mathematicians, astronomers, chymists, &c. have been known, to their reproach be it spoken and published, to be without religion; nay, some of them have blasphemed it, by leaving God out of his own work, and ascribing to an idol of their own, whom they call nature, the operations of the wisdom, power, and goodness, of the Most High. It is true that many of the most eminent in all the above branches of knowledge, have been conscientious believers in Divine re velation: but the case of the others proves, that fallen as man is, he yet possesses extraordinary powers; which are capable of very high cultivation and improvement. In short, the soul seems capable of any thing, but knowing, fearing, loving, and serving God. And it is not only incapable of itself, for any truly religious acts; but what shows its fall in the most indisputable manner, is, its enmity to sacred things. Let an unregenerate man pretend what he pleases, his conscience knows that he hates religion; his soul revolts against it; his carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. There is no reducing this fell principle to subjection: it is SIN, and sin is rebellion against God; there. fore sin must be destroyed, not subjected; if subjected, it would cease to be sin; because sin is in opposition to God; hence the apostle says, most conclusively, it cannot be sub jected; i. e. it must be destroyed, or it will destroy the soul for ever.

When the apostle says, to will is present with me, he shows that the will is on the side of God and truth; so far, that it consents to the propriety and necessity of obedience. There has been a strange clamour raised up against this faculty of the soul, as if the very essence of evil dwelt in it; whereas, the apostle shows, throughout this chapter, that the will was regularly on God's side, while every other faculty appears to have been in hostility to him. The truth is, men have confounded the will with the passions; and laid to the charge of the former what properly belongs to the latter. The will is right, but the passions are wrong. It discerns and ap proves, but is without ability to perform: it has no power over sensual appetites; in these the principle of rebellion dwells. it nills evil, it wills good, but can only command through the power of Divine grace; but this, the person in question, the unregenerate man, has not received.

19. For the good that I would, I do not] Here again is the most decisive proof that the will is on the side of God and truth.

But the evil which I would not] And here is equally deci sive proof that the will is against, or opposed to evil. There is not a man in ten millions who will carefully watch the ope rations of this faculty, that will find it opposed to good, and obstinately attached to evil, as is generally supposed. Nay, it is found almost uniformly on God's side, while the whole sensual system is against him. It is not the WILL that leads men astray; but the corrupt PASSIONS which oppose and op press the will. It is truly astonishing into what endless mistakes men have fallen on this point, and what systems of di vinity have been builded on these mistakes. The will, this almost only friend to God in the human soul, has been slandered as God's worst enemy: and even by those who had the seventh chapter to the Romans before their eyes! Nay, it has been considered so fell a foe to God and goodness, that it is bound in the adamantine chains of a dire necessity, to do evil only and the doctrine of will, (absurdly called free will, us if will did not essentially imply what is free,) has been considered one of the most destructive heresies. Let such persons put themselves to school to their Bibles, and to common sense.

The plain state of the case is this: the soul is so complete. ly fallen, that it has no power to do good, till it receive that power from on high. But it has power to see good, to distinguish between that and evil; to acknowledge the excellence of this good, and to will it, from a conviction of that excel

47

a Ver. 15.-b Ver. 16.-c Ver.23-d Ch. 8.2 Gal. 5.17.- Psa. 1.2.-f2 Cor. 4. 16. Eph. 3.16. Col.3.9, 10.

lence; but farther it cannot go. Yet, in various cases, it is
solicited, and consents to sin; and because it is will, that is,
because it is a free principle, it must necessarily possess this
power; and although it can do no good, unless it receive
grace from God; yet it is impossible to force it to sin. Even
Satan himself cannot do this; and before he can get it to sin,
he must gain its consent. Thus, God in his endless mercy,
has endued this faculty with a power in which, humanly
speaking, resides the salvability of the soul; and without
this, the soul must have eternally continued under the power
of sin, or been saved as an inert, absolutely passive ma-
chine; which supposition would go as nearly to prove that it
was as incapable of vice, as it were of virtue.
"But does not this arguing destroy the doctrine of free
grace ?" No! it establishes that doctrine. 1. It is through
the grace, the unmerited kindness of God, that the soul has
such a faculty, and that it has not been extinguished by sin.
2. This will, though a free principle, as it respects its nilling
of evil, and choosing good; yet, properly speaking, has no
power by which it can subjugate the evil, or perform the
good. We know that the eye has a power to discern objects:
but without light, this power is perfectly useless; and no ob-
ject can be discerned by it. So, of the person represented
here by the apostle, it is said, to will is present with me, ro
γαρ θελειν παρακειται μοι.
ever at hand, it lies constantly before me: but how to per-
To will is ever in readiness, it is
form that which is good, I find not: that is, the man is unre-
generate; and he is seeking justification and holiness from
the law. The law was never designed to give these; it gives
the knowledge, not the cure of sin: therefore, though he
nills evil, and wills good: yet he can neither conquer the
one, nor perform the other, till he receives the grace of
Christ; till he seeks and finds redemption in his blood. Here
then, the free agency of man is preserved, without which he
could not be in a salvable state: and the honour of the grace
of Christ is maintained, without which there can be no actual
salvation. There is a good sentiment on this subject in the
following words of an eminent poet:

