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voted fervants to the Lord, are flaves to fin and corruption; the oppofition fhews there is no mids, either we must yield our members unto fin, or elfe unto God.

XVI. Believers through faith in Chrift ate raised out of an eftate of death and damnation, and out of an eftate of impotency, and are now living folks, having life put in them, and growing in life and ftrength; they are alive from the dead. XVII. The confideration of this great change that God hath wrought in and about them, in raifing them from the dead, and puting them into a state of life, fhould be as a fpur in the fides of believers to prefs them forward to holinefs, feeing thereby the Lord has laid a great obligation on them, and has put them into a ftate of life, fo as they are able to do fomething that way, through his grace, and are not dead as before: Yield yourselves unto God, sthofe that are alive from the dead. XVIII. Folks devoting of themfelves unto God, and employing themfelves foul and body in his fervice, to promote his intereft and work, is a fpeaking evidence of a foul's being alive from the dead: Yield yourfelves unto God as thofe that are alive from the dead, and your members as inftruments of righteousness unto God.

VERSE 14. For fin fhall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

TH

His verfe containeth other two reafons confirming the former exhortation, and the laft of them doth confirm the firft. 1. For fin fhall not have dominion over you; that is, Set to, and courageoufly fet to fight against fin and a body of death within you, and be not flaves to fin; for, make you fure of it, you fhall obtain the victory, your adverfary fhall not get the better of you, fin fhall not tyrannize over you. And, 2. Ye are not now under the lary, but under grace; therefore ftand out: you are not now under a covenant of

works, binding the law upon you in its full ftrictnefs, and that in your own ftrength, promifing no fupply, nor pointing forth the way how fupply fhall be had: the law, as thus managed by a covenant of works, is not your mafter and lord, but you are under grace; ye are under a better and a more gracious covenant, a covenant wherein whatever is required is promised alfo ; therefore, feeing you are now under fuch a covenant as containeth promises answering what is required, and holding forth the way how you may be able to do what is required, you may have the more courage to fight and be bold. This alfo proves the former thus, for if believers be in fuch a condition, and under such a covenant, they may be fure of the victory.

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OBSERVATIONS.

I. Tho' God was pleased to condefcend fo far as to tranfact with Adam, as a common perfon, as reprefenting all mankind, in way of a covenant, Gal. iv. 24. yet he fo condefcended as withal he keeped up his fovereignty as Lord over man, commanding and enjoining obedience in fuch and fuch particulars; hence it is often fet forth under the name of a law, Rom. iii. 27. and ii. 14. 15.: Ye are not under the law: This covenant flood much in commands, and little in promifes.

II. Tho' the Lord, in tranfacting with fallen man in a new covenant of grace, did alfo keep up his fovereignty in enjoining the fame by way of a law, wherefore it is fometimes fo called, Rom. iii, 27. and viii. 2. yet there was greater condefcenfion ufed in this covenant of grace, and greater fovereignty in the other, and therefore it is here called a law, in oppofition to the covenant of grace: Ye are not under the law, but under grace.

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without hope of recovery: Ye are not under the law.. See Rom. vii. 4.

unto fuch feckless and due fervice, and that by way of a covenant-engagement; yet this fecond covenant fmelleth more rankVI. Tho' the beft of believers carry a-Jy of free and undeserved grace and love, bout with them a body of death, which in that it is made with fuch as not only de- fhall be a daily fad exercife unto them,. ferveth no good, but with fuch as deferve | Rom. vii. 24. and are thereby drawn to much evil, Ezek. xvi. 5. 6. 60. 61. 62. fin daily against God, Ecclef. vii. 20. 1 John Ha. lvii. 17. 18. and xxx. 16. 18. Jer. xvi. i. 8. yet they are free from that flavery 12. 13. 14. 15. and xxx. 15. 16; in that and bondage which others are into, wherehe found out a Mediator, and laid help by they can do nothing but fin; they have on one that was mighty, and accepted of not that complacency and delight in acting what he did, 2 Cor. v. 21. John iii. 6. fin which fometime they had, they are not Rom. viii. 32. John iv. o. and entereth under the dominion, flavery, and tyrancovenant upon fuch eafy terms, full of ny, and powerful fwing of corruption, grace, promifing all that is required, nor do they follow the commands thereof Rom. iv. 16. Eph. ii. 8. 2 Thef. . 13. with full purpose of heart, and as their Eph. ii. o. all offered moft freely, Ifa. trade and conftant occupation, John iii 9.. bv. 1. Rev. xxii. 17. and wholly contrived Sin fhall not have dominion over you. for the glory of free grace, Eph. i. 6. Rom. iv. 16. and therefore it is called grace by way of eminency; ye are not under the law, but under grace.

