An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
IN the former Chap. hee exhorts those that are justified by Faith, to Holiness; and because they who most follow after Holiness, are most sensible, and lament the power of sin dwelling in them, not yet extinguished: Therefore for the sake of these ariseth the fourth Confirmation of the Doctrine of Free Iustification by Faith in Christ, in that it yeelds consolation to the afflicted consciences of the Saints, by reason of their imperfect obedience to the Law, and the reliques of sin that dwell in them.
There are three parts of the Chapter; in the first, that they who are justified should take comfort against their imperf…ct obedience to the Law, hee handles the freedome of justified persons from the Covenant of Works, and their interest in the Covenant of Grace, which is the first place of Consolation, to ver. 7. The second contains an Apology for the Holiness of the Law, two objections against the Law being answered, to verse 14. In the third, is contained the second place of Consolation, wherein from the Doctrine of Iustification by Fait… in Christ, the Apostle propounds the wrestling which hee had with the remnants of sin, and the victory which hee gained, that by his example and experience, troubled consciences might take comfort.
The first Part.
Vers. 1. Know yee not, Brethren, (for I speak to them that know the Law) how that the Law hath dominion over a man, as long as hee liveth.
2. For the Woman which hath an Husband, is bound by the Law to her Husband, so long as hee liveth: but if the Husband bee dead, shee is loosed from the Law of her Husband.
3. So then, if while her Husband liveth, shee bee married to another man, shee shall bee called an adulteress: but if her Husband bee dead, shee is free from that Law, so that shee is no adulteress, though shee bee married to another man.
As to the first part, taking a comparison from Marriage, hee shews that the Justified which are delivered from the conjugal Covenant of the Law, and Espoused by a new Covenant of Grace, to a new Husband Christ, should bring forth the fruits of holiness, in new obedience to the Law, to the glory of our new Husband, Christ.
In the three first verses hee propounds the protasis of the comparison, after this manner: As no Law hath dominion over the dead (as yee know) but only over them that are alive, ver. 1. and particularly the Law of Marriage is dissolved, the one being dead, so that the Wife, (the Husband being dead) without adultery may marry another, ver. 2, & 3. so you, &c. as it shall appear by and by.
Vers. 4. Wherefore my Brethren, yee also are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ, that yee should bee married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that wee should bring forth fruit unto God.
The Apodosis of the comparison, to this manner; So you that were espoused formerly to the Law by a Covenant of Works, Christ being dead for you, that hee might satisfie the Law, Justice, and the Covenant of Works in our name, you are judicially dead to the Law, in the body of Christ (for the Law, or Covenant of Works hath slain Christ, and you in him) and by consequence you are delivered from the matrimonial Covenant of the Law; so that without the breach of Justice you may enter into a new Covenant of Grace, with Christ, being raised from the dead. To this end hee shews, that the purpose of marriage being disannulled, betwixt the Law of Works and us, not that wee should live as wee list, but being raised from a state of death, by the Resurrection of Christ, that wee should bee espoused to another Husband, viz. to him which is raised from the dead, i. e. to Christ, who rose from the dead, and hath raised us with himself to newness of life, and hath espoused us to himself, according to the Covenant of Grace, that being married unto Christ, wee might bring forth fruits of obedience to the glory of God.
There are five Arguments of consolation to the Justified, who bewail the imperfection of their own obedience.
Become dead] Argum. 1. You are freed from the Covenant of Works, which admits no obedience besides what is perfect, and every way compleat: Therefore all you that are Justified have consolation, which bewail the imperfection of your new obedience.
Of another] Argum 2. You are now married to another Husband, viz. to Christ, who is raised from the dead, who when hee could answer the imperfections of your obedience, and (according to the Covenant of Grace) render your begun obedience acceptable unto God, hee took it upon himself: You have this consolation that mourn over the imperfections of your new obedience.
Fruit] Argum. 3. Ye… are married unto Christ, which is raised from the dead, that you may not abide unfruitful, but may bring forth fruit to the glory of God: Therefore take yee comfort, who bewail your imperfect obedience.
