1. The law, although it cannot secure either the justification or sanc- tification of men, answers an essential part in the economy of salvation. It enlightens conscience and secures its verdict against a multitude of evils, which we should not otherwise have recognised as sins. It, there- fore, produces that state of mind which is a necessary preparation for the reception of the gospel, vs. 7, 8.
2. Conviction of sin, that is, an adequate knowledge of its nature, and a sense of its power over us, is an indispensable part of evangelical reli- gion. Before the gospel can be embraced as a means of deliverance from sin, we must feel that we are involved in corruption and misery, V. 9.
3. The law of God is a transcript of his own nature ; holy, just, and good. The clearer our views of its extent and excellence, the deeper will be our sense of our own unworthiness, vs. 9, 12.
4. Sin is exceeding sinful. Its turpitude is manifested by the fact that the exhibition of holiness rouses it into opposition ; and that the holy law itself is made incidentally to increase its virulence and power, V. 13.
5. Sin is very deadly. It extracts death from the means of life, and cannot exist unattended by misery, vs. 10 — 13.
1 . How miserable the condition of those whose religion is all law ! vs. 7—13.
2. Though the law cannot save us, it must prepare us for salvation. It should, therefore, be carefully and faithfully preached, both in its ex- tent and authority, vs. 7, 8.
3. It must be wrong and productive of evil, so to describe the nature of evangelical religion, as to make the impression that it is a mere change in the main object of pursuit; the choice of one source of hap- piness in preference to another. It is a return to God, through Jesus Christ, for the purpose of being delivered from sin and devoted to his service. Its first step is the conviction that we are sinners, and, as such, dead, i. e. helpless, corrupt, and miserable, vs. 7, 13.
4. Nothing is more inconsistent with true religion than self-compla- cency. Because the more holy we are, the clearer our views of God's law ; and the clearer our views of the law, the deeper our sense of sin and, consequently, the greater must be our humility, vs. 12, 13.
5. If our religious experience does not correspond with that of the