as are according to his command, and will be acceptable unto him.

OBSERVATIONS.

I. Unbelievers, who have never yet fled in to Chrift, are lying under the law as a covenant of works; and they are fo fast tied unto that rigorous husband, and bound over to fubjection thereunto, that there is no loofing of the tye; while they remain fuch they are ftill bound to yield are ftill bound to yield perfect obedience, and that in their own. ftrength, which is impoffible; and that under no lefs penalty than the everlafting curfe of God: this is clearly implied, while he fays, they are now become dead to the law.

II. Believers in Jefus Chrift have that privilege, beyond others, that they are now, being in Chrift, as free from the curfe that was due to them by the covenant of works which was broken, and from any obligation to ftudy, in their own ftrength, complete conformity unto that law, for life and falvation, as if there were no other poffible way for attaining juftification and falvation but by fo doing; for Paul fays, they were now become dead to the law. III. If people were thoroughly convinced that they had a room in the affection of paftors, it would much help them to profit by them, and to receive the truth at their hands; and therefore minifters, on the one hand, fhould ftudy, with all good confcience, to walk fo as may ferve to convince their people that they love them tenderly; and, upon the other hand, people fhould beware to entertain jealoulies of their paltors knowing how prejudicial that will prove, and what a hinderance it will be unto their profiting: therefore the apostle doth again fay, my brethren.

IV. So ftraitly are people by nature bound over to the curfe of God, and the law of works, that there is no poffibility to get this bond loofed, becaufe of God's juftice and truth, upon the one hand, and

man's inability to fatisfy juftice, upon the other hand, but by Jeius Chrift: therefore it is laid, they are become dead to the law by the body of Christ.

V. Ere this bond and obligation could. be loofed and cancelled, juftice behoved to have a complete fatisfaction made, and Christ therefore behoved, in name of all his own people, to lay down his life, and offer up his body upon the crofs, for no lefs could ftop the mouth of justice; there fore it is faid, By his body..

VI. In dealing with the adverfaries of truth, we fhould not rigidly stick unto terms and expreffions, if the truth may be gained otherways, left it turn to a mere litigation and ftrife about words, which will but occafion contention, and no edification; for Paul will not needlefly irritate them, by ufing an expreffion which he faw might well be forborn, without any prejudice to truth; and whereas he fhould have faid, according to the comparifon,. And now the law is dead to you, he fays, Ye are dead to the law, which maketh no lefs for his purpose.

VII. Believers have Jefus Chrift for their husband, and the tye which is betwixt him and them is a ftrait and indiffolvable tye, fet out here by the tye of marriage betwixt married perfons, fo that neither life nor death, things prefent nor things to come, perfecution nor diftress, can diffolve the fame; hence is he often called our husband,, 2 Cor. xi. 2. and they are here faid to be married to another, viz. Christ.

VIII. There is no union to be made up betwixt Chrift and a foul fo long as they are tied to the law as their husband: thefe covenants of works and grace will not join together, in whole or in part; for if it be by works, it is no more of grace; and if of grace, it is no more by works: and before a man can expect life and falvation thro' Christ, he must wholly renounce the law, and the righteoufnefs thereof; his former husband must be dead

be

before he can be married to another; he must be dead to the law, before he can be joined, or married to another.

IX. Chrift Jefus did never redeem fouls from the curfe and jurifdiction of the covenant of works, that they might, so to fpeak, be at their own difpofal, and join to whom they pleased; but allenarly that they might be married to himfelf; there is no mid ftate here, or ftate of widowhood, but either a foul must be under the covenant of works or of grace, and muft either have the law for its husband, or Chrift; for this is one end of our delivery from the law, that we might be married to another, that is, Christ.

from the law, as if they were not bound to yield any obedience thereunto, but are no lefs tied unto obedience, tho' under another confideration, than if they were to purchase life thereby; for the marriage ftate with Chrift is a faithful ftate, a ftate wherein they are to bring forth fruit.

XIII. Folks being freed from the law, and married to Chrift, is fo far from loofing the reins unto licentioufnefs, that, on the contrary, it is one main defign of God's loofing them from the law, that they may bring forth fruit unto God; and fo for folks to imagine the contrary, is to fruflrate God of his end.

XIV. Whatever fhew of religion fuch may have in their carriage, who are unreconciled to God thro' Chrift, and are still under the covenant of works, and not mar

XI. Howbeit there were fome who rofe from the dead before Christ arofe, as Lazarus, and the other young man whom Chrift raised; yet feeing none of thofe did arife by virtue of their own power and ftrength, this title of being raised from the dead, cannot fo properly belong to them as to Chrift, who as he died and was lad in the grave for our good, fo did he arife again by his own power, John x. as head of the church, by whofe virtue all his members must arife; hence is he called, the first-fruits of those that fleep, 1 Cor. V. 20. The first-born from the dead, Col. 16. and the first begotten of the dead, Rev. i. 5. For here it is his file to be bim that was raifed from the dead, to thew, that it agreed to him in fome eminent manner, in which it did not agree to others.