Vers. 5. For when wee were in the flesh, the motions of sins which were by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Argum. 4. Confirming the former, from the change of our condition, while wee were unregenerate (and by consequence under a Law-Covenant) evil affections by the holy Law of God were stirred up, and put forth themselves powerfully in our members, and all our faculties both of soul and body, to the production of the deadly fruit of actual sin: Therefore it will follow, when wee are now regenerated, and under the Covenant of Grace, holy desires stirred up by the New Covenant, powerfully shew forth themselves in our members, to the bringing forth the fruit of good works unto God, that wee might not abide unfruitful. Which is no small consolation; for if wee by Faith would lay hold upon the Covenant of Grace, and would stir up our souls by the promises thereof applyed unto us, there is no doubt but wee should more plentifully bring forth good works; That is it which Christ saith, Joh. 15.5. I am the vine, yee are the branches, hee that abides in mee, and I in him, hee brings forth much fruit: for without mee you can do nothing.
Vers. 6. But now wee are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein wee were held, that wee should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Argum. 5. Opening and confirming the former, from the end of our changed condition, Now, to wit, after Justification, through the Grace of Christ wee are freed from the Law-Covenant (that Covenant being dead in which wee were held, or wee being dead in Christ, in whom wee were contained judicially) to that very end, that wee should serve God, by the power of the Holy Ghost, bestowing new strength upon us, by bringing forth new and spiritual fruit, not superficial and hypocritical, which the letter of the old legal Covenant (now abolished) at the most, brought forth: Therefore God will not fail of his end, but will cause those that are justified, bewailing their imperfect obedience, to bring forth much fruit in the newness of the letter, for the fruits which are brought forth by virtue of the Covenant of Grace, are truly new, and arise from the regenerating Spirit, furnishing us with new strength forthwith to good works; But the fruits which are brought forth by virtue of the Covenant of Works, either are open rebellion of corrupt Nature against Gods Law, or counterfeit obedience onelyonly in the outward performance; such as the fruits of the Pharisees are, who in the letter, that is, the outward shew, and formality obeyed, without any renovation of the heart.
The second Part.
Verse 7. What shall wee say then? Is the Law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the Law: For I had not known lust, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
The second part of the Chapter, containing an Apology for the holiness of the Law, in answering two Objections, arising out of what was said before. The first Objection; seeing that evil and sinful motions are excited by the Law, as was said, the Law seems to bee sin, or the cause of sin.
Hee answers by way of negation; farre bee it from us to entertain any such thought; hee gives three Reasons of his negation, illustrated by his own experience, wherein hee pleads for the Law.
The first Reason, Because the Law discovers sin, and manifests the evil that is in it, which hee confirms by his own experience, who had not known that lust which lurked in his heart to bee sin, had hee not seen it forbidden by the Law: Therefore the Law is holy.
Vers. 8. But sin taking occasion by the Commandement, wrought in mee all manner of concupiscence; for without the Law sin was dead.
Reason 2. Because the sin that dwells in us, or the habitual pravity of our nature, is the cause of actual sins; but the Law is not the cause, but the occasion to sin, not given, but taken. For sin that dwells in us (saith hee) or the evil of nature, taking occasion from the Law forbidding lust, so much the more is inflamed and excited; And indeavouring after what was forbidden, begat in mee all manner of concupiscence, and evil motions against the Law.
For without the Law] Which hee confirms by a sign, Because the Law not being known, sin lies hid, and is as dead, but when the Law comes, it is stirred up, and appears; as filthiness is not seen in the absence of the Sun, but that arising, it appears and stinks, not by the Suns fault, but by its own: Therefore the Law is holy.
Vers. 9. For I was alive without the Law once, but when the Commandement came, sin revived, and I died.
By his own experience hee further explains the matter, shewing, that formerly when hee was a Pharisee and unregenerate, in his own opinion hee was alive, that is, very just, and in no wise guilty of eternal death; but when his eies were opened by the grace of God, the true sense of the Law was unfolded, then hee understood the force of sin, and that hee was guilty of eternal death.
Vers. 10. And the Commandement which was ordained to life, I found to bee unto death.
From this experience hee saith that hee learned two things; First, That the end of the command, and the effect was good in it self, because the command is good in it self, and by it self ordained to life, if men obeyed it: The other, that the effect of the Law by accident was death, so farre as it threatned death to the sinner, and urges him from justice with the sentence of death.
Vers. 11. For sin taking occasion by the Commandement, deceived mee, and by it slew mee.