Thou great first CAUSE, least understood;
Who all my sense confined

To know but this, that thou art good,

And that myself am blind.

Yet gave me in this dark estate

To see the good from ill:

And binding nature fast in fate,
Left free the human will.

20. It is no more I My will is against it; my reason and POPE'S Universal Prayer. conscience condemn it. But sin that dwelleth in me-The principle of sin, which has possessed itself of all my carnal appetites and passions, and thus subjects my reason, and do mineers over my soul. Thus, I am in perpetual contradiction to myself. Two principles are continually contending in me for the mastery; my reason, on which the light of God shines, to show what is evil; and my passions, in which the principle of sin works, to bring forth fruit unto death.

This strange self-contradictory propensity led some of the ancient philosophers to imagine that man has two souls, a good and a bad one; and it is on this principle that Xenophon In his life of Cyrus, causes Araspes, a Persian nobleman, to account for some misconduct of his, relative to Panthea, a beautiful female captive, whom Cyrus had entrusted to his care. "O Cyrus, I am convinced that I have two souls: if 1 had but one soul, it could not, at the same time, pant after vice and virtue: wish and abhor the same thing. It is certain, therefore, that we have two souls: when the good soul rules, I undertake noble and virtuous actions: but when the bad soul predominates, I am constrained to do evil. All I can say at present, is, that I find my good soul, encouraged by thy presence, has got the better of my bad soul." See Spectator, Vol. VIII. No. 564. Thus, not only the ancients, but also many mo derns have trifled, and all will continue to do so, who do not acknowledge the scriptural account of the fall of man, and the lively comment upon that doctrine, contained in the seventh chapter of the Epistle to the Romans.

21. I find then a law] I am in such a condition and state of soul, under the power of such habits and sinful propensities, that when I would do good: when my will and reason are strongly bent on obedience to the law of God, and opposition to the principle of sin: evil is present with me, kakov Tapakɛtral, evil is at hand, it lies constantly before me. That, as the will to do good is constantly at hand, ver. 18. so the principle of rebellion exciting me to sin, is equally present: but as the one is only will, wish, and desire, without power to do what is willed, to obtain what is wished, or to perform what is desired, sin continually prevails.

The word vopos, law, in this verse, must be taken as imply 48

of sin which is in my members.
23 But I see another law in h my members, warring against
the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law

the body of this death?
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from

the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with

Gal.5.17-h Ch.6.13, 19.-1 Ch.8.7.& 12.2. Eph.4.23. James 4.1-k Or, this hody of death.-11 Cor. 15.57.

ing any strong or confirmed habit, ovvn@stav, as Hesychius renders it, under the influence of which the man generally acts; and in this sense, the apostle most evidently uses it in ver, 23.

ry Jew, and every unregenerate man, who receives the Old Testament as a revelation from God, must acknowledge the 22. I delight in the law of God after the inward man] Eve great purity, excellence, and utility of its maxims, &c. though he will ever find, that without the grace of our Lord Jesus, he can never act according to those heavenly maxims; and without the mercy of God, can never be redeemed from the curse entailed upon him for his past transgressions. To say is supportable by no argument. O eo av0omos, and b Evros avoporos, especially the latter, are expressions frequently in that the inward man means the regenerate part of the soul, use among the purest Greek ethic writers, to signify the soul or rational part of man in opposition to the body of flesh: see the quotations in Wetstein from Plato and Plotinus. The Jews have the same form of expression; so in Yalcut Rube ni, fol. 10. 3. it is said, The flesh is the inward garment of the man; but the SPIRIT is the INWARD man, the garment of which is the body: and St. Paul uses the phrase in precisely the same sense, in 2 Cor. iv. 16. and in Eph. iii. 16. If it be said, that it is impossible for an unregenerate man to delight in the lar Every true penitent admires the moral law: longs most ear of God, the experience of millions contradicts the assertion. nestly for a conformity to it; and feels that he can never be satisfied till he awakes up after this divine likeness; and he hates himself, because he feels that he has broken it, and that his evil passions are still in a state of hostility to it.

