THE Arminian Magazine, For JUNE 1790. *0*0*0*0*0* An Illuflration of Part of the Seventh Chapter of the Epiftle to the Romans, from verfe 14, to the end of the Chapter. By JAMES SMITH, Minifter in DUMFERMLINE, [Continued from page 230.] A more particular Explanation of the feveral Verfes. Ver. 17. Now then, it is no more I that do it, but fin that dwelleth in me. Ver. 20. Now, if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but fin that dwelleth in me. ALL the parts of this paffage are of a piece; every fentence discovers fomething more of the exceeding finfulness of an unregenerate ftate. The apostle in these two verfes gives the reafon why the impreffions of the word, and voice of confcience, were ineffectual to excite him to the habitual practice of holiness; it VOL. XIII. N n ia is becaufe of fin dwelling in him. "It is no more I," faith St. Paul. The tranfgreffion of God's law is univerfally reprefented in the fcriptures to be the greateft folly, and the tranfgreffor is denominated a fool: when he finneth, he acts irrationally; whatever degree of reafon remaineth with the finner, according to its ftrength it oppofeth the fin. Reason and confcience, unfettered with paffion, fpeak the fame language with the law of God. Whoever tramples the law of God under his feet, alfo treadeth upon confcience on which it is written, ch. ii. 15. Now, the apoftle faith, "If I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it ;" it is no more I as a rational, a confcientious being, for my reafon and confcience forbid me. That better part which remains of what man originally was, which diflinguifheth him from the beafts of the field, which diftinguisheth between good and evil, which conftitutes him a moral agent, and an accountable being, dark and feeble as it is, yet still offers its teftimony against fin: "Now, if I do that I would not, it is no more that do it." It is very common to denominate the man by the better part. When Jacob went down into Egypt, we are told, Gen. xlvi. 27. that all the fouls which went down with him were threefcore and ten. There, as well as here, the man is denominated by the rational part. Sin in fcripture is frequently perfonated, and reprefented as an obtruder on human nature. The powers of the foul are by this tyrant proffituted to vice. The creature, thus made fubje&t unto vanity by the fall of Adam, is reprefented as travelling in pain under a hard bondage, ch. viii. 20, 22. That bondage under corruption is here expreffed by fin dwelling in the man, as the reason why he acted fo frequently in opposition to his confcience, by doing what he would not. It is fin that dwelleth in me, as a mafter doth in his own house, ufing it for his own purposes. He had faid, ver. 14. that he was fold under this tyrant who ruled over him; and here he tells us, that fin to whom he was fold a flave dwelt dwelt in him. He ufeth the very fame word, to denote the manner in which the Spirit abides with, and ruleth in the fpiritual man. "Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if fo be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." Ver. 23. But I 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. The power which corruption in his members had over the foul, led her captive to the law of fin; that is, fubdued her to itself, and made him obey the demands of finful passions: In confequence of fin thus dwelling in St. Paul and govern. ing him, he found it a rule which generally took place, that when he would do good, the dominion which fin had over him prevented the accomplishment of such purposes, Such refolutions, we are informed, he was capable of making;" to will is prefent with me," ver. 18. We often find wicked men refolving to reform, and actually abstaining from many of their vices: but they perfevere not; for how to perform that which is good, that is, how to perfevere in performing that which is good, they find not, ver. 18. The reason is, the frong man of fin is not difarmed, nor bound by the ftronger, and therefore his dominion over them, warring against fuch refolutions of their minds always in the iffue leads them captive to his authority, For, faid St. Paul, ver. 22. "Though I delight in the law of God after the inward man; yet I fee another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and prevailing over me to lead me into bondage." The law of the mind is the power of confcience; the law of fin in his members is the power that corruption had over him. These two are in oppofition to one another; and in the unregenerate, corruption generally prevails, and enflaves the man to fin. The law of the mind is that which the apofle tells us is written in the hearts even of heathens, Nn 2 by |