12. Wherefore the Law is holy, and the Commandement holy, and just, and good.
The third Reason, in defence of the Law; The sin that dwells in us, is the cause of death, onelyonly taking occasion from the Law, or the command, as hee had learned by experience: for sin (while hee thought of what was forbidden in the Law) invited and inticed him to forbidden things, and polluted him, and so by the Command made him more and more obnoxious to death: Therefore the Law is altogether holy; and particularly that which forbids Concupiscence, is holy, just and good, because it is given by an holy God, according to equity, and for our profit.
Vers. 13. Was that then which is good made death un…o mee? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in mee by that which is good, that sin by the Commandement might become exceeding sinful.
The second Objection; Some might say, Therefore hath that which is good been the cause of death? Hee answers, by rejecting the reproach; for the occasion is to bee distinguished from the cause, and the use of a thing from the abuse of it. Hee therefore acquits the Law, and casts all the blame upon the sin that dwells in us. Truly (saith hee) it is not the Law, but sin that dwells in mee, which is the cause of death, and discovers it self to bee sin, so farre forth as it is stirred up in mee, and kindled by the good Law of God, it enkindles rebellious motions to the Law of God, and so much the more upon this account doth it cause death, that so sin in mee, by the Command might appear above measure sinful. Which is spoken most seasonably, to stop the mouths of all, who otherwise would deny inborn concupiscence (now natural to all) to be sin, was it not found to bee the cause of actual sins and death; and this defence hee makes for the Law.
The third Part.
Vers. 14. For wee know that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
The third part of the Chapter, wherein is set down the second head of comfort, to those who bewail the imperfection of their obedience to the Law, from the Apostles example, wrastling with the same evil, and getting the victory, by the favour and benefit of free justification, as appears from vers. the last. This is the force of the Argument; I bewailing in my self the power of sin, wrastle against it, taking comfort, from justification by faith in Christ: Therefore you holy Champions take comfort in your wrastling and conflict.
In the conflict of the Apostle appears a threefold difficulty, and a threefold victory in the retreat; in all which are mixed some Arguments of comfort, drawn from the Apostles experience: The first difficulty arises from a threefold contention; The first is of the Law and himself; I (saith hee) with the rest of beleevers, acknowledge the Law to bee spiritual, which wholly favour… the holiness of the Spirit of God; and is wholly referred to a spiritual course of life; But when I look upon my self, and compare the imperfection of my obedience with the spiritualness of the Law; I am compelled (in respect to the Old Man in mee not yet mortified) to acknowledge my self carnal, and as a slave sold to subjection under sin, out of whose bonds I cannot deliver my self, but I am carryed away whither I would not.
Vers. 15. For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that I do.
Hee proves what hee hath said, and shews the second contest betwixt his actions, and his judgement renewed. That which I do, I do not approve, viz. when I examine my actions to the perfect Rule of the Law, I am forced not to approve, but condemn many things in my actions.
The third disagreement hee shews to bee betwixt his actions, and his will renewed; I do not that good which I would (saith hee) hindered by the body of death in mee; and that evil which I hate, that I do, failing of the Rule, where I would not; for I would perform perfect obedience to the Law of God, but I fall short, and in many things I offend.
Vers. 16. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the Law, that it is good.
The first difficulty you have seen, the victory follows, and three Arguments of Consolation, whereby the Apostle comforts himself, and the rest of his fellow-combatants.
Argum. 1. I my self, am in the number of those, who bewail their imperfect holiness, and finde the same conflict in my self as they do, from the imperfection of my obedience: Therefore they have Consolation, that mourn over the imperfection of their holiness, seeing they suffer nothing different from other Saints, nay, not from the Apostles themselves.
I consent] Argum. 2. Of Consolation; Because from this con…ict it appears, that sanctification is begun in him that wrastles, and a consent to the Law of God, that it is holy and good; for if I do what I wo…ld not, then I assent to the Law of God, that it is good: and the same sign of their sanctification have all those that bewail the imperfection of their obedience.
Vers. 7. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in mee.
Argum. 3. Of Comfort; Because to him that laments his imperfection, and disallows it, that evil shall not bee imput…d (which is also to bee understood of all the other holy Combatants) but to sin dwelling in him: Because God esteems those that weep over the evil of their nature, from their better part, viz. that which is renewed, which doth, and shall prevail in the mortification and abolition of sin that dwells in us; from which renewed part hee is called the Christian Champion; It is no more I (saith hee) but sin that dwells in mee.
