The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 200

'l'he will, bond-sle.ve 11s it Is, covets freedom. The subjected epirit craves to be on~ age.in in harmony with the spiritue.l Law. Is not this verified likewise by the history of me.nkind? In the e.ncient world, amid a.ll the corruptions of heathendom, there were those who approved and desired the good. It shone before them in ita f380ina.tin"' bee.uty, and their eyes were fixed upon its fe.irneBB, e.nd their souls were drawn i;; longing towards it. Bo is it still. Does not the Christ a.ttra.ct the gaze, the admiration even, of sinful men? And is there not stirred in many a sinful heart the longing to be at one with Christ? Yes; the spiritual Law a.ttra.cts the approbation and desire of the spiritue.l in ma.n. The Ego, the Self, the I, desires the good. . II. THE BUJIJE0TION TO THE EVIL. But is the desire accomplished? Alas I to deaire the good is only to realize more intensely the utter subjection to evil Man's spirit is ensle.ved to the flesh, a.nd, through the flesh, to sin: "sold under sin." This thonght e.lso runs through the passage. And so abject is the enslavement, that the Ego is but the impotent instrument in the hands of sin. "It is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me," is the thrice-uttered plaint of the captive ma.n. And thus the very motions of the will are me.de in blind submission: "that which I do I know not." Yea., even when the will would me.ke some show of resistance, it is all in vain. For the rigid le.w which governs the whole nature, made to seem the more rigid in i~ defiance of that other holy La.w of God, is-" to me who would do good, evil is present; " yes, present always, as an absolute, a. mocking lord. Has not the world's history verified these things ? Listen to i~ confessions : Video melwra proboJ.ue. deteriora seq'UW; Nitimwr in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata, (" I see the better things, and approve them; I follow the worse;" "We strive ever after what is for- bidden, and desire the things denied to us"): so spake the heathen, in the ancient world. And is not this our experience still? We a.re "in the flesh," and in our flesh "dwelleth no good thing." Such is our ne.tural state. ill. THE HOPELESS ooNFLIOT. And, this being so, is not our condition one of wretchedness, of despair? Perpetual wa.r between the la.w of the mind and the la.w of the members; between the spirit and the flesh. But hopeless war; sin, through the flesh, triumphe.nt e.lwa.ys, mockingly triumphant. Yes, we may look, we ma.y writhe in our efforts to escape; but we a.re bound-bound hand and foot. And so our own very body, intended to be the obedient instrument of the governing spirit, has become, by the supreme.cy of sin, a brute lord, and is a "body of death." Death unto death; darkness ever darker: is not the conflict hopeless? may we not well cry, "0 wretched man that I e.m I who shall deliver me?" Yes, hopeless in itself; no victory in us. But, thanks be to God. there is e. mightier One, even Jesus; e.nd he is our Helper, "mighty to sa.ve"I-T. F. L. Ver. 6.-" Newness of spi,rit." The apostle never tires of contrarnng the Sina.itic with the gospel dispense.tion, to the exaltation of the latter. He thinks of the former as a thraldom. "We were holden," that is, cribbed, confined by the Law. I. AN ESSENTIAL TO DELIVERANCE FROM LAW. 1. Death must have interve,itd. Death is the great liberator, exhausting the penalty of the Law, e.nd giving quittance from its captivity. The wife is released from spousa.l obligations by the dee.th of her hnsbe.nd, and is free, therefore, to enter into a aew covenaut. 2. The death of Christ affords the 'Mcessary liberation. Prior to full obedience and reception of the utmost penalty of Mose.ism, a fresh dispensation had been like e.dultery; but when the Law had been fulfilled to its extreme requirement, the death of the victim e.brogsted the authority of the Law. 3. The death of Ghrist is spiritually 6'UICted in his followers. They repeat in essence his crucifixion of sin. His atonement is realized in their heart, BD.d their be.ptism is the outward emblem of release by death and burial from a covenant of works. "He died unto sin once, but liveth unto God." Henceforth with Ohristiana "the terrors of law and of death can he.ve nothing to do." II. 'l'm: EX0ELLENCE OF THE NEW CONDITION. We are not set free to please our- selves, but belong to him "who died for us and rose again." We enter into a fresh service. 1. '1.71e fact that it is new is a, guaranted of impro~numt. Not ,werything new is better than tho old. Mon frequently retrogrades by his chMges of custom. But when the altere.tion is a direct consequence of Divine intervention, there must be an o.dve.nce. We CIUlnot conceive of God taking a backward step. 2. T/id mw service  THE EPISTLE 01' PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [on. vn. 1-26,