As if the apostle had said, “ I verily find sin, having an impelling power and an impulsive virtue in it, like a law in my members, thwarting and contradicting the inclinations of my mind, and the resolutions of my will; that when I would do good, evil is present with me, to oppose and hinder me from the doing of it." Note here, A double burden which the apostle complained of, 1. Of the presence of sin at all times, evil is present with me. It follows me, as if he had said, and is as inseparable from me as my shadow. This he calls a law, because of its mighty power and efficacy, and because of its constant residence in his nature. 1. Of the operation of it, especially at some particular and special times and seasons: When I would do good, then evil is present with me, As if he had said, "When I address myself to any holy duty, and heavenly employment, when I desire and design to draw near to God, and would hope for the sweetest fellowship and communion with him, then alas! then, to my great sorrow, is evil present with me. Ah! when I promise myself most comfort and communion in the enjoyment of my God, how do I then find a bad heart in the best season, a dead and drowsy spirit, when I would be most spiritual in the duties I perform!" From whence learn, That the holiest and best of saints in this their imperfect state do sensibly feel, and sadly bewail, the working of sin and corruption in them, and that in the very seasons and opportunities of their communion with God: When I would do good, then evil is present with me.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man.

If by the inward man, we understand the mind and understanding of a man only, then the unregenerate person may be said to delight in the law of God, with Ezekiel's hearers, Ezek. xxxiii. 32. with Herod, Mark vi. 20. with the stony ground, Matt. xiii. 20. That is, they delight and satisfy themselves with the bare hearing of the word, and with a notional and speculative knowledge of their duty: either the eloquence of the preacher whom they hear, or the pleasingness of some truths which they hear, affect them with a sudden joy; they delight to hear the word, but they take no delight to do it. It is neither a spiritual delight, nor an abiding delight, that such men take in the law of God. If by

the inward man, we understand that which St. Peter calls the hidden man of the heart, the new man, or the regenerate part in man, as being seated in the inward powers and faculties of the soul; then to delight in the law of God, is to love it for its purity and spirituality, because it makes holiness our duty; to take pleasure in the knowledge of the law, in meditating upon it, and in practising every good duty contained in it, and enjoined by it. Thus David did delight to do the will of God, because the law of God was within his heart. Where there is lex in corde, there will be cor in lege; where the law of God is in the heart, there the heart will be engaged in that obedience which is by the law required, and by the christian performed. He delights in the law, and the law is delighted in by him.

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

in

;

Here observe, That in this and the foregoing verses mention is made of four laws contending one against another, whereof two are on one side, and two on the other namely, The law of God, and the law of the mind; the law of the members, and the law of sin. By the law of God is understood the word of God; by the law of the mind is understood, in the regenerate, grace in the heart, in the unregenerate, light in the conscience; by the law of the members, understand original lust and concupiscence; by the law of sin, those corrupt principles according to which lust governs. Learn hence, That there is a conflict or combat between the law of the mind, and the law of the members, and this both in regenerate and unregenerate persons. This appears, 1. By the testimony of nature speaking in the heathen. Thus Medea, Video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor; their rational appetite displaceth reason, and leads it captive. By the testimony of scripture, and that, (1.) As to the unregenerate: witness Herod, Mark vi. 26, who had a conflict between lust and conscience; as had also Pilate upon the occasion of our Saviour's death, conscience bid him spare, popularity bid him kill. (2.) As to the regenerate, Gal. v. 17, The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, &c. (3.) By the testimony of experience. Who finds not

every day within himself a contest of contrary motions and inclinations? A christian's bosom is like Rebecca's womb, it has twins of two contrary natures: a smooth Jacob and rough Esau, flesh and spirit. But wherein consists the difference between that conflict which is found in the natural and spiritual, the regenerate and unregenerate man ? Ans. 1. The conflict in an unregenerate person is not between grace and sin, but betwixt one lust and another; the struggle is, which lust shall be in the throne, as rebels in a kingdom having cast off the authority of their lawful prince, every one snatches at the sceptre, and would command and rule. Thus every lust is ambitious of superiority, and usurps a regency in the soul: so that though the sinner oft changes his master, yet not his servitude, he is a slave still. Now from this contrariety of lusts rebelling in a carnal heart, he is necessitated to oppose the lusts which he favours less, to gratify another which he favours more. Thus the conflict is betwen sin and sin, not betwixt grace and sin. (2.) As an unregenerate man's combat with sin is betwixt one lust and another, so it is only between one faculty and another. Thus light in the understanding opposes lust in the will. The judgment and conscience of a sinner says, "O do not that abominable thing which the soul of God hates." But then lust in the will votes for it, and is angry with conscience for being so bold as to oppose it. Whereas the conflict in a regenerate person is between grace and sin, not betwixt sin

and sin; and not betwixt the understanding and the will, but betwixt the regenerate and unregenerate part in the same will. And although grace be foiled in a particular combat, yet it keeps the field, and the christian will not throw down his weapon, till he lays down his life.