Vers. 18. For I know, that in mee (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with mee; but how to perform that which is good, I finde not.
The other difficulty or sharp contest, consisting in a threefold conflict. First, Betwixt himself and the Old Man, or that part which was not yet renewed, and himself, the New Man, or the renewed part; and here hee himself renewed, condemns himself unrenewed, as void of any good, and a fit receptacle for all evil. I know (saith hee) that there doth not dwell in mee, that is in my flesh (or corrupt and unrenewed nature, which I receive from my carnal Generation) any spiritual good thing, whereby I may please God.
Hee proves what hee said, and propounds the second conflict, betwixt his will renewed, and the weakness of his flesh, or his perverse nature, hindring that the holy motions, stirred up by the Spirit, were not brought into act and performed.
Vers. 19. For the good that I would, I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do.
The third conflict, betwixt the regenerated Will and the Flesh, or the Old Man, not onelyonly hindring the execution of the Will renewed, but also producing evil effects, contrary to the renewed Will. Some may wonder what hee means, when hee speaks of the commission of evil; seeing wee all know from the Scriptures, how holily and unblameably our Apostle behaved himself in all things, after his conversion. But it will bee no wonder, when wee consider, that, by reason of the abundant measure of holiness, which was bestowed upon him, hee could not behold those rebellious motions of his nature, but hee would accuse himself of the omission of good, and the commission of evil; for hee took notice of those motions, either hindring him from performing all the parts of his duty towards God and men, which hee strictly desired to do; or polluting some way or other all his actions in the sight of God: What wonder therefore, if after this manner, hee set out himself as a great sinner?
Vers. 20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in mee.
The Conquest follows, after this sharp conflict, repeating the consolations of himself, and the rest of the Saints, That the sin committed would not bee imputed to him, bewailing this his imperfection; but to the corruption of his nature, or his habitual corruption indwelling, designed to destruction and abolition: And because hee conflicted with sin, therefore is hee denominated from the better and renewed part, as above, vers. 17. and not from the worser part.
Verse. 21. I finde then a Law, that when I would do good, evil is present with mee.
The third sharp Conflict follows, consisting of a three-fold contention: The first is betwixt himself regenerated, endeavouring after holiness; and an evil inclination cleaving unto him, and impelling him with a kind of necessity, and as it were by a Law inciting and provoking to evil.
Vers. 22. For I delight in the Law of God, after the inward man.
23. But I see another Law in my members, warring against the Law of my mind, and bringing mee into captivity to the Law of sin, which is in my members.
The second Contention is betwixt the inner spiritual man, renewed with his affections, and the Law of God, on the one part; and the outward or Old Man not renewed, furnished with his instruments and faculties, with his rebellious motions, on the other side; Against the Law of God, and the Law or inclination of his renewed mind, fighting, and sometimes prevailing, and making him captive to the evil disposition of his nature. This is the fight, whereof hee speaks, Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary, that you cannot do the things which you would. Which wrastling onelyonly they understand, that feel it within them, and the force of sin some way or other polluting their most holy actions, all their life long.
Vers. 24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver mee from the body of this death?
The third Contention is betwixt evil Concupiscence, and the holy servant of God, lying prostrate under the oppression of the conquering perverseness of his nature, or this body of death, groaning, lamenting, and crying out to God for deliverance.
Vers. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
After this feirce combate follows the victory, and Comfort by faith in Christ justifying, together with his thanksgiving to God his deliverer, who hath provided comfort in his Son, not for those that continue in sin, but which bewail their sins and imperfections.
Vers. 25. — So then, with the mind I my self serve the Law of God: but with the flesh, the Law of sin.
At length with a composed mind, after his being affected with sorrow for sin dwelling in him, and with joy, because of his hoped-for liberty by Christ, the Apostle at length propounds himself a fellow-souldier with other Saints, in this holy war, against the remainder of sin. After this manner; I therefore an Apostle (that for comfort to those who bewail their sins, I may briefly recollect what I have spoken of my self) I profess that I have not attained to that measure of Sanctity, after which I aspire: But together with the rest of the Saints mourning and conflicting, under the hope of freedome I go forward; and as if I was divided from my self, the spirit and the flesh wrastling in me: with my mind, or my spiritual part, delightfully I serve the Law of God; but with my flesh, or my unregenerate part, I am as a Captive to the Law of sin, or the prevalency of corrupt nature.