Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 6:12

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.