Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 6

1. WHat shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound ?

Another anticipation; this Epistle abounds therewith. The Apostle here prevents an Objection, which might be occasioned, either by the foregoing Doctrine in general, concerning Justification by the Free Grace of God, and by a Righteousness imputed to us; or by what he had said more particularly in the close of the foregoing Chapter, That where Sin abounded, Grace did much more abound. Some might hence infer, That there was no need then of inherent Righteousness, that Persons might abide and abound in Sin, that so Grace might be the more exalted in the Forgiveness thereof. The Apostle Iude speaks, Iude 4 of some that made this ill Improvement of the Grace of God. Those that draw such Inferences from the Premises, they put a false Construction upon the Apostles Doctrine, and a Paralogisme or Fallacy upon themselves. They make the Apostles words more general than he meant or intended them: For the abounding of sin, is not the occasion of the abounding of grace in all, but only in some, even in those who Confess and Forsake their Sins. And they apply that to the time to come, which the Apostle only uttered of the time past. The abounding of Sin in Men, before their Conversion and Calling, doth commend, and exalt the abundant Grace of God ▪ in the Forgiveness thereof; but not so, if Sin abound in them, after they are Converted and Called. He propounds this Objection by way of Interrogation, partly to shew his dislike, that his Doctrine should be so perverted; and partly to shew the Peace of his own Conscience, that he was far from such a thought.

Marginal references: Or, what do we say then.

2. God forbid : How shall we that are dead to sin , live any longer therein .

Be it not, or far be it; he rejects any such Inference or Consequence, as unworthy of an Answer. q. d. Away with all such Doctrines, as under pretence of advancing Grace, do promote Sin, or obstruct a Godly Life. This Phrase is frequent with the Apostle, when he is speaking of any absurdity, vid. chap. 3.4, 6, 31.

By this Particle How, he shews the Impossibility, or the Incongruity of the thing, vid. Mat. 6.28. Gal. 4.9. The following Argument is very convincing, and may be thus form'd. They whose Property it is to be dead to sin, can't any longer live therein, but the justified by Faith, are dead to sin.

They are said to be dead to sin, who don't live under the Power and Dominion of it; who Mortify Sin, and suffer it (so far as they can) to have no Life or Power in it.

Fall into it they may, but live and lye in it they can't. 'Tis not falling into the Water that Drowns a man, but 'tis his lying in it; so 'tis not falling into Sin that Damns a Man, but it is his living in it.

3. Know ye not , that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ , were baptized into his death ?

q. d. This is a Truth which you ought not to be ignorant of; and which Confirms what I say.

To be Baptiz'd into Christ, is either to be Baptiz'd in the Name of Christ, vid. Act. 10.48. and 19.5. Or else it is Incorporated, Ingraffed, or Planted into Christ; and so to be made Members of his Mystical Body by Baptism.

To be Baptized unto the death of Christ, is to have Fellowship with Him in his death, or to have the Efficacy of his death Sealed up to us; and that is the blessed Priviledge of as many as are Baptized, or Planted into Christ: They are not only Partakers of the Merit of his death for Justification, but of the Efficacy of his death for Mortification. See a Parallel place. Gal. 3.27.

Marginal references: Or, are.

4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead , by the glory of the Father , even so we also should walk in newness of life .

q. d. Because we are thus Dead with Christ, therefore, &c.

i. e. We have Communion with Him in his burial also, which represents a farther degree of the Destruction of Sin, but putting it (as it were) out of our sight, Gen. 23.4. and having no more to do with it.

He seems here to Allude to the manner of baptizing in those warm Eastern Countryes, which was to Dip or Plunge the Party baptized; and as it were to bury him for a while under Water. See the like Phrase, Col. 2.12. Baptism doth not only represent our Mortification and death to Sin, but our Progress and Perseverance therein. Burial implyes a continuing under Death, so is Mortification a continual dying unto sin.

Look as after the death and burial of Christ, there follow'd his Resurrection; so it must be with us: We must have Communion with, and Conformity to the Lord Iesus Christ in his Resurrection, as well as his Death; both these are Represented and Sealed to us by the Sacrament of baptism.

i. e. By the Power of the Father, which is call'd, Col. 1.11. His glorious Power. God is said elsewhere to have raised him by his power, vid. 1 Cor. 6.14. and in 2 Cor. 13.4. He is said to Live by the Power of God. Some read it thus, He was Raised from the Dead, to the Glory of the Father. The Preposition [non-Latin text not transcribed], is sometimes rendred to, vid, 1 Pet. 1.3.

i. e. Live a new Life, being acted by new Principles ▪ aiming at new Ends, and bringing forth new Fruits of Holiness, vid. chap. 7.6.

