Sermon Tone Analysis

A clearer exposition of this statement may be found in Rom.

7:9, where Paul teaches us that we are alive, so long as we are without the law, because in our own opinion it is well with us, and we do not feel our own misery, until the law summons us to the judgment of God, and wounds our conscience with an apprehension of eternal death.

Farther, he teaches us that sin has been in a manner lulled asleep, but is kindled up by the law, so as to rage furiously.

Hence the law is but the occasion of injury.

The true cause of ruin is in ourselves.

Hence he speaks of the law here as the strength or power of sin, because it executes upon us the judgment of God.

In the mean time he does not deny, that sin inflicts death even upon those that know not the law; but he speaks in this manner, because it exercises its tyranny upon them with less violence.

For the law came that sin might abound, (Rom.

5:20,) or that it might become beyond measure sinful.

(Rom.

7:13.)

Here is another absurdity—that we do not merely by believing lose our time and pains, inasmuch as the fruit of it perishes at our death, but it were better for us not to believe; for the condition of unbelievers were preferable, and more to be desired.

To believe in this life means here to limit the fruit of our faith to this life, so that our faith looks no farther, and does not extend beyond the confines of the present life.