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IV. Tho' the elect, by nature, and before that the Spirit of grace overfhadow their fouls, be under a covenant of works, no less than others, being children of wrath by nature, Eph. ii. 3. without Chrift, and without God, verfe 12. becaufe of that fin and guilt which is conveyed to all mankind, Rom. v. 12. yet now, having thro' grace laid hold on the offered Mediator, and fo fulfilled the condition of the covenant, and being in Chrift, they have changed their ftate, and are now under the covenant of grace: Ye are not under the law, but under grace.

V. Tho' believers are ftill under the law as a pedagogue to lead and drive to Christ, as a rule to direct and square their actions, as a curb to keep them from breaking loose, and as a glafs to difcover unto them their spots, that they may daily feek to the fountain; yet they are no more under it as a covenant of works, binding them to perfonal and perpetual perfect obedience, in their own ftrength, under the pain of everlafting deftruction,

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VII. This great delivery and freedom which believers have from the dominion,, power, and tyranny of fin aud corruption within them, is one of the great advan-tages which they enjoy by the covenant of grace, where it is promised that the confederates fhall never fully and finally depart, Jer. xxxii. 39. 40. and iii. 1. Pfalm lxxxix. 30. 34. 35. Ezek. xxxvi. 25. 27. and xi. 19. where a ftock of grace is granted, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. and daily breathings upon thefe habits, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. Song iv. 16. Hof. xiv 5. 8. for the reafon why fin fhall not have dominion over them is, because they are not under the law, but under grace; For ye are not under the law, &c.

VIII. Howbeit unbelievers may be kept free from many grofs outbreakings, and efcape the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Chrift, 2 Pet. ii. 20. yet all fuch as are living in black nature, without the covenant of grace, they are ftill bond-men and flaves to fin and wickedness, Gal. iv. 22. ferving the fame, Tit. iii. 3. it is only they over whom fin fhall not have dominion, who are not under the law, but under grace.

IX. So great is the effential difference

betwixt

fpiritual adverfaries, fhould be fo far from lulling them afleep in fecurity, that, on the contrary, it should arm thein with refolution, and fharpen their endeavour against the fame; for this is the apostle's argument wherewith he preffeth them to study holinefs, Sin fhall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace..

betwixt the covenant of works (which was a covenant of friendship, a covenant full of commands, wherein God was to deal according to ftrict juftice, Rom. ii. 6 7.9. 11. and which was made wholly void upon the leaft escape, and now is become impoffible to be fulfilled by us, Rom. iii. 23. and viii. 3. a covenant commanding nothing but works, Rom. iii. 27. expofing all to a curfe for the leaft breach, Gak iii. 10.; a covenant which hath not fuch excellent promifes as the other hath, ftanding upon the condition of works, Rom. x. 5. 6. 9. and all works of obedience required, Gal. iii. 10. and fo keeping man within himself for righteoufnefs, Phil. iii. 9. without any promife made touching thefe conditions, and fuch works as made the reward of debt, of justice, Rom. iv. 4. having no mediator in it) and the covenant of grace, Libertines, who loved the way of (which is a covenant of reconciliation, 2 CH apofile forefaw what ufe carnal.