XII. Although believers are freed from the covenant of works, and from obedience unto the law as a covenant of Works, yet are they not altogether freed

they do, whether in their civil or christian ftations, that is acceptable to God; their plowing is fin, Prov. xxi. 4. their facrifices, Prov. xxi. 27. and xv. 8. for they bring forth fruit unto God when married to Chrift, and not till then; it is the end of this match, and fo could not be attained before this match was made: and before we can do any thing which will be well-pleafing in God's eyes, we must make a match with Chrift, and thereby get a new principle of grace, and a fountain wherein to wash our fpots away.

XV. Ás felf is the ultimate end of an unbeliever, who doth all that he doth in religion, and in his ordinary calling, for himself; fo a believer being now married to a new husband. hath a new end propofed to himself in all that he doth, viz. God's glory; the fruit which he bringeth forth is unto God.

TH

'His laft end of the marriage with Chrift, viz. obedience, and fruitfulnets in good works, he preffeth here, and confirmeth and illuftrateth it from the confideration of their carriage and walk while under their old husband; and fo fheweth how equitable and juft it is, that now, while married to Chrift, they fhould bring forth fruit unto God; therefore he fays, when we were in our unregenerate eftate, under the law, or covenant of works, in the flesh, being only tickled with the outward found of the law, deftitute of the inward Spirit of grace; while we were in that carnal flate in which we were born, and which we had from Adam by carnal generation, whereby we are altogether filthy in foul and body, and every way obnoxious unto fin, and led away with corruption and our defiled nature, then the motions of fin, that is, finful, corrupt motions which are against the law of God, for this is a Hebraifm, which doth frequently occur; and well they may be called paffions which affect the foul, and draw the whole man away, fuch paffions and affections as ftir up to fin, fo that by motions of fin is meant, in a word, all the motions of the understanding and will both, and fo comprehendeth our evil thoughts, counfels, purposes, and all affections which flow from this natural corruption, and drive on to fin: Which were by the law; that is, which were the more irritated and ftired up, the more the law curbed and held in by prohibitions and comminations; as any flinking thing will have a worfe favour that the fun fhine upon it, and that not thro' any fault of the fun, but because of its own unfavoury nature. Now, fays he, thefe motions of fin, which were fo far from being reftrained by the law, that they were the more ftired up, and grew the more violent, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death; they exer

the members of our body, and faculties of our foul, and fired them up to act wick, ednefs and iniquity, which deserved death; and they brought forth fruit unto death, as heir husband, fo that, as it were, death was the proper owner and father: of thefe fins. Now, would the apoftle fay, if it was fo with us, while under our old husband, is it not reafonable, that now, while we are under a new husband, we should ferve him? that now while we are delivered from the law, and that covenant of works, that being dead wherein we were held; that is, the law, in respect of its intolerable and inexorable rigour, being now abrogated; or fin and corruption, which tyranniously held us formerly, being now flain and dead, as to its full ftrength and vigour; (this is all one, for when this body of death in us is flain, the law cannot condemn :), or, we being dead to the law, as fome copies have it, and accordingly is rendered by fome; fee the margin of fome Bibles, (and this is one with the former; for whether the husband or the wife die, the marriage tye is loofed,) we should ferve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter; that is, that we might ferve God in that new eftate which we have obtained by the Spirit of God, for it is the Spirit that doth work a change in us, 2 Cor. iii. 6.; or by new obedience, both in thought, word, and in deed; and true holiness, flowing from a fpiritual frame and new conftitution, and done in a fpiritual manner, and to a holy end, and helped on by the Spirit of grace; and not in the oldnefs of the letter, according to the tenor of the old covenant, or works, having only an external fhew of obedience, without any heart change; not having the law written in the heart, but only in tables of flone; for the law to the unregenerate is only a bare letter, and never fpeaks in to the heart.

From

From verfe 5. OBSERVE,.

I. The state of unregeneracy is a most finful, vile, corrupt, and abominable eftate, a fate of fin and corruption,, wherein the foul is plunged in fin, and can do nothing but fin, being under the maftery and dominion thereof; for fuch are faid to be in the fleh, wholly environed and overwhelmed therewith, and enwraped thereinto.

II. While a man is under the covenant of works, and not married to Christ, all the motions and stirings of his foul are tainted with fin, his understanding and all the motions thereof, his will and all its actings, and all his affections and paffions fmell rankly of the ftate of fin he is in: therefore are they called motions of fin..

III. So mighty and proud are thofe exorbitant, finful motions in the unregenerate, that there is no heming of them in, no dam can keep them in, fo ftrong and vio lent is their current; nay, the more they are bared and damed up, the more fierce and untractable are they; for they break out and burst out by the law, even that law which should have been a bar in their way, and laid a restraint upon them, they take occafion at to rush forth with greater force.

IV. These notions and inclinations in the unreconciled, are not only finful in themfelves, but also they are the feed and fpawn of more mifchief; they are not idle and filent, but broody, and have power and efficacy with them: therefore they are. said to work, and bring forth fruit.

