Gospel, that we mortify the Deeds of the Flesh; and the certain Rule of the Gospel, that all who are born of God, and are in Christ, have really mortified the Flesh with the Lufts, Gal. v. 24. But for a Proof of this we need go no further than the Chapter which is before this seventh Chapter, and that which followeth after it. Chap. vi. ver. 1. What shall we [Gentiles] fay then? Shall we continue in fin, that grace may abound? God forbid: how fhall we, that are dead to fin, live any longer therein? Ver. 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not ferve fin. Ver. 12. Let not fin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye fhould obey it in the lufts thereof. Ver. 13. Neither yield you your members as inftruments of unrighteousness unto fin: but yield your felves unto God, as thofe that are alive from the dead; and your members as inftruments of righteousness unto God. Ver. 19. As ye have yielded your members fervants to iniquity, unto iniquity; even fo now yield your members fervants to righteousness, unto holiness.

THIS certainly and infallibly is the true Christian Character: And if fo, judge you, whether he speaks of a Perfon in fuch a happy State, when he faith, Chap. vii. 14. I am carnal, fold under fin. Ver. 15. For that which I do, I allow not? for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Ver. 18. For

to

to will is prefent with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. Ver. 19. For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil that I would not, that I do. Ver. 23. I fee another law in my members warring against the law in my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin and death.

AND if a Perfon in thefe deplorable Circumstances of Bondage and Subjection to Sin, can be in a regenerate State, can be in CHRIST JESUS, how is this confiftent with Chap. viii. 1. There is therefore now

no condemnation to them that are in CHRIST JESUS, who walk not after the flesh, but after the fpirit? Ver. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life, in CHRIST JESUS bath made me free from the law of fin, and of death. Ver. 5. For they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be fpiritually minded is life and peace. Ver. 7. The carnal mind is enmity to God. then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Ver. 9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if fo be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his. Ver. 12. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flefb. Ver. 13. For if ye live after the flesh, ye hall die: but if ye thro' the

Ver. 8. So

Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Ver. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they [alone] are the fons of God.

THIS again is undeniably the true Christian Character. But is not this Character directly oppofite to that in the foregoing Chapter? Is it not eafy for any pious Mind, that is willing to understand the Scriptures, to fee, that the Apostle's Language in Chap. viii. as well as in Chap. vi. where he certainly doth defcribe the Life and Temper of a true Christian, is in a quite different Strain from that in Chap. vii?

BUT the Truth will appear ftill more evident if we look into the whole Argument: Which I fear you will not take in, unless you open your Bible, and keep a strict Eye upon the Place as we go along. Observe then; the Apostle having in the five first Chapters established the Doctrine of Juftification by Faith, proceeds to fhew the Chriftian Obligation to Sanctity of Life. And firft ad

dreffeth himself in Chap. vi. to the Gentiles, and in Chap. vii. turns to the Jews; where he affirms, that they were disengaged from the Law, as a Miniftration of Death, ver. I-4. Next he demonstrateth, this was a great Benefit and Privilege, by comparing the State of Sinners under the Law (as

diftin

distinguished from the Gospel) with their State when favoured with the Grace of the Gospel. In order to this he lays down two general Propofitions; the firft affirming the State of the Jews in the flesh, and having no Relief but from the Law, ver. 5. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of fin, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. And upon this Propofition he difcourfeth to the End of the Chapter. The other Propofition he layeth down, ver. 6. But Now, under the Gospel, we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should ferve in newness of fpirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. And upon this Propofition he difcourfeth in Chap. viii. He then that would understand this seventh Chapter, must, while he is reading from the feventh Verfe, all along keep the fifth Verfe in his Mind: For the Apoftle is explaining and commenting upon that fifth Verse quite to the End of the Chapter. He is arguing with the Jew concerning the Infufficiency of the Law of Mofes (as diftinguished from the Gospel) for Sanctification. Now this was a tender Point; for the Jew was greatly prejudiced in Favour of his Law; he boafted, and refted in his Law. And therefore the Apoftle ufeth every honeft Artifice to handle this ungrateful Subject in the most inoffenfive Manner. Through the whole Chapter he nameth, as we fay, no

Names.

Names. Evidently he addreffeth the Jew, but he fuppreffeth his Name. He don't fay, we Jews, or ye Jews; that would have been too blunt and open. But to the seventh Verfe 'tis we; we are dead to the Law; when we were in the Flesh; we are delivered from the Law, joining himself with them. And when the Subject grows more harsh, he taketh it wholly to himself, and 'tis I to the End of the Chapter. I had not known Sin; I was alive without the Law once, meaning not himself, but the Jew, or Jews in the Flesh, and under the Law. Again, he introduces SIN as a Perfon, and reprefents that as the Cause of the Jews being flain or condemned to Death by the Law. But the most masterly Stroke of honeft Skill is laying the Structure of his Difcourfe in fuch a manner as to demonstrate the Infufficiency of the Law under colour of vindicating it. He had no Defign to vilify the Law. No; the Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, and juft, and good. And yet in this covert Way he clearly shews three Things. 1. That the Law requireth the moft extenfive Obedience, ver. 7. discovering Sin in all its Branches. 2. That it gives Sin a deadly Force, fubjecting every Tranfgreffion to the Penalty of Death, ver. 8 to 14. And yet, 3. Supplieth neither Help nor Hope to the Sinner, but leaveth him under the Power of Sin, and the Sentence of Death, ver. 14. to the End of the Chapter. He fuppofeth