19. For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 19. FOR what good Actions his Reafon chooses, thofe he, the Man in the Flesh, doth not: But on the contrary, he doth that Wickedness which his Reafon difapproveth. 20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but fin that dwel leth in me. 20. Now if he do what his Reafon disapproveth, it is not (as I faid before) I, the Man, in the beft Senfe, it is not his Reason feparately confidered, that produces the wicked Action; but the Prevalency of fenfual Affections fettled and ruling in his Heart. 21. I find then a law, that when I would do good evil is prefent with me. 21. So that certainly true it is, a Man may be in fuch a State, that while his Reafon approveth Obedience to the Law, the doing of Evil will attend him, and his indulged Appetites draw him into Difobedience. 22. For I delight in the law of God after the INWARD MAN . 22. FOR as to that I, which is the inward Man, the Mind or Reason, it is e Ifa. lviii. 2. It is faid of a Nation, that did not do Righteousness; They feek me daily, and DELIGHT to know my way's. granted, granted, the few in the Flesh may esteem the Law of God. 23. But I fee another law in my MEMBERS war ring against the Law 23. BUT it is evident there is in his fleshly Appetites another 1, another Principle of Action, which fighteth against, and conquers the Principle of Reafon, captivating and inflaving him to the Principles of Wickednefs, feated in the Lufts of the Flesh. in my MIND, and bringing me into captivity to the Lacu of fin which is in my members. 24. O wretched man that I am, who the body of this fball deliver me from death! 24. AND now what shall a Sinner do in this miferable Situation? He is under the Power of fuch Paffions and Habits as the Law declareth to be finful, and which even his own Reafon disapproveth, but is too weak to conquer; and at the fame Time being a few, under the Law, he ftands condemned to eternal Death by the Law for his wicked Compliances with them. How fhall fuch a wretched, inflaved, condemned few be delivered from the Dominion of finful Lufts, and the Curse of the Law, which fubjecteth him to eternal Death *? *The Body, I conceive, is the whole that concurs to fubject me to Death. 25. I thank God, through Jefus Christ our Lord. So then with the M IN D* the fame I ferve the law of God; but with the FLESH the law of fin. 25. He is delivered and obtains Salvation, not by any Strength or Favour the Law fupplieth, but by the Grace of God in our Lord Jefus Chrift; for which we are bound to be for ever thankful. To conclude, the Sum of what I have advanced concerning the Power of Sin in the fenfual Man is this, namely, that the fame Perfon in his inward Man, his Mind and Reason, may affent to and approve the Law of God; and yet notwithstanding by his fleshly Appetites may be brought under Servitude to Sin †. CHAP. viii. 1. * But now there is no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ! CHAP. viii. I. Thus under the weak and lifeless Difpenfation of the LAW, the Sinner remains in a deplorable State, without Help or Hope, inflaved to Sin, and sentenced to Death. But Now under the GOSPEL the most en The Eг, the I, of whom the Apoftle here faith, AFTOE Eг, the fame I, is manifeftly the Ern, the I, the Perfon fpoken of in his preceeding Argumentation. And here, after a very lively Touch upon the Grace of Redemption, he fums up what he had proved. couraging and we couraging Hopes fmile upon us, have the highest Affurance, that all those who embrace the Chriftian Faith, notwithftanding former Tranfgreffions, are quite difcharged from the Penalty of the Law, and difingag'd from the Servitude of Sin; if fo be they make that Faith a Principle of Obedience, and do not choose to live in Wickedness according to the Inftigation of fleshly Appetite; but in Truth and Holiness, according to the Dictates of the inward Man, or the rational Faculty, &c. SHOULD WE be mistaken in the Senfe of any fingle Period in this Chapter, yet surely the Subject and Drift of the Apostle's Argument is evident beyond all Doubt. Certainly he runs a Comparison between the Law and Gospel with regard to the Jew in the Flesh. In Chap. vii. he speaks infallibly of the LAW, and of the State of a Sinner under the LAW, which leaveth him inflaved to Sin without Help, and subjected to Death without Pardon. Then in Chap. viii. he undeniably turns to the GOSPEL, and fhews what Provision is there made for Recovery from the Bondage of Sin to Sanctity and Happiness. Confe † ΟΥΔΕΝ ΑΡΑ ΝΥΝ. Aga here is not illative, but ftrongly affirmative; nempe, utique. See Matt. xii. 28. Luke xi. 48.-xviii. 8. Acts vii. 1. 1 Cor. v. 10.-vii. 14.-XV. 14, 15, 18, &c. quently quently he cannot be fuppofed by the wretched Character, in Chap. vii. to defcribe the State of a Chriftian, unless he can be fupposed to represent the Gospel as weak and defective as the Law itfelf. For if after Faith in Chrift, and fuch Obedience to him as we can now perform, the Chriftian still remains under the Dominion of Sin, and the Condemnation of the Law, which is the true State defcribed in Chap. vii. then the Grace of God is of no ufe to us, nor are we any nearer to Life, by being in Chrift, and walking after the Spirit, according to our present Abilities; but ftill we want a new Redemption, and ought to cry out, O wretched Man, who fhall deliver us? &c. BUT here it may be objected, Are not ever good and holy Men attended with fenfual Appetites and Affections, and therefore may we not very justly apply to them the Apostle's Defcription of a Jew in the Flesh To this I anf?wer: It is undoubtedly true, that even good and holy Men are attended with various Appetites and Affections, and fuch as will exercife Vigilance, Self-denial, Faith and Patience, while they are in the Body. For this Caufe St. Paul kept his Body under, and brought it into Subjection, left that by any means, when he had preached to others, he himself should be a Caft-away. And the Apoftolic Writings abound withExhortations to Chriftians to poffefs |