lin in the fleſho; | 2 In this Verſe isa farther proof of the main propoſition in wv. 1. There are two things in fin that may indanger us as to Condemnation, the Power and Guilt of it. As to the freeing us trom the former, viz. The power of ſin, of that he had ſpoken in the foregoing verſe ; as to taking. away the Guilt of Sn, of that he ſpeaks in this verſe. # Bythe Law here he means the moral Law, the Righ- reouſneſs whereof is to be fulfill'd in us, v. 4 What is it the Law cannot do? there are ſeveral anſwers : bur this is principally ' meant, ir cannot juſtific us before God, It can condemn us, but it cannot exempt us from Condemnation, vid. As 13. 38, 39. Gal. 3.21. Hb. 7.18. & By Fleſh, as before, we muſt underſtand the corrupt Nature ; that 1s, every man ſince the Fall. This is chat which puts a weakneſs and inability upon the Law. The um- pctency of the Law 1s not from its ſelf, bur from the condition of the Subjc& with whom ir hath to do. The Law is weak to us, becauſe we are weak to it: The Sun cannot give light to a blind eye, not from any 1mporency in its ſelf, bur meerly from the incopaciry of the ſubjeCt it thines upon. / To juſtificand ſave fil'en Man, was impoſſible for the Law to do ; therefore God will tind out another way, that thall do it effettually. What his own Law cannot do, his own Sox can; and therefore him he will ſend. m 7. e. Such fleſh as fin hath made ir now to be, ſubject to many infirmities and weaknetles. Fleſh in this clauſe carries quite another ſence, than it didin the firſt verſe ; and in the former part of this verſe, than it doth in the following verſe ; there it is taken orally for the corrupt Nature of Man, here phyſically for the hu- mane Nature of Chriſt. The word likeneſs is to be linked, not with Fleſh, but with ſinful Fleſh ; he had true and real Fleſh, but ke had only the appearance and likeneſs of ſinful Fleſh, wid. 2 Cor. 5.21. & 4.15. Hb. 7. 26. 1 Pet. 1. 19, n Either this clauſe is to be joined ro what goes before, and then the ſenſe is, That God ſent his Son in the likeneſs of ſinful Fleſh, that he might take 'a« way Sin, Orellfeit is joined to what follows, and then there is an ellipſis in it; Something 1s cur off, or left out, which muſt be underſtood. The margent of our Common Bibles inſert the word Sacrifice, q d by a Sacrifice for fin, or by a Sin offering he conde' ned Sin, &c. This eiliplis 1s uſual in Scripture, Iſa. 53. 10. When thou ſhalt make his Soul jim ; thatis, (as our Tranſlation renders it) an Offering for Sin, Fzck. 45. 19. The Prieſt ſhall take of the Blood of the Sin, we read it of the Sin offering. See the like in . Hoſ. 4 8. 2 Cor. 5. 21, Heb. 109.6. o The Syriack reads it, in his Fl:ſh. The meaning is, That God ſeverely puniſhed Sin, and in- flicied the curſe and penalty of it that was due to us, in and upon the perſon of his own Son. God Jaid on him the iniquities ot us all, and he bore them in his body upon a Tree ; wid. Gal. 13. 3 Pet. 2, 24. 4 hat therighceouſneſs of the law might be fulfilled in usp, who walk not alter the fleſh, bur after the ſpi-
Tit 9.
bent is another end of Gods ſending his Son as before ; it was that he might perfe&ly fultl the Righteouſneſs of the Law in or for us, which for us our ſelves to do in our own Perſons was utterly impoſſible. And yet upon which (as being imputed unto them, and accepted of God on our behalf) we ſhall be accounted Juſt and Righteous, as if we had done it ourſelves. Chriſt's being 2 Sacrifice for Sin was not ſufficient to anſwer all the ends and de: mands of the Law ; there muſt be doing of what it commanded, as well as ſuffering of what it threatned : Therefore Chriſt was lent for both, and both were accompliſhed by him ; and what ke did and ſuffered is accounted unto us as if we had done and ſuffe- red it. This is the imputed Righteouſneſs which was ſo often ſpoken of Chap. 4. and 1n reference to this he is ſaid to be made Righteouſneſs for us, 1 Cor. 1, 30. and we are ſaid to be the Righ- reouſheis of God in him, chap. 5. 19. 2 Cor. 5. 21. 9 This was the deſcription before of thoſe that had Union with Chriſt, and exemption from Condemnation ; and *tis again ſet down as the de- icription of thoſe who partake of the Righreouſneſs of Chriſt in this way of impurtation; and *tis added here again, to ſtave off all others from laying claim ro this Grace. None but holy walkers can warrantably apply Chriſt's fulfilling or fatisfying the Law to themſelves. Becauſe Chriſt hath fulfilled the righteouſneſs of the Law for us, none may infer there is nothing for us to do ; we may live as we liſt : for though Chriſt hath fulfilled the Law in all re- ipes, yer all thoſe for whom he hath ſo done, or have benefir thereby, are, and muſt be, ſuch as walk not after the fleth, but after the Spirit ; for the opening of which terms, wid. w. 1.
5 For® they that are after the fleſh » do mind the things of the fleſhs : bur they that arc after the Spiric 7, the things of the Spirit «
y i.e, That are carnal and unregenerare perſons, in a meer natural eſtare. s Either ſuch things as are abiolureJy evi}, and are called, The Iuſtz of the Fleſh, Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21, or clic ſuch
|| Or, was impoſſible for the law 50 as,
jt Or, be- cauſe,
{| Or, by a ſecrifice for ſm.s
*, Cor. 2. 14.
ROMANS.
|
Cha
L220 p. VI things as are occaſionally evil, as Riches, Honours, Plea
Theſe are alſo called the things ef the Fleſh, and are ſuch "9, Or, perſons mind, z,e. They favour, affe&, and rake delight 0 Cary]
; 3. e, Thatare ſpiritual and regenerate, in whom the irc go. i.e. They mindSpiritual and Heavenly things, they reliſh moſt of all; wid. Pſal. 4.7. and 73. 25. ; when
6 For * to be carnally minded 7s death », by; to + ſpiritually minded x, i life and peace y.
In this verſe we have an account of the different thar are carnal and ſpiritual, as in the former we had of their different carriage and diſpoſition. w 7. e, To be hae ind temper before deſcribed, wv. 5. tro mind and affe& the things $ : h Fleſh, doth cauſe death, or will end in it; the ſecond Or ete » the death is chiefly intended. x #. e. To mind and favour the _ $04 of the Spirit, to find a ſweetneſs and excellency therein, ſo wy, tC the bent and inclination of the mind ſhall be theretg. ys nin the way to Eternal Life hereafter, and to a ſound peace bh "bly ref 119. 165. Prov. 3. 17. Gal, 6. 16. "PI