tables of the heart, then are we permitted not only to hope for a different result, but it is also given us assuredly to obtain a successful issue. This is indicated by the apostle in Rom. viii, 2, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." For it comes to pass, by means of the power of this Spirit, that the man, who had previously been "brought into captivity to the law of sin,” is delivered from it, and "no longer walks after the flesh, but after the Spirit;" that is, in his life he follows the motion, [actum] the influence, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit: Which motion, influence and guidance tend indeed to the same end as that to which the law of God, and the law of the mind, endeavoured to lead the man, but with an energy not equal; as not being able to complete their attempt, on account of the hindrance of the law of sin and of the members. This is likewise the cause why this man is said to walk not according to the law or the mind, but according to the Spirit, (a phrase frequently employed by the apostle in Rom. viii,) and "to be led of the Spirit, and not to be under the law." (Gal. v, 18.) Not indeed because the man who lives according to the Spirit, does not live according to the law of God ; but because the Spirit of Christ, and not the law, is the cause why the man regulates his life according to the law of God. For the law knows how to command, but cannot afford any assistance, —a doctrine which St. Augustine frequently inculcates. 5. FROM these observations it may now be evident, that even from this (25th) verse nothing can be adduced in proof of the contrary opinion; but that the opinion which explains the passage as referring to a man under the law, is also established by this verse. For this man, as he is under the law," with his mind serves the law of God;" but, as he is carnal, "with his flesh he serves the law of sin," and he serves it so as to bring himself into captivity to the law of sin,-his mind and conscience vainly struggling against it. Nor is it of the least service for the establishment of the other opinion, that the apostle says, "I myself:" For he had previously used the word "I" in many instances in this chapter, even when he said, "Sin wrought in me all manner of concupiscence;" (verse 8;) "For I lived," or I was alive," without the law once; but, when the commandment came, I died;" (9;) "I found the commandment to be unto death to me;" (10;)" Sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me:" (11) And other passages. But the Pronoun, autos, [in our English version, translated " myself,"] which is an adjunct to 1 the Pronoun "I," indicates that this Pronoun "I" must be referred to the person about whom he had been previously treating. For it is the Demonstrative [Pronoun] of the nearest antecedent: As though he had said, "I am he about whom I have already been discoursing." This is likewise evident, because he concludes from the preceding verses, that the man whose character he took on himself to personate, (the prudence of [him who was under the influence of] the Holy Spirit requiring such personation,) "with his mind serves the law of God, but with his flesh the law of sin." Let those things be taken into consideration which, in his Epistles, the apostle writes concerning himself, and let them be compared with the particulars of the description here given; and it will then clearly appear, that the apostle, in this passage, was by no means treating about himself, such as he was at that time. III.-RECAPITULATION. 1. WHAT distinctly belongs to the Man described in this Chapter, both as he is under the Law, and as he is carnal and the Slave of Sin?—2. The inconsistent state of a Man who is under the Law.-3. The Manner in which God leads a Sinner to Penitence, Faith in Christ, and the Obedience of Faith.-4. This representation of it confirmed by St. Augustine and Musculus. How far this is the Work of the Regenerating Spirit.-5. To this it is objected, that a three-fold State of Man is thus laid down. A Reply to this Objection. 1. But now, if not disagreeable, let all these things be collected together, and in a compendious form be exhibited before the eyes, that they may at one glance be examined, and a judgment formed concerning them. THE MAN ABOUT WHOM THE APOSTLE IS HERE TREATING, SO FAR AS HE IS UNDER THE LAW. HE allows not, or approves not He hates evil: CARNAL AND THE SLAVE OF SIN. HE does that which he allows not, or of which he disapproves. But he does not what is good. And yet he does that which is evil. He consents to the law of God Yet he does that which he would He has it [in him] to will that But he finds evil present with which is good: him, and he finds not [how] to perform what is good. CARNAL AND THE SLAVE OF SIN. UNDER THE LAW. It is no longer himself that does But the evil is done by sin which evil: He truly delights in the law of God after the inward man: According to the law of his mind he wages wars with the law of his members: dwelleth in him. But he has another law in his members. But the law of his members wages war against the law of his mind, so as to bring the man into captivity to the law of sin. This causes him to exclaim, Who From this misery, and the body of this death? shall deliver me With his mind, therefore, he But with his flesh he serves the serves the law of God: law of sin. THE things which are thus opposed to each other must not be disjoined, while they are attributed to the man about whom the apostle here treats; but they ought both to be united together, and jointly attributed to him. For this is required by [ratio] the analogy of the subject itself that is under the law and the dominion of sin:-As he is under the law, the particulars enumerated in the first column belong to him:-As he is under the dominion of sin, those in the second column are his attributes. μεν, But the mode by which the apostle joins these things with each other, and attributes them to this man in a conjoint form, is that of a disjunctive enunciation. This is indicated by the frequent use of the particle, de, which is the post-positive of μ itself, or what immediately follows it: The one without the other does not render a sentence complete; but