on this subject cannot be unacceptable. "The inward man always signifies the mind; which either may, or may not, be The following observations of a pious and sensible writer the subject of grace. That which is asserted of either the inward or outward man, is often performed by one member or power, and not with the whole. If any member of the body perform an action, we are said to do it with the body, although the other members be not employed. In like manner if any power or faculty of the mind be employed about any action the soul is said to act. This expression, therefore, 1 delight in the law of God after the inward man, can mean no more than this, that there are some inward fuculties in the soul, which delight in the law of God. This expression is particularly adapted to the principles of the Pharisees, of whom St. Paul was one before his conversion. They received the law its original, and a full conviction that it was true. To some as the oracles of God, and confessed that it deserved the most parts of it they paid the most superstitious regard. They had serious regard. Their veneration was inspired by a sense of it written upon their phylacteries, which they carried about with them at all times. It was often read and expounded in their synagogues: and they took delight in studying its precepts. On that account, both the prophets and our Lord agree in saying, that they delighted in the law of God, though they regarded not its chief and most essential precepts." See far ther observations on this point at the end of the chapter.

RATE man can delight in the law of God, we find that even a proud, unhumbled PHARISEE can do it; and much more a So far, then, it is from being true, that none but a REGENE poor sinner, who is humbled under a sense of his sin, and sees, in the light of God, not only the spirituality, but the excellence of the divine law.

person in question is less or more under the continual influ ence of reason and conscience, which offer constant testimo 23. But I see another law in my members] Though the ny against sin; yet, as long as help is sought only from the law, and the grace of Christ in the Gospel is not received, the remonstrances of reason and conscience are rendered of no effect by the prevalence of sinful passions; which, from repeated gratifications have acquired all the force of habit; and now give law to the whole carnal man.

sion here to the case of a city besieged, at last taken by storm,
and the inhabitants carried away into captivity; avris pars vo
Warring against the law of my mind] There is an allu
to the soul; repeating incessantly its attacks; harrassing
battering, and storming the spirit; and, by all these assaults,
JEVOV, carrying on a system of warfare, laying continual siege
reducing the man to extreme misery. Never was a picture
more impressively drawn, and more effectually finished; for
the next sentence shows, that this spiritual city was at last ta-
ken by storm, and the inhabitants who survived the sackage,
led into the most shameful, painful, and oppressive captivity

here speak of an occasional advantage gained by sin, it was
a complete and final victory gained by corruption; which,
Bringing me into captivity to the law of sin] He does not
bitants, with irresistible force, into captivity. This is the
having stormed and reduced the city, carried away the inha

that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, has made us free from the law of sin and death. This is the inheritance of God's children; and their salvation is of me, saith the Lord. I cannot conclude these observations, without recommending to the notice of my readers a learned and excellent_discourse on the latter part of this chapter, preached by the Rev James Smith, minister of the Gospel in Dumfermline, Scot land, a work to which I am indebted for some useful observations, and from which I should have been glad to have copied much, had my limits permitted. Reader, do not plead for Baal; try, fully try, the efficiency of the blood of the covenant; and be not content with less salvation than God has provided for thee. Thou art not straitened in God, be not straitened in thy own bowels. CHAPTER VIII.

The happy state of those who believe in Christ, and walk under the influence of His Spirit, 1, 2. The design of God in sending his Son into the world, was to redeem men from sin, 3, 4. The miserable state of the carnally minded, 5-8. Howe Christ lives and works in his followers; their blessedness here, and their happiness hereafter, 9-17. Sufferings are the common lot of all men, and from which Gentiles and Jews have the hope of being finally delivered, 18-23. The use and importance of hope, 24, 25. The Spirit makes intercession in the followers of Christ, 26, 27. All things work toge ther for good to them that love God, and who act according to his gracious purpose in calling them, 28. The means used to bring men to eternal glory, 29, 30. The great blessedness, confidence, and security of all genuine Christians, whom, while they hold fast faith and a good conscience, nothing can separate from the love of God, 31-39. [A. M. cir. 4062. A. D. cir. 58. An. Olymp. cir. CCIX. 2. A. U. C. cir. 811.]