it is Vor anhelantis, the voice of one that pants and breathes after deliverance; not of one that doubted, much less desponded, of a deliverer and a deliverance. As if the apostle had said, "O how I am tired and wearied with continual conflicts and strivings with indwelling sin! How do the remains of unsubdued sin, and (as yet) unmortified corruption, affect and afflict me! Who will deliver me, and when shall deliverance be enjoyed by me." Learn hence, That there are sad remains of indwelling sin, and unsubdued corruption, in the very best and holiest of God's children and servants in this life, which they sadly complain of, sensibly groan under, daily watch against, continually conflict with, and shall in God's time be fully and finally delivered from.

25 I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ; one that had delivered Here the apostle espies a deliverer, the him from the condemning and reigning power of sin, and would ere long deliver him from the presence as well as prevalency of sin. And whereas the apostle styles Christ Jesus not his Lord, but our Lord; that is, the Lord of all believers; it gives us this consolation and joyful assurance, that the happy hour is at hand, when we shall be everlastingly freed from the indwelling presence of sin, from all temptations to sin, from all inclinations to offend, yea, from all possibility of sinning: when we shall obey God with vigour, praise him with cheerful

without torment, trust in him without deness, love him without measure, fear him spondency, serve him without weariness, without interruption or distraction, being perfectly like unto God, as well in holiness as in happiness, as well in purity as immortality. Lord, strengthen our faith in the belief of this desirable happiness, (when

of this death?

These words are a sad and sorrowful complaint of the present and too great prevalency of indwelling sin, and unsub dued corruption; and in them observe, 1. The person complaining, St. Paul. 2. The matter of the complaint, not of affliction, but of sin; not of a death, but of a body of sin and death which he carried about with him. 3. The manner of the complaint; 'tis with vehemence and affection,

nothing shall disturb our peace,) and set our souls a longing for the full fruition and final enjoyment of it.

--So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Here the apostle acknowledges two principles in himself; grace and sin, a sweet and bitter fountain, from whence did flow suitable streams. The law of the mind inclined to serve the law of God; but the law

in his members disposed him to obey the law of sin. The habitual bent of a good man's heart is to serve the law of God; he loves it, and delights to obey it. Yet sometimes, contrary to his firmest resolutions, through the power of temptations and indwelling corruption, he is carried aside contrary to his covenant and his conscience; but he laments it, it is his grief, his shame, the sorrow of his heart, the burden of his soul, that ever he should be so false and unworthy. In fine, if a good man, at a particular time, does the evil that he hates, he always hates the evil which he does. Blessed be God, sin shall never hurt us, if it does not please us. As God will not finally judge us, so we ought not censoriously to judge one another, or injuriously to judge ourselves by a single act, by a particular action, but by the habitual and constant bent of our resolutions, and the general course and tenor of our conversation. Blessed be God for the covenant of grace!

CHAP. VIII.

This chapter is a summary of evangelical duty, and a magazine of christian comfort; we cannot wish to be more holy than to do what is here enjoined, nor more happy than to possess what

is here promised. For sublimity of matter, for variety of evangelical truths, for admirable support and comfort to believers, this chapter is not inferior to any part whatsoever of the holy scriptures. Here the believer's union with Christ, and exemption from condemnation, the Spirit's agency in freeing from the dominion of sin, the law's inability to justify and save, the incarnation and satisfaction of Christ, are set forth and declared. In short, the whole chapter is consolatory: there is a vein of heavenly comfort running through the whole body of it. With this it begins and with this it ends. It begins with

no condemnation to believers, ver. 1. It ends with no separation from the love of God, ver. 38, 39. Let the sincere and serious christian study, weigh, digest, believe, and apply what is laid down in this chapter, and let him walk dejectedly if he can. This chapter before us may be divided into three parts: The first contains powerful supports for such as groan under the burden of indwelling sin. The second contains consolations under sufferings and afflictions. The third abounds with high and holy triumphs over both sin and sufferings, to the end of the chapter.

