Paul, in chap. vii, is treating upon the law which is holy, just and good, and not the law of carnal ordinances. Some have an idea that his treatment of this subject releases us from the obligation of the law here referred to. We will now enter upon an examination of the subject, and by the aid of the Divine Spirit, we may be enabled to give his true meaning. He commences the chapter by saying, "Know ye not brethren (for I speak to them that know the law) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?" He is here speaking of the law that has dominion over a man as long as he liveth in sin. This will be seen by reading chap. vi, 11. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Verse 2. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? He uses the marriage covenant as a figure to illustrate this point. "The woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth." So the man, as long as he liveth in sin, is bound by the law, which he hath transgressed, ("for sin is the transgression of the law.") "But if the husband be dead she is loosed from the law of her husband." So when the natural man is dead, he is loosed from the law that bound him while living in transgression of it. "But if her husband be dead, she is free from the law of her husband." So the man that is dead to sin is free from the bondage of the law. In verse 4th we are shown by what means we are delivered from the bondage of the law. "Wherefore my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ." Not that the law is dead, but that Paul's brethren are dead to the law; therefore the law has no longer dominion over them. They are now at liberty to be married to another, even Christ. But while they were in the flesh, serving sin, the law had dominion over them, so that they could not be united to Christ; for no person living in sin, (which is a violation of the law,) can be united to Christ. The man that transgresses the laws of his country is held in bondage by that law until he suffers its penalty, unless pardoned by the law-giver, through the intercession of friends. Thus those who transgress the holy law of God are held in bondage, to suffer its penalty, until liberated by the Great Law-giver, through the intercession of Jesus Christ. Verse 6. "But now we are delivered from the law, [margin] being dead to that wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." That is, we should keep the spirit of the law, under the new covenant, when it is "written on the fleshly tables of the heart by the Spirit of the living God." 2 Cor. iii, 3. A mere observance of the letter of the law will not be sufficient. But will the keeping of the law in the Spirit release us from the observance of the letter? We answer it will not; for how can we keep the spirit of the law and live in violation of the letter? It is impossible. The law says, thou shalt not kill. Can we keep the spirit of this law while our hands are imbued with the blood of our neighbor? The same law says, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Is it possible to keep the spirit of the Sabbatical law while our acts are in violation of it? We are now to keep the law under the new covenant, not under the old. Verse 7. "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin but by the law." That is, by the law we are convinced of sin; take away the law and we have no knowledge of sin. "For I had not known lust except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." "For I was alive without the law once;" that is, Paul lived in sin without the spiritual understanding of the law once, although he strictly observed the letter. "But when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." That is, when the commandment came in the Spirit, it convinced him of sin, and he no longer violated the letter or spirit of that law. He died to sin. Verse 10. "And the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death." That is, the commandment was designed to give life when obeyed in the Spirit, but in this case it proved Paul's death to sin. Sin took an occasion to deceive, and by the commandment slew him. "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good." Was then that holy, just and good law "made death to me? God forbid. But sin that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." Not the law, but sin, which is the transgression of the law, worked death, because the penalty of that law is death. Therefore, sin against that holy law, or just and good commandment, was exceeding sinful. Verse 14. "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I [not the law] am carnal, sold under sin." Paul here has a view of the spirituality of the law of God. He also sees that it is not possible to keep it with the carnal mind. This may be seen by the following verses. "I delight in the law of God, after the inward man; but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." Though Paul delighted in the law of God, yet he was unable to fulfill its requirements, for the flesh was continually warring against the Spirit, and he exclaimed, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death." [Margin.] Verse 25. "I thank God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord." [Macknight.] Our attention is now turned to the Great Author of that holy, just and good law; so holy, so just, and so good, that not one jot or tittle could be suffered to fail, to save a perishing world. Yet, he so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him might not perish, but have everlasting life. "Who became sin for us and died, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." Chap. viii. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, &c." The law when broken could not liberate the offender, therefore was not able to give life; but the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath "abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." If God could have given a law which, when transgressed, would have given life, would he not have done it in preference to giving his own Son to die? This confirms the truth that the law was not abolished, but that the precept [Whiting] of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." If God had designed to abolish this law to give life, there would have been no necessity for the sufferings and death of his Son. Verse 5. "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." The things of the flesh are "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry," &c. Gal. v, 19—21. "The fruit [things] of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law." Verses 22, 23. Verses 6, 7. "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." If we follow the Spirit it will lead us to strict obedience of God's holy law, the ten immutable commandments. As God has not abolished his law to free the transgressor of it from its dominion or bondage; but has freely given his Son to die to redeem us, the only possible way of being released from the bondage of the law, which we have transgressed, is by repentance toward God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God, in his infinite goodness, has now delivered the sinner from the dominion of the law, through the gift of his Son, and has imparted sufficient grace to enable him to keep it holy. Shall he now sin [transgress the law] that grace may abound? God forbid, says Paul, for if he should, he would at once be brought under the bondage of the law again. It would have dominion over him. Then if he would remain a free man in Christ Jesus, he must obey the commandments of God the Father, and have faith in his Son Jesus Christ. Such will have right to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the City. Boston, Oct., 1851.