Marginal references: Chap. 8.11. Phil. 3.10, 11.; Eph. 4.22, 23. Col. 3.10.

5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection .

He Prosecutes what he had before Propounded, and Illustrates it by an apt Similitude, which is taken from Graffing or Planting. He takes it for granted, That Believers are Planted together in the likeness of Christ's death, i. e. Are made Conformable to Him in his Death, vid. Phil. 3.10. Christ Dyed, and Believers Dye; the One a Natural▪ the Other a Spiritual Death. The One by way of Expiation, Suffering, and Satisfying for the Sins of others; the Other by way of Mortification, Killing, and Crucifying their own Sins.

In the Original, the Sentence is Elliptical and Imperfect: The Words running thus, We shall be of his Resurrection; our Translation therefore fills up the Sence, with a word borrowed from the preceding Clause. See the like, Iohn 5.36. I have a greater Witness than of Iohn. i. e. Than that witness of Iohn. The Sence of the whole is this, That Believers are not only dead, but risen with Christ, Col▪ 3.1. They partake of such a Resurrection as resembles His: As Christ Arose from the Dead to a New Life, so we Rise from Dead Works, to walk in Newness of Life, ver. 4. Moreover, they are raised and quickned by a Power and Vertue that flows from Christ and his Resurrection: This is that Vertu[illegible: 1 letter] which the Apostle Paul so earnestly desired to be made a Partaker of, Phil. 3.10. The Graft revives with the Stock in the Spring, and that by a Vertue which it receives from the Stock; So as a Believer is rais'd to Newness of Life, by a Vertue flowing from Christ, into whom he is Engraf[illegible: 1 letter]ed. Q. Why doth he say Believers shall be Planted, &c. Are they not so already, upon their believing in Christ? A. The Apostle rather chuseth to speak in the Future, than in the Present Tense: Rather we shall be, than we are, or have been. Because the Work is only begun, it daily increaseth more and more, until it comes to a [illegible: 1 letter]ull Perfection in Heaven.

6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him , that the body of sin might be destroyed , that henceforth we should not serve sin .

By the old man is meant, That corrupt and polluted Nature which we derive from Adam the first Man, vid, Ephes. 4.22. Col. 3.9, 10. The Old and New Man are Opposites; as then the New Man is the Image of God repaired in us; so the Old Man is a depravation of that Image of God, and an universal Pollution of the whole Man.

By Vertue of our Vnion with Him, and by means of his Death and Crucifixion, vid. Gal. 2.20.

The Body of Sin is the very same that he call'd before the Old Man. The Corrupt Nature is sometimes called the body, chap. 8.13. Sometimes a body of death, chap. 7.24. and here the body of sin. 'Tis indeed a meer mass and lump of Sin; it is not one sin, but all sin Seminally. 'Tis with Respect to this body of sin, that particular Lusts and Corruptions are called Members, Col. 3.5.

Weakned more and more, till at last it be destroyed.

As we did before Regeneration; and as they still do; who voluntarily commit it, Iohn 8.34. They do not only act sin, but are Acted by it, having as many Lords as Lusts, Tit. 3.3. See more of this ver. 16▪

Marginal references: [illegible: 2 letters], was [illegible: 1 word].; [illegible: 1 word] 2.20. [illegible: 1 span] & 6.

7. For he that is dead is freed from sin .

He that is dead, i. e. To Sin, is freed from it, not only in respect of the Guilt thereof, which sence the marginal reading of the word seems to respect, but also in regard of the service of it. This agrees best with the Context; look as He that is dead is freed, and discharg'd from the Authority of those who had Dominion over him in his Life time; So it is with those that are dead to Sin. There is a Parallel Place, 1 Pet. 4.1.

Marginal references: Or▪ [illegible: 1 span].; [illegible: 1 paragraph]

8. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him .

i. e. If we have Fellowship with Christ in his Death, we have reason to believe we shall have Fellowship with Him also in his Resurrection and Life, vid. ver. 5. Though Everlasting be not excluded, yet a Spiritual Life is principally intended; we shall so live with Christ, as no more to return to dead works. The next words shew this to be the Sence.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span] 11.

9. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, dyeth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

q. d. Of this you know you have an Exam[illegible: 1 letter]le or Copy in Christ himself; He so Rose again, as never more to come under the Power of Death.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 letter].1[illegible: 1 letter].

10. For in that he died, he died unto sin once ; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God .

For as when he dyed to sin. i. e. To take away sin, he died but once. vid. Heb. 9.28. and 10.10, 14.

But when he rose again from the dead, he lived ▪ with God for ever an immortal endless life. By this phrase is exprest that eternal and indissoluble Union, which the Son hath with the Father.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 letter]0.38.

11 Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin; but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord .

