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 conde... [ Continue Reading ]
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. law, that it is the law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus, and that it sets the sincere Christian at liberty fro... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, when mankind could by no means be freed from sin and death, God sent his one and only Son to be. 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,... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. difference of persons mentioned. Those that are after the flesh, and them that are after the Spirit. 2.. difference of properties belonging to these persons; the one minds the things of the flesh, the other the things of the Spirit. They mind them; that is, they relish and savour t... [ Continue Reading ]
In the former verse we had. description of those that are carnal, and them that are spiritual. In this verse we have the end of the one, and the issue of the other; the end of the one is death, the issue of the other is spritual life, joy and peace. Observe, 1. The end and condition of all carnally... [ Continue Reading ]
By the carnal mind are meant the rational powers corrupted by our sensitive appetite, or. mind enslaved by sensual lust. Such. temper of mind is opposite to, yea, enmity against God and goodness. Learn hence, 1. That carnal persons are not better than enemies unto God: There is. perfect contrariety... [ Continue Reading ]
To be IN THE FLESH, is not barely to have the flesh in us, but prevailing in us: to be wholly possessed by the flesh, to be drenched and drowned in sin; instead of fighting under Christ's banner against sin, to fight under the banner of corrupt nature against Christ. Such CANNOT PLEASE GOD; nay, the... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe, He doth not say, the flesh in not in you, but ye are not in the flesh, so as to be acted and influenced, guided and governed, misled and carried away by it. Sincere and serious Christians, although they live in the flesh, yet do they not live after the flesh: BUT YE ARE IN THE SPIRIT, that... [ Continue Reading ]
IF CHRIST BE IN YOU, that is by his Holy Spirit, THE BODY IS DEAD, that is, still subject to death, BECAUSE OF SIN, which will never cease to be in us till we die; BUT THE SPIRIT IS LIFE, that is, will give life to it again, BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, or of that justification which is unto life. Lea... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said, "Although your body must die, yet it shall live again in the morning of the resurrection, and that by virtue of the Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in you, and is the bond of union with him your head; others shall be raised by the power of Christ as their judge, but you s... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, seeing the Holy Spirit dwelleth in us, quickening our souls for the present, and raising our bodies for time to come, furnishing the one with grace here, and fitting the other for glory hereafter; therefore we ought to live unto God and not to the flesh; we are not debtors to the flesh, to... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle here adds. farther reason why. Christian should not live after the flesh; before, an arguement was drawn A DEBITO, now A DAMNO: He told us in the former verse we owed nothing to the flesh, here he acquaints us what losers we shall be by living to the flesh, IF YE LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YE... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. glorious privilege proclaimed, the being THE SONS OF GOD. 2.. description of the persons to whom that privilege doth belong, they are such AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF God. Learn, 1. That the Holy Spirit of God doth perform the office of. guide and leader to all the children of God... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe, 1. That there is. spirit of bondage, which the children of God do for some time receive, working fear in them. By the spirit of bondage understand those convictions and terrors of conscience which awakened persons labour under, when the law of God charges them home with the guilt of sin; an... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. That our adoption into God's family is evidenced by the testimony of the Spirit, bearing witness to and with our spirits; here are two witnesses produced to testify the truth of. believer's adoption, namely, God's Spirit and his own; the Spirit testifies by laying down marks of tria... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle having asserted and insured the believer's adoption in the foregoing verse, doth in this verse infer the certainty of his inheritance: IF CHILDREN, THEN HEIRS. Learn hence, That all God's children, by special grace and adoption, are undoubted heirs of. blessed and glorious inheritance.... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The nature and property of the saints present sufferings; they are short and momentary; THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS PRESENT TIME. If sharp, they shall yet be short; though great, they cannot be long; for their afflictions cannot last longer than their lives; the one shall end when the ot... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. That there is. time indeed a-coming, when all the sons of God, all his adopted children, shall be made manifest: How manifest? 1. In their persons: It shall then appear who are God's sons, and who are Satan's servants; they shall then be made manifest to themselves, to one another... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOT ONLY THEY; that is, all the creatures in this visible creation, join in this, they groan together; they do not some groan, and others sing; some travail in pain, and others in pleasure. But they all groan and travail together in pain until now, that is, until the glorious manifestation of th... [ Continue Reading ]
WE ARE SAVED BY HOPE; that is, we are at present supported by hope, our present expectation of our future glorious condition beareth up our spirit under its sufferings, and carrieth us joyfully through all difficulties; or, WE ARE SAVED BY HOPE, that is, all the salvation which we have at present i... [ Continue Reading ]
Learn hence, 1. That the holiest and best of saints labour oft-times under great infirmities in the work and duty of prayer, not knowing what to pray for, or how to manage that important affair as they ought. Hence it was that the apostles themselves, being sensible of their own disability in this... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The title or attribute given and appropriated unto God: HE SEARCHETH, or knoweth, THE HEART. He was the maker of the heart, and is the disposer of the heart, and will judge every man according to his heart; and therefore he must know the heart thoroughly and perfectly, certainly and... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, "All dispensations of providence whatsoever, whether they be ordinary afflictions, or extraordinary trials, which do befall the children of God in this life, shall certainly be directed by his wisdom, and overruled by his power and goodness, for the temporal, spiritual, and eternal good of... [ Continue Reading ]
St. Paul in these verses, lays before us. chain of the causes of salvation inseparably linked together, the first of which was before all time, namely, God's foreknowledge of us from all eternity, and his predestinating and appointing of us to eternal life: WHOM HE DID FOREKNOW, HE ALSO DID PREDESTI... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT SHALL WE SAY TO THESE THINGS? that is, to the forenamed truths and doctrines, to the forementioned privileges and benefits, what comfort doth arise from them? How shall we live up answerable unto them? Neither the tongues of men or angels is sufficient to declare the comprehensive fulness of th... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we have, 1. proposition laid down, containing matter of the highest consolation to us; namely, that God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. HE SPARED NOT; that is, he did not spare to give him, or part with him; with Abraham, he did not withhold his Son, his only Son from... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The apostle's confident and daring challenge: WHO SHALL LAY ANYTHING TO THE CHARGE OF GOD'S ELECT? Where note, The universality of the challenge: It is universal in. double respect: 1. In respect of persons accusing, WHO SHALL? He excepts none in heaven, none on earth, nay, none i... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle here goes on with the triumphant challenge in the foregoing verse begun, Who shall condemn the justified believer? And here observe, 1. The holy challenge of faith, it is ready for all comers, and bids defiance to all accusations. If the law implead, faith says, Christ, in the likeness... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, none shall separate, nothing shall separate the believer from the love of Christ; either from the love that Christ bears to him, or from that love which he bears unto Christ; no person shall, no condition of life can separate them, neither outward troubles, nor inward distresses, no evils e... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said, "The saints of old have endured all manner of suffering, and yet were not separated from the love of God; therefore, the like, or worse suffering shall not be able to separate us now." Here note, What may be the lot and portion of believers in this life, and that is, kil... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said, "We are so far from being separated from Christ, by the afflictions and persecutions which we undergo, that we are conquerors by our patience, nay, more than conquerors: we do not only bear our trials, but we glory in tribulations; we conquer by our patience, we are more... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle concludes this excellent chapter with triumphant expressions, as he had begun it; in the first verse he proclaims, that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus; here in the last verse he pronounces, that nothing shall separate them from the love of God which is in Chris... [ Continue Reading ]