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. So then they that are in the flesh, cannot please God. Verses 6, 7, 8.
The opposition between a holy and unholy man, is still glaring and undeniable. But can any man discern, the least glimmering of opposition, between the Christian and the Jewish Law.
The apostle goes on, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. But if Christ be in you, the body is dead, because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit which dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die; but if ye, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Verse 9–14.
Is there one word here, is there any the least intimation of miraculous gifts, or of the Jewish law?
It follows, For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again, to fear (such as all sinners have, when they at first stirred up to seek God, and begin to serve him from a slavish fear of punishment) But ye have received the spirit of adoption (of free love) whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself (which God hath sent forth into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father,) beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Verse 15, 16.
I am now willing to leave it, without farther comment, to the judgment of every impartial reader, whether it does not appear from the whole scope and tenor of the text and context taken together, that this passage does not refer to the Jewish law, nor to the public testimony of miracles: neither of which can be dragged in, without putting the utmost force on the natural meaning of the words. And if so, it will follow, that this witness of the Spirit is the private testimony given to our own consciences: which, consequently, all sober Christians may claim, without any danger of enthusiasm.
11. “But I go on (says your Lordship, page 21.) to the consideration of the other passages in the same chapter, relating to our praying by the Spirit, namely at verse 26 and 27, which runs thus, Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints, according to the will of God.”
Here is a circumstance highly needful to be observed, before we enter upon this question. Your Lordship undertakes to fix the meaning of an expression used by St. Paul, in the 14th chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians. And in order thereto, you laboriously explain part of the 8th chapter of the Romans. My Lord, how is this? Will it be said, Why this is often alledged to prove the wrong sense of that scripture? I conceive, this will not salve the matter at all. Your Lordship had before laid down a particular method, as the only sure one whereby to distinguish what scriptures belong to all Christians, and what do not. This method is, the considering the occasion and scope of those passages, by comparing the text and context together. You then propose, by the use of this method, to shew, that several texts have been misapplied by Enthusiasts. One of these is the 15th verse of the 14th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians. And to shew, that Enthusiasts have misapplied this, you comment on the 8th chapter to the Romans!
However, let us weigh the comment itself. The material part of it begins thus: (page 22.) “Now he adds another proof of the truth of Christianity: Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities (or our distresses, for [♦]ἀσθενείαις signifies both.” I doubt that: I require authority for it.) “And then he mentions, in what instances he does so, viz. In prayers to God about afflictions”—(In nothing else, my Lord? Did he help their infirmities, in no other instance than this?) “We know not, says he, what we should pray for as we ought. That is, whether it be best for us to bear afflictions, or to be delivered from them. But the Spirit, OR the gift of the Spirit, instructs us how to pray in a manner agreeable to the will of God.” The Spirit, OR the gift of the Spirit! What marvellous reasoning is this? If these “are often put for each other,” what then? How is that evinced to be the case here?
[♦] “ἀθενείαις” replaced with “ἀσθενείαις”