So we in like manner must make account, that by vertue of his death, we are dead to sin, and by vertue of his Resurrection are alive to God, and so alive as never to resume our former courses, or return again to our former sins.

Or in Iesus Christ our Lord. i. e. after the Similitude of Jesus Christ, who so lives as to dye no more. Or else this phrase imports that Jesus Christ is the root of our spiritual life, even as the Cion lives in the stock, so Believers are alive unto God in Jesus Christ, receiving from him that vertue whereby their spiritual Life is begun maintained and perfected.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word], i[illegible: 1 letter] Iesus [illegible: 1 span] Lord

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body , that you should obey it in the lusts thereof .

q. d. Seeing this is the case, that you are dead to sin, baptized into Christ, are planted together into the likeness of his death, &c. Therefore the rather hearken to, and obey the following exhortation. By sin he means the sin or corruption of our nature, the same that before he called the Old Man, and the body of Sin. There are remainders thereof in the Regenerate, in them 'tis mortified but not eradicated. Therefore to them this Exhortation is not unnecessary.

He doth not say, let it not be or reside, but let it not reign or preside; let it not bear sway or have dominion in you; let it not have the upper hand of the motions of the Spirit of God.

The body (called here a mortal or frail body) is put by a Synecdoche for the whole man; and he the rather makes mention of the body, because the parts and members thereof are the usual instruments of sin. Therefore it follows in the next verse, Neither yeild your members weapons of u[illegible: 1 letter] righteousness ▪

i. e. That you should obey [illegible: 1 word] the lust of the body. The gender of the relative [illegible: 1 word] of the Greek, requires it should be so read and understood. The meaning is not as if lusts were in the Body alone, for Christ teacheth the contrary, Mat. 15.19, 20. but because all sinful lusts do mostly shew and manifest themselves in and through the body, Gal. 5.19.

13 Neither yeild ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yeild your selves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead ; and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

He fitly compares our bodily members to Tools that Artificers work, or weapons that Souldiers fight withall; for as those, so these may be used well or ill, e. g. with the hand one man giveth an almes, another stealeth; with the tongue one man blesseth, another curseth. By members here we are not only to understand the parts of the body▪ as the Hands, Eyes, Ears▪ &c. But also the Faculties of the soul, as the Understanding, Will, Affections, &c. These bear some proportion to the bodily members, as the Understanding to the Eye, &c. All of them must be employed by us, as Weapons to fight, not under the command of Satan for Sin, but under the command of God for Righteousness.

These words contain a reason, why we should not serve Sin and Satan, but bequeath and dedicate our selves to the service of God, because we are indued with a Spiritual Life, after a Spiritual Death; or because we have received so great a benefit as to be raised in Christ from the death and power of sin.

Marginal references: Or, present or offer up.; Gr. arms, or weapons.; Chap. 12.1. 1 Pet. 4.2.

14. For sin shall not have dominion over you : for ye are not under the law, but under grace .

In the 12. v. it was an Exhortation, but in this it is a Promise that sin shall not raign in and over us. Rebel it may, but Reign it shall not in the regenerate. It hath lost its absolute and uncontrolled power. It fares with sin in such as with those beasts in Dan 7.12. who though their lives were prolonged for a season, had their dominion taken away. It is an encouragement to fight, when we are sure of Victory.

He adds this as a reason of what he had asserted and promised, you are not under a Legal, but Gospel Dispensation; so some expound the words. Grace is often put for the Gospel, or you are not under the Old but the New Covenant. The Law and Grace thus differ; the one condemns the Sinner, the other absolves him; the one requires perfect, the other accepts sincere Obedience: the one prescribes what we must do, the other assists us in the doing of our duty: This last seems to be the genuine sense. q. d. you may be sure sin shall have no dominion over you, for you are not under the Law, which forbids sin, but gives no power against it, or which requires obedience, and gives no strength to perform it (like Egyptian Taskmasters which required Bricks, but gave no Straw.) But under the Gospel or Covenant of Grace, where sin is not only forbidden, but the sinner is enabled to resist and overcome it. Q. But what shall be said of the Godly in the times of the Law, were not they under Grace? A. They were, Act. 1[illegible: 1 letter].11. Heb. 4.2. But not in the same degree. The Godly had help and assistance under the Law, but they had it not by the Law. How Believers are said not to be under the Law. vid. ch. 7.4.

15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid .

Doth it follow from hence that we are lawless, and may live as we list?

q. d. No by no means, the Premises afford no such Conclusion; though we are not under the curse and rigour of the Law, yet we are under its directions and discipline: The Gospel allowes of sin no more than the Law. The Apostle is careful both here and elsewhere, to prevent licenciousness, or the abuse of Christian Liberty. vid. Gal. 5.13. 1 Pet. 2.16. vid. v. 1, and the notes there.

