An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

But before we come to explain the Doctrine and amplify it, one Question is to ¹be answered, and that is, Whether the Apostle speak this in regard of his own person, or by a figure assumes the person of other godly men? For that is many times the custom of the Apostle to join himself in number with such, whose infirmities he doth not partake of, or is guilty of, as 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged of the Lord, putting himself in the number of those who came unworthily to the Lords Supper. For Chrysostom doth so admire the high degree of grace in Paul, that he thinketh Paul doth not say this, because of himself, but by way of instruction to others. There is also a late learned Writer (Amyraldus Consid. in 7. cap. ad Romanos, & contra Gull. Rivetum.) who thinketh it an assertion no way worthy of reproof, if we say Paul had even in this life more grace than some glorified Saints may have in Heaven. So that he will acknowledge Paul, if not the other Apostles, by a singular and extraordinary privilege, to have obtained perfection. From whence he gathers, that to expound that Rom. 7. of Paul as regenerated, as if he found the law of sin captivating of him, is to be highly dishonouring of that great Apostle, and is signally injurious to the grace of the Gospel. And if this be so, then we cannot say, that Paul spake this for himself, but for others. For if he had attained to such a state of perfection, there was no danger of pride or self-confidence. To make this his opinion good, he observeth. That we do not find Paul charged with any [Greek or Hebrew], any defect, after he was converted. And besides, he propounds himself, as an example and a pattern, which could not be, if what is said in Rom. 7. were true in his own person.

But before we come to explain the Doctrine and amplifie it, one Question is to ¹be answered, and that is, Whether the Apostle speak this in regard of his own person, or by a figure assumes the person of other godly men? For that is many times the custom of the Apostle to joyn himself in number with such, whose infirmities he doth not partake of, or is guilty of, as