V. Howbeit gracelefs, unrenewed fouls may account themselves happy in that miferable and finful condition wherein they are; yet in very deed their condition is moft miferable and deplorable, being altogether flaves to fin, not having fo much as one member either of foul or body free, but all of them as fo many underfervants to fin, or as fo many fhops wherein fin and corruption are working in the

black works of darkness: thefe motions. work in our members.

VI. As fin and corruption within natural folk are ftrong and vigorous, and have the faculties and members of the man as fo many under-flaves ready at command, and very inftrumental; fo is its work anfwerable: fin will not reft within, but muft break out into fome external a&t to God's difhonour, if it be not restrained; and the first motions of fin are fo broody, that they are never choaked till fin in fome member or faculty be in fome measure perfected, James i.. 5.: for thofe motions bring forth fruit.

VII. As the state of unregeneracy is a ftate of death; fo all the actions of fuch as are in that ftate, are near of kin to death, the refult of them all fhall be death: and however thefe, in acting fin, mind this little, but intend and forecast other things; yet they may make themselves fure thereof: Therefore they bring forth fruit unto death...

From verfe 6. OBSERVE,.

I Believers in Chrift are brought out of that ftate of corruption in which they were conceived and born, and no more liable to the condemning fentence of the law; and that yoke which once was wreathed about their necks, as well as others, is now loofed, fo great a change doth grace make in fouls: for the apofile fays, But now we are delivered from the law.

II. This deliverance could never have been wrought fo long as the law and covenant of works ftood in full force as to them, and corruption and fin within them retained the old strength; but the covenant or law of works, behoved first to be dead, and corruption in part flain: Therefore it is added, that being dead wherein we were held; and hereby fheweth the way how this deliverance was brought about.

III. Believers were once no less under the flavery of corruption within, and dominion and tyranny of the law than others,

who

and prove a fpur in our fide for that ef fect: for this is the ftrength of the reafon, and the apoftle's fcope in this place.

who are yet strangers to freedom, and their life was a very life of flavery and imprifonment: Therefore they are faid to be held, that is, forcibly, tyrannically, as with both hands.

IV. As it is a point neceffary to be believed, that God's loofing us out of the old yoke, was not that we might wax licentious; fo it is a point that carnal hearts, who love liberty, and like not to be bound with any bonds, can hardly take up and understand well: Therefore he comes over this again, and fays, we are delivered from the law, that we should ferve, &c.

V. It is a vain and groundless distinction that thofe of Rome ground their worshiping of faints upon, viz. the diftinction betwixt two words in the original, and Apa, feeing that which they fay is only afcribed to creatures, is here attributed to God; fo that all fort of worship, or wor fhipful fervice is due to God only, and ought not to be given to either faint or angel; for we should ferve God.

VI. As the ftate of believers is now new and fpiritual, being wrought by the Spirit of God only; fo fhould all their fervice which they perform to God, be done from a divine principle, through the grace and affiftance of the Spirit, to a holy and fpiritual end; it fhould be spiritual and hearty: we fhould ferve in newness of spirit.

VIL. All the fervice that was perform ed by us while in our old state of nature and corruption, was only external and fuperficial, not from the heart, but hypocritically; not in the Spirit, but in our own ftrength, the law being never taken up in a right and spiritual manner, but only literally this is the oldness of the letter, which believers fhould no more follow.

VIII. To confider how diligent the wicked are in working fin, and how diligent we ourselves have been fometime, (who are now changed thro' God's grace) in working wickedness, and in bringing forth fin unto death; fhould ftir us up now to be ferviceable to our new husband,

VERSE 7. What shall we fay then? is the law fin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known fin, but by the law: for 1 had not known luft, except the law had faid, Thou shalt not covet.

N this fecond part of the chapter, the

apoftle knowing the Jews would be ready to take exception at that which he had faid before, viz. That we behoved to be freed from the law, or else we could not ferve God in newness of spirit, whereby they would think, that he had infinuated as much, as the law was an utter enemy unto ferving of God, and fo behoved to be finful, and the cause of fin; and more particularly, at that which he had faid, verfe 5th, viz. That the motions of fin had a fubfiftence and being by the law. Wherefore, might they fay, If that be true, the law is the proper caufe of fin, and fo cannot but be finful. And foreseeing what others in after-times would be ready to gather from what he had faid; viz. That the law was ill, and came from fome ill fpirit, and all upon this ground; fo did the Manichæans and Valentinians. Therefore the apoftle taketh great pains in clearing himself, and in vindicating the law from all thofe falfe and groundless calumnies.

And 1. he propofeth the objection, (according to his ufual manner) faying, What Shall we fay? is the law fin? Can any blame be laid upon the moral ław, which God has given to be a rule of righteoufnefs? To which he anfwereth, 1. By abominating fuch an inference, as a conclufion which he never imagined, nor dreamed of; God forbid, fays he. Then he addeth feveral reafons to enforce the contrary; as 1. He fheweth from his own experience, (1.) In general; and then, (2.) În particular, how the law was fo far from being

the.