Marginal references: 1 Cor. 9.21.

16 Know ye not , that to whom▪ ye yield your selves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto Righteousness ?

He refutes the aforementioned cavil, by a common Axiome that every one knows and apprehends.

Which will be rewarded with eternal life. But why doth he not say of obedience unto life? then the Antithesis had been more plain and full. Because though sin be the cause of death, yet obedience is not the cause of life (as v. 23.) but only the way to it.

Marginal references: John▪ 8.34. 2 Pet. 2.19.

17. But God be thanked, that ye were the Ser[illegible: 3 letters]ts of sin ; but ye have obeyed from the [illegible: 1 word] that form of doctrine which was delivered you .

q. d. But as for you, God be thanked, that though once you were the Servants of sin, viz. when you were ignorant and unregenerate, yet now you are freed from that bondage, and set at liberty from the power and dominion of sin.

This Phrase expresseth the efficacy of Divine Doctrine in the hearts of Believers; it changeth and fashioneth their hearts according to its likeness, 2 Cor. 3.18. Hence in Iames 1.21. 'tis called an ingraffed word, it turnes the heart and life of the Hearer into its own nature, as the stock doth the Cion that is ingraffed into it. The Doctrine of the Gospel is the Mould, and the hearer is the mettall, which when tis melted and cast into the Mould receives its form and figure.

Marginal references: Gr. the mould of doctrine into which you were delivered.

18 Being then made free from sin ; ye became the servants of righteousness.

i. e. The servitude of sin, having received a manumission from that hard and evil Master, you have given up your selves to a better and more ingenious service.

Marginal references: Joh. 8.32. Gal. 5.1.

19 I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh : For as ye have yeilded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity, unto iniquity ; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, unto holiness.

q. d. I accommodat[illegible: 1 letter] my self to your capacity, because of the weakness of your understanding in spiritual things; therefore I use this familiar similitude of service and freedom▪ that by these secular and civil things you might the better understand such as are spiritual. vid. Iohn 3.12.

q. d. The great thing that I desire of you (and tis most reasonable) is this, that you would be as sedulous and careful now to obey God, as you have formerly been to obey and serve sin, to do good as you have been to do evil.

To fleshly lust which defile you.

i. e. Adding one sin to another, or else by the former you may understand original, by the latter actual sin. He useth three words about the service of Sin, and but two about the service of God; wicked men take great pains for Hell. Oh that we would take the same for Heaven.

20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness .

q. d. When you served sin, you knew that God and Righteousness had no whit of your service, why then should Sin have any of your service now, When ye have delivered up your selves to Righteousness or Godliness, to be the observant followers thereof? Why should not ye now abstain as strictly from all Sin, as then ye did from all good?

Marginal references: Gr. to righteousness.

21 What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death .

q. d. And this will be much more equal and reasonable▪ if you consider these three things. 1. How little fruit and satisfaction your former Sins have afforded you in the very time of committing them. 2. How nothing but shame and sorrow doth follow upon the remembrance of them. 3. How death, yea eternal death and damnation (unless pardoning Grace and mercy prevents it,) will be the certain conclusion of them; and whither these things are true or no, I appeal to your selves.

22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life .

q. d. But now on the contrary, being set at liberty from the service of Sin, and admitted to be the Servants of God. You plainly perceive a difference. For, 1. In your life time you increase in Grace and Holiness, and that is no small fruit or advantage. And then, 2. At your death you shall have everlasting Life.

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

q. d. Now therefore compare the Office of both these services together, and you shall easily see which Master is best to serve and obey; the wages that Sin will pay you, in the end is Death; but the reward that God will freely bestow upon you▪ (if you be his Servants) is eternal Life, through Iesus Christ our Lord.

The word properly signifies Victuals. The Romans of old paid their Souldiers with Provision and Victuals in recompence of their service; afterward they gave them Money, but still the old term was retained, and now it is used to signify any reward or stipend whatsoever.

By death here we must understand not only temporal, but also and more especially eternal death, as appears by the opposition it hath to eternal Life: This is the just and true hire of Sin.

He doth not say that eternal life is the wages of Righteousness, but that it is the gracious or free Gift of God. He varies the Phrase on purpose, to shew, that we attain not eternal Life by our own merits, our own works or worthiness, but by the Gift or Grace of God; for which cause he also addeth, through Iesus Christ our Lord. vid. Aug. lib. de gratia & libero arbitrio. c. 9. Let the Papists (if they can) reconcile this Text to their distinction of Mortal and Venial Sins, and to their Doctrine of the Meritoriousness of good Works.

Marginal references: Gen. 2.17. Chap 5.12. Jam. 1.15.; Or, the gracious and free gift[illegible: 1 letter]