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Cor..

v. 19. full of promifes, Gal. iii. 18. in which God dealeth in a way of mercy and free grace, admiting repentance, Luke xxiv. 47. Heb. viii. 12. and fo not voided by every escape, Jer. xxxi. 37. Pfal. lxxxix. 30. 33. 34. a covenant poffible to us now, Rom. iv. 5. Pfal. ciii. 18. and xxv. 10. requiring evangelical faith as contradiftinguished from works, Rom. iv. 5. a covenant admitting of fincere uniform obedience, 2 Cor. viii. 22. and withal fending a man. without himself for righteousness, Rom. ix. 30. 31. 32. all the conditions whereof are promised, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. 27. and fo making the reward of mercy and grace,, Rom. iv. 5. always including a Mediator, Ifa. xlii. 6.) that it is impoffible that any can, at the fame time, be under both; it being impoffible that man can be justified by faith and by works, by inherent and by imputed righteoufnefs, by a Mediator and without a Mediator: for these two are here oppofed to other, ye are not under the law, but under grace.

X. The confideration of the state where in believers are now. whereby they are ascertained of the victory over all their

VERSES 15. 16. What then? Shall we
fin, because we are not under the law,
but under grace? God forbid.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield your-
felves fervants to obey, his fervants ye
are to whom ye obey; whether of fin un-
to death, or of obedience unto righteouf-
ness?

HE

the flesh, would make of this that he faid. laft, viz. That believers were not now under the law; and would hence infer, that fince they be not under the law, but under grace, therefore they may take liberty to themselves, and fin as they think fit; the law layeth no bonds on them, nor threateneth them with death for each tranfgreffion; and therefore he removeth this objection,. 1. By faying, God forbid; and fo. fhewing the deteftablenefs of fuch an inference And then 2. By fhewing the unreafonableness thereof, verfe 16. faying, Know ye not, &c. as if he should say, it is an undeniable principle, that whatfoever. mafter he be that gets your fervice, his devoted fervants you are; fo that if fin get all your service, you are devoted fervants of fin, and the fruit fhall be death; but if your walk. like fuch as are contending for holi-nefs, and defigning obedience, then are you: fervants thereof, and the fruit of that fhall: be righteoufnefs, and confequently life;; for without this righteousness, or holiness, of which he speaks, and not of imputed righteoufness, there is no life; and fo would' he fay, Seeing believers, and fuch as are

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212

An Expofition of the Epifile to the Romans.

not under law, but under grace, are now
fervants of obedience unto righteoufnefs,
and not fervants of fin unto death, they
should not now yield themfelves fervants
unto fin, but unto obedience.

OBSERVATIONS.

I. So ftrong defires have many to wallow in the mire and puddle of fin, and lead a licentious life, that their corrupt hearts will even draw encouragement thereto from fuch grounds, as, if rightly improven, would rather prove matter of difcouragement; for from the apoftle's argument, wherewith he laboureth to diffuade them from following fin, corruption is ready to gather a strong argument to go on in fin; What then? hall we fin, &c.

Chap. VI.

dage, Heb. ii. 15. but under a better covenant, a covenant of grace, promifing pardon for efcapes, in and thro' a Mediator held forth there, and accepting of fincerity, and requiring nothing in our own ftrength: Therefore they may loose the nable, unreasonable and licentious inference, reins to fin and iniquity, is a most abomiteftation: therefore fays he, God forbid. to be rejected by all Chriftians with de

condemning power of the law, being now V. Though believers be free from the under the covenant of grace; yet are they altogether; the covenant of grace keeps not the more of that fet loose from the law ftill the law, as a rule according to which we ought to regulate our lives and fquare II. So ftrong is corruption in us, that formity with Jefus Chrift in holiness: our actions, that we may win to more conwe are ready to turn the grace and good-hall we fin, because we are not under the nefs of God unto lafcivioufnefs; and the law, but under grace? God forbid. more good and gracious he be unto us, to take the greater liberty to fin against him; as if he were rich in his love to us, of purpose that we might fight the more floutly against him, and to think that we may fin, because we are not under the law, but under grace; Shall we fin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?

