strength in such circumstances; but this is not the idea held forth in the context. I died.—That is, I saw myself dead by the law, as far as my own observance of the law was concerned. All Paul's hopes founded

on what he was in himself were destroyed, and he discovered that he was a sinner condemned by the law; so that the law, which promised life to those who observed it, to which he had looked for justification, he now saw subjected him to death. death. The expression by no means imports, as Mr Stuart understands it, that Paul, at the period referred to, was really under the sentence of death as a sinner who had not fled to Jesus. “I fell under the sentence of death," is the explanation that Mr Stuart gives, which he confirms by "the soul that sinneth shall die." "The wages of sin is death." At the period when Paul died in the sense of this passage, he was really brought to spiritual life. It was then that he through the law became dead to the law, that he might live unto God; Gal. ii. 19.

Thus Paul was without the law during all that time when he profited in the Jews' religion above many of his equals, when, according to the straitest sect of their religion, he lived a Pharisee, and when as touching the law, according to the common estimation, he was blameless. He was without the true knowledge of it and its spiritual application to his heart; but, in his own esteem, he was alive. He was confident of the Divine favour. Sin lay as dead in his heart. He could therefore go about to establish his own righteousness. He had not found the law to be "a killing letter," working wrath; so far from it, he could make his boast of the law, and assume it as the ground of his rejoicing before God. But when the commandment

came, sin revived and he died. Such is the account which Paul now gives of himself, who declared, Acts, xxii. 3, that formerly he had been, and as he affirms in the beginning of the 10th chapter, that the unconverted Jews still were, " zealous towards God."

V. 10. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

And the commandment, which was ordained to life.— Literally, the commandment which was unto life. That is, which was appointed to give continuance of life to those who obeyed, and which, therefore, it would have been life to obey, as it is said, "The man that doeth them shall live in them." By the commandment here referred to, the law, in all its parts, appears to be meant, with a special allusion to the tenth commandment, which shows that the desire of what is forbidden is sin. This commandment might well be put for the whole law; for it could not be obeyed without the whole law being kept. As the law held out the promise of life to those who obeyed it; on this ground Paul had sought and imagined he had attained a title to eternal life. Unto death.—The law was ordained to life, but through sin, it was found to be unto death. As soon, then, as it came home to his conscience, Paul found himself condemned by that law from which he had expected life, for, though it could not justify a sinner, it was powerful to condemn him. It then destroyed all the hope he had founded on it, and showed him that he was obnoxious to the curse which it pronounces on all transgressors. The law, however, which was ordained to life, will at last be proved to have attained this object in all in whom it has been fulfilled, Rom. viii. 4, by him who is the end of the law for righteous

ness to every one that believeth. All such shall, according to its original appointment, enjoy everlasting life.

V. 11.-For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Sin, by blinding his mind, as to the extent of the demands of the law, had led Paul to believe that he could fulfil it, and so obtain justification and life, and had thus by the law taken occasion to deceive him. Till the commandment came home to him in its spiritual application, sin was never brought to such a test as to make a discovery to Paul of its real power. But when he was enlightened to perceive this, sin by the law slew him. It showed him that he was a transgressor of the law, and therefore condemned by that very law from which he had before expected life. Thus sin, as he had said, revived and he died. All his high thoughts of himself and self-confidence, from supposing that he had kept the law, were swept away and destroyed.

V. 12.-Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Having now shown that the law is not the cause, but only the occasion of sin, Paul here draws the conclusion as to its character and excellence. Wherefore. In the 7th verse he had strongly denied that there was any thing sinful in the law; and in the intermediate verses had shown by its effects, that so far from being the cause of sin, it had been the means of enlightening his mind in giving him to discover the evil nature of sin and its deceitful workings in himself. From these effects he now draws the conclusion here stated, which fully illustrates the above assertion, proving how far the law is removed from sin, namely, that it is holy, and just, and good. The two words law

and commandment appear to be used to give the greater force to his declaration; thus meaning the law and every precept it enjoins. It is holy, in opposition to whatever is sinful; holy as embodying the perfect rule of what is right and conformable to the character of God and a transcript of his perfections. It is just. Can any thing be more just than that we should abstain from all that God prohibits? It is highly just that we should not only abstain from all that God forbids, but that we should not even desire what is forbidden. The law demands what is equitable, and due to God, and nothing more, and what is just and equitable in regard to man, and a just law could demand no less. And good.-It is not only just, it is also good. It is good in itself, and its whole tendency is adapted to maintain perfect order, and to establish in the highest degree the happiness of all who are under its authority. Every commandment of the Decalogue tends to promote human happiness. This is the glory of the law, and shows that it proceeds from the Giver of every good and perfect gift, from him who alone is good. But this is not the ground of obedience, and those who have endeavoured to place the foundation of morals on the principle of utility or of the happiness of the many, have only proved their short-sighted ignorance, and verified the declaration of Scripture, "professing themselves to be wise they become fools."

From the nature of the Apostle's description of the glory and excellence of the law, it is clear that he is speaking of the Decalogue, and not of the ceremonial law or the Mosaic institutions. These had a figurative excellence" for the time present," but "made nothing perfect," as he himself declares in the Epistle to the Hebrews, but consisted only in "carnal ordinances"

intended to continue "until the time of reformation." But the law as embodied in the ten commandments is in itself eternal and immutable, while the words of the Apostle in this verse beautifully accord with those of the Psalmist in the 19th Psalm. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." If God had left men free from the law, it would still be for the happiness of society that they should strictly obey its precepts.

V. 13. Was then that which is good made death unto 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.

Was that then which is good made death unto me?This is not, as Dr Macknight supposes, an objection in the person of a Jew, but an objection put by the Apostle himself, which was likely to occur to every carnal man in every age. It might require an answer even with respect to Christians themselves. If the law is holy, and just, and good, how could it be found by the Apostle to be unto death? Could a good law be the cause of death? By no means. It was not the good law that was the cause of death. But sin.That is, it is sin which is the transgression of the law, that causeth death.

That it might appear sin.-Dr Macknight translates,