THERE is, therefore, now no con

demnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Observe here, 1. The apostle doth not say, there is no corruption in them that are in Christ Jesus, but there is no condemnation to them. Perfection in holiness is the saint's aim in this life, his attainment only in the next. 2. He doth not say, there is

no correction belongs to them, but no condemnation; corrected they may be, condemned they never shall be; yea, they are therefore corrected, that they may never be condemned. 3. The apostle doth not say, there is nothing that deserves condemnation, nothing damnable in them; but no actual condemnation belonging to them. 4. He doth not say, there is no condemnation to this or that particular believer, to himself, and such as had attained to the like measures and degrees of grace with himself; but he extends the privilege to all believers indefinitely, There is no condemnation to them: that is, to any of them that are in Christ Jesus. 5. He says not, there shall be no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, but there is now none; he hath everlasting life, and is already passed from death to life. 6. Our apostle doth not say, there are not many condemnations belonging to them, but not any: 8 de iv, not one either from law or gospel; for the gospel has its condemnatory sentence as well as the law; yea, the highest and sorest condemnation is that which the gospel denounces, John iii. 19. This is the condemnation, that light, &c. Learn hence, 1. That it is a great felicity and happiness, not to be obnoxious to condemnation. 2. That this felicity and happiness is the portion of all those, and only those, that are in Christ Jesus; not by external federation, and visible profession only, but by virtue of a personal implantation into him by faith. Learn, 3. That such as are thus in Jesus Christ, obey not the inclinations of corrupt nature, but the holy motions of the blessed Spirit of God. Learn, 4. That a uniform and constant course of holy walking in the paths of sincere obedience, is both the indubitable mark and character, and also the indispensable duty and obligation, of all such as are freed by Christ from condemnation.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

If by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, be meant the doctrine of the gospel, which is called the ministration of the Spirit, then the note is, that the gospel or new covenant is a law, that it is the law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus, and that it sets the sincere christian at liberty from the slavery of sin, and the condemning power

of the law. If by the law of the Spirit of life be understood a real and vital principle of regenerating grace, working a new and heavenly life in the soul with great power and efficacy; thence we learn, 1. That he holy and blessed Spirit of God is a spirit of life. (1.) Essentially and formally in himself; as the Father hath life in himself, so the Spirit has life in himself also. And, (2.) effectively or causally, with respect to us. He is a quickening or lifegiving Spirit, being the original spring and fontal cause of that spiritual life which is in a gracious soul. Learn, 2. That every person, before the Spirit of life takes hold of him, is under the law of sin and death. Learn, 3. That such as are truly regenerate, are made free from the law of sin and death. 4. That it is by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that any soul is made free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh :

That is, when mankind could by no means be freed from sin and death, God sent his own and only Son to be a sacrifice for sin, that our liberty might be fully accomplished. Observe here, 1. The impotency and weakness of the law declared: there is something which the law cannot do, it cannot justify, it cannot save, because it requires that which the fallen creature can never perform, and cannot make reparation for what the fallen creature has done.

Learn hence, That the moral law of God, though an holy and excellent law, and designed by God for holy and excellent ends; yet having now to do with fallen man, is become weak, and altogether unable to justify and save. Observe, 2. The reason of the law's impotency and weakness assigned: It is weak through the flesh; that is, through our corrupt and depraved natures. Its weakness doth not arise from itself; but from us; the law properly is not weak to us, but we are weak to that. The law retains its authority of commanding, but we have lost our power of obeying. No mere man, since the fall, was able perfectly to observe the law of God. None ever could keep the law of God perfectly, but the first Adam; none ever could and did keep it perfectly, but the second Adam. Observe, 3. The way and means which the wisdom of God found out for

relieving the law's impotency, and for the fallen sinner's recovery: He sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. Learn hence, 1. That Jesus Christ was God's own Son, the Son of himself, his natural Son, coequal, co-essential, and co-eternal, with the Father, partaking of his Father's essence by an eternal and ineffable generation. 2. That Jesus Christ was sent, and sent by God the Father: he was sent, therefore he had a being before his incarnation; for that which was not, could not be sent; he was sent by the Father, therefore he was and is a person, and a person really distinct from the Father; the one sends, and the other is sent. But what doth God's sending Christ imply? Ans. His appointing and ordaining of him before all time to the work and office of a Mediator; his qualifying and fitting him in time for that great work and office; and his authoritative injunction of him to take upon him our nature, and in that nature to make satisfaction for our sin. 3. That Christ, God's own Son, was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, not in likeness of flesh: it was real flesh that Christ assumed; but like unto sinful flesh he was dealt with and handled, treated and used, just as guilty men are; accused of gluttony, wine-bibbing, sorcery, blasphemy, and what not; arraigned, condemned, executed for an impostor, deceiver, blasphemer, and breaker of the law. Thus, though no sinner, yet was he reputed a sinner, and appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh. 4. That the end for which Christ was sent by God, was through the sacrifice of his death to condemn sin, that is, to expiate and take away the guilt of sin, so as that it shall never be charged upon believ

ers to their eternal condemnation. For sin

he condemned sin in the flesh. Blessed be God, condemning sin is condemned by

a condemned Saviour.

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Our apostle here assigns another end and cause for which God sent his Son into the world; namely, to do what the law commanded, as well as to suffer what the law threatened; perfectly to fulfil the righteousness of the law for us, which it was impossible for us to do for ourselves; for the sake of which we are accounted righteous in the sight of God. Learn hence, 1. That our Lord