with relation to his son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was of the lineage of David as to his body,

but as to his holy spirit miraculously declared to be the son of God, by his resurrection from the dead:

for God is my witness, to whom I am entirely devoted, in preaching the gospel of his son, that I constantly make mention of you, in my prayers, requesting,

for ever since the creation of the world, his eternal power and divinity, things in themselves invisible, are clearly seen, being perceived by the things that are made; so that they are without excuse:

"how then are we better than they?" why, not at all: for we have already convicted both Jews and Gentiles, of being all under the guilt of sin.

for by the observation of the law no one shall be justified in his sight, since it is the law that takes cognizance of sin.

happy is the man to whom the Lord will not account sin."

and he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the justification by that faith, which the uncircumcised have: that he might be the father of all those who believe, tho' they are uncircumcised, that it might be accounted to them also for righteousness:

for if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son: much more being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, so death by this sin; and thereby death passed upon all men, who all by his means became mortal.

sin indeed was in the world all the time before the law: but then sin is not punished when there is no law.

neither is the gift, as was the fall by one sin: for the sentence of condemnation, was for one offence; but the divine favour extends to justification from a multitude of sins.

the law was introduc'd, that the greatness of the fall might fully appear; but the more sin display'd its enormity, the divine favour was so much the more transcendent.

that as sin prevailed unto death, even so might the divine favour prevail by righteousness unto eternal life, thro' Jesus Christ our Lord.

Do we then conclude thus, let us continue in sin, that the divine favour may be more fully display'd?

God forbid, that we who have died to sin should live any longer therein.

considering this, that our vicious passions were crucified with him, that the body of sin being destroyed, we might not any longer be vassals to sin.

for by its being dead, we are set free from sin.

for as to his death, he died upon the account of sin once for all; but as to his being alive, he lives to the glory of God for ever.

in like manner consider your selves as dead to sin; but alive to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, by making you slaves to the lusts thereof.

for then sin shall have no dominion over you: because you are not under the legal, but under the gospel dispensation.

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under the gospel?

by no means. know ye not, that to whom ye subject your selves vassals at command, his vassals you are whom you thus obey; the vassals either of sin to destruction, or of obedience to justification?

but God be thanked, that you, who were the vassals of sin, have sincerely obeyed in the manner the gospel prescribed.

being then set free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

for when ye were the vassals of sin, ye were not in the service of virtue.

but now being set free from sin, and actually in the service of God, the present advantage you reap is holiness, and the future everlasting life.

for the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Do we then conclude, that the law is the cause of sin? by no means; but I should not have had such a notion of sin, had it not been for the law: for I should not have known concupiscence was a sin, unless the law had said, "thou shalt not covet."

but sin receiving strength by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. for before the law sin appear'd dead.

then it was I once liv'd secure; but when the prohibition came, sin exerted it self, and I was in a dying condition:

for sin getting power by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

was it then good that brought death upon me? no, but it was sin, that sin might show it self by being able to bring death upon me by means of that which is good; that sin, I say, by the commandment might appear to be exceedingly destructive.

for we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold a slave to sin.

now if I do that which my mind is against, it is not meerly I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.

but I perceive in the animal part of me another law warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my animal part.

the divine grace thro' Jesus Christ our Lord. so then, with the mind I my self am devoted to the law of God; tho' my carnal inclinations are enslaved to the law of sin.

for the christian dispensation of a spiritual life has set me free from the legal state of sin and death.

God having sent his own son invested with a body like that of sinful men, as a sacrifice for sin, thereby destroyed its power; which the law could not effect, human nature being in such a corrupted state.

and if Christ be in you, tho' the body is mortal in consequence of sin; the spirit gives life by justification.

for whom he before approv'd, he predispos'd to follow the example of his son, who was to conduct them all as their elder brother;

he that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, will he not with him likewise freely give us all things?

for the words of the promise run thus, "at this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son."

as it is written, "behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and a rock of offence: and whosoever believeth in him, shall not be ashamed."

and then all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, "there shall come out of Sion the deliverer, and shall turn away Jacob from his impiety.

for he that makes a difference, is self-condemn'd, if he eats against his own persuasion: for every action of that kind is sin .

the God of peace will soon bruise Satan under your feet. the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.