to him more in that view. In the preceding context he is spoken of as delivering his people from con- demnation, and many judicious commentators under- stand the text as referring to the same point : yet, on the whole, it appears more agreeable both to the words of the text, and to the scope of the passage, to understand it in reference to the work of sanctifica- tionb. St. Paul had just said that " the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," that is, the Gospel, " had made him free from the law of sin, as well as of death." He then adds, that on account of the insufficiency of the law to condemn and destroy sin, God had sent his own Son to effect it ; and that through his incarnation and death its power should be effectually broken.
From this view of the text, we are led to consider, I. The end. and design of Christ's Mission —
God's desire and purpose was to restore his people to true holiness —
[Sin was the object of his utter abhorrence: it had marred the whole creation : it had entered into heaven itself, and defiled the mansions of the Most High : it had desolated the earth also, and all that dwelt upon it. To remedy the miseries introduced by it, and to root it out from his people's hearts, was a design worthy of the Deity; since, if once they could be brought to " fulfil the righteousness of the law," by walking, in their habitual course of life, no longer after the flesh, but after the Spirit, eternal honour would accrue to him, and everlasting happiness to them.]
The law was not sufficient to effect this —
[The law was indeed perfectly sufficient to direct man, while he remained in innocence : and it was well adapted to reclaim him when he had fallen; because it denounced the wrath of God against every transgression of its precepts, and set forth a perfect rule of duty. But " it was weak through the flesh :" man was deaf, and could not hear its threatenings ; dead, and could not execute its commands. Hence, as to any practical effects, it spake in vain.]
God therefore, in order that his purpose might not fail, sent his only dear Son —
b See Doddridge on the place.