III. Guard as we will, in handling the moft excellent, fweet and refreshful cordials of the gofpel, men of corrupt minds, fworn flaves to their corruptions and lufts, will be ready to abuse the fame to their own pernicious ends: for tho' even a great apostle here be unfolding the matchlefs gofpel myfteries, there are fome who will be ready to fay, Shall we not fin, becaufe we are not under the law, but under grace? IV. To conclude, that because believers are not under the law as a covenant of works, exacting perfect obedience, and threatening death for the leaft escape, and that without any hope of mercy or pardon, terrifying the foul with the apprehenfion of a dreadful Judge, Heb. x. 30. 31. peinting at no Mediator, and so making them for fear of death to be in bon

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states, and being no more under the law, VI. Believers having now changed as a covenant of works; fo have they changed relations, and are not now ferdoing all to please the flesh, and to fulfil vanis of fin and corruption within them, the lufts thereof; fin is no more now their yourselves fervants to obey, his fervants ye mafter: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield are whom ye obey; whether of fin, &c.

who are unconverted, and not brought VII. The miferable condition of thefe out of nature into grace, and under a cothey will, it is but fin, and ferviceable to venant of grace, is fuch, that do what fin, and to help forward the strength of fin and corruption in them, which is their only mafter, challenging a right unto all their fervice: his fervants ye are; whether of fin unto death; which is true of those who are under the law.

VIII. That which believers, being now at, is conformity unto that perfect rule of under new relations, are leveling and aiming righteoufnefs, and obedience, unto. his refome greater degree of holiness and inhervealed will, that they may win up unto

ent

ent righteoufnefs, which all must have who have a mind to inherit life eternal; they are fervants of obedience unto righteoufnefs.

IX. Becaufe the new covenant-ftate of believers puts them under new relations, and turneth their faces to another airth than they were towards before; fo that they are to have another end and fcope before them, even obedience unto righteoufnefs: therefore the very new covenantflate of believers lays obligations upon them to follow after holinefs, and to frame all their actions thereunto; fince they are under grace, and are now fervants of obedience unto righteoufncfs, they should now yield themselves fervants to obey him whofe fervants they are: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves fervants to obey, his fervants ye are to whom ye obey, &c.

X. Whatever advantage finners think to attain to by following a trade of fin; yet death fhall be found to be the upfhot of all: whether of fin unto death.

XI. There is no way to win to that inherent righteousness, which is called for from all fuch as are in the covenant of grace, but by yielding obedience unto the holy commandments of God: of obedience unto righteousness.

XII. Let men profefs never fo fair, yet their practice and daily walk will declare under whofe colours they war, and whofe fervants they are: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves fervants to obey, bis fervants ye are to whom ye obey. So that the trade and conftant walk of a man is a good mark to try in what ftate he is.

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ers unto the further study of holiness, and maketh ufe here of a fixth argument, to this purpofe; Tho' once ye were the fervants of fin, yet now ye are made free from that flavery, and have chofen a new mafter, ye are become the fervants of righteoufnefs, and therefore it becometh not you to be ferving the old mafter again, but to be ferving him whofe fervants you are. Now this he illuftrates, verfe 17. 1. By telling, that they were once in another condition; ye were once the fervants of fin. 2. By telling the way how the change came; ye have obeyed, fays he, from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you; that is, you have unfeignedly and fincerely fubmited unto that gofpel which we preach, and yielded yourfelves up to that doctrine, which is as a ftamp to leave fome impreffion upon your hearts; ye have given up yourselves, as wax, to that feal; for fo the words may be read, that form of doctrine, or flamp, to which ye were given up and delivered. 3. By adding a word of thankfgiving at the memory of fuch a great mercy; faying, but God be thanked, &c. and thereby leading. them up to the fountain and spring of this excellent change.

OBSERVATIONS.

I. Believers, before they got grace to flee in to Chrift, were flaves to their own lufts and corruptions, following the commands of the flesh, and runing with delight and pleasure the ways of fin, no lefs than others: ye were the fervants of fin.

II. So rich and admirable is the free grace of God, that he will not stand to take by the hand, and bring into a new covenant-ftate, even fuch evil deferving crea tures, as have been active against him, ferving his adverfary fin with great zeal and forwardness; even fuch as fometimes were fervants of fin, have goten grace to obey a new form of doctrine.

III. Never fhould we call to mind the wonderful goodness of God unto us in de

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