μsv, "indeed, truly,” denotes that something will follow, and de, “but, yet, then,” that something has preceded, with which the former or the latter part of the sentence ought to be joined. This remark must be diligently observed in the consideration of Romans vii; as must likewise the following,-that both parts are not of the same order and dignity, but that the latter clause [in which de is used as the connecting word] is the chief and principal one, for whose explanation, illustration and amplification, the former clause [in which μey occurs] is employed; as a Proposition, or the first part of a sentence, is for its Reddition or concluding part. Those latter particulars, therefore, [which are here inserted in the second column,] belong to the more ample explanation and proof of the proper cause, on account of which a man who is under the law cannot resist sin, but sin has the dominion over him. But the former particulars [enumerated in the first column] belong or conduce to the excusing of the law, lest the blame of this crime could be justly ascribed to it. From all which things united together the conclusion may be drawn, that the man about whom the apostle is treating, must, on account of the predominant flesh and of sin which dwells in his flesh, be still reckoned in the number of carnal persons: But, because he is under the law, and so under it that it has effected in him whatever is usually effected by the law in transferring and conducting man as a sinner to the grace of Christ, he must [propediem, almost at any hour,] speedily be taken out from the number of carnal persons, and placed in a state of grace: In which higher state, he will no longer be put to the necessity of fighting, under the auspices and guidance of the law, against the vigorous and lively "motions of sins;" but, by the power of grace and under the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit, he will contend against his crucified and mortified [affectus] inclinations, till he obtain over them, when they are nearly dead and buried, a complete victory. 2. THE man who will reflect upon this inconsistent state, if I may so denominate it, will easily perceive, that the things which the apostle has here written, must be referred to this state. For, diligently, and as if purposely, he exercises caution over himself, not to employ the word, "Spirit," in any passage in his description of this state: Yet this word, the use of which he here so carefully avoids, is that which he employs in almost every verse of the next chapter; (Rom. viii;) and which is so familiar to this apostle in all his epistles, as to seem to be perpetually before his eyes and his mind, especially when he is treating about the regenerate and their duty to God and their neighbour, and also when he treats upon the contest which the pious still have with the flesh and the remains of sin. The thoughtful consideration of this single matter is able and ought to inject a doubt, into those who interpret this portion of Holy Writ as applicable to regenerate persons and those who are placed under grace, if they only be animated with a sincere desire of ascertaining the truth, and love the truth for its own sake, even when it does not agree with their own preconceived opinions. 3. I AM also desirous that all men seriously consider how God leads us to faith in his Son, and to the obedience of faith, and what means he uses to convert a sinner. We know that God employs his Holy Word to produce this effect; we know that this Word consists of two essential and integral parts, the Law and the Gospel; we know also that the Law must first be preached to a sinner, that he may understand and approve it, that he may explore and examine his life by it when it is known and approved, that, when such examination is completed, he may acknowledge himself to be a sinner, and by his demerits deserving of damnation, that he may mourn and be sorrowful on account of sin, and may detest it, that he may understand himself to be in urgent need of a Deliverer, and that he may be instigated and compelled to seek Him. To a man who is thus prepared by the Law, the grace of the Gospel must be announced; which, being manifested to the mind by the Holy Spirit, and by the same Spirit sealed on the heart, produces faith within us, by which we are united to Christ; that, holding communion with Him, we may obtain remission of sins in his name, and may draw from him the vivifying power of his Spirit By this quickening power, the flesh is mortified with its affections and lusts, and we are regenerated to a new life; in which we not only will or resolve to bring forth the fruits of gratitude to God, but we are likewise capable to bring them forth, and actually do so by this same Spirit "who worketh in us both to will and to do." Let any man now describe to me out of the Scriptures the proper effects which flow from the preaching of the Law, in the minds of those whom God has decreed to convert to a better life; and I will instantly present to him a man, such as he who is described to us by the apostle, under his own person, in this chapter, Rom. vii. "But are these effects through the preaching of the Law pro"duced in this man, without the grace of Christ, and the operation "of the Holy Spirit ?" What man can have the audacity to affirm this, unless he be one of the prime defenders of Pelagian doctrine? He who, by the preaching of the Law, (the Holy Spirit blessing such preaching, and co-operating with it,) is compelled to flee to the Grace of Christ, is not instantly, or at once, under Grace, or under the influence, guidance and government of the Spirit. For, "the Law is our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ." (Gal. iii, 24.) "Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth." (Rom. x, 4.) “By the Law is the knowledge of sin." (iii, 20.) 4. ST. AUGUSTINE, when treating upon this use of the Law, says, in his Reply to the two Epistles of the Pelagians to Boniface: "The Law, as a schoolmaster, leads and conducts a man to this grace of God, by terrifying him concerning his transgressions of the law, that [quod] something may be conferred on him which it was not able to bestow."-And in a subsequent passage, "We |