kindles for battle with that sound, '' There- foretold, that they who do such things shall
SEPA GUSTIN:
282 THE WORKS OF at unrighteousness unto sin; for thus sin shall not rule over us. For we are not under the Law, which indeed commandeth what is good yet giveth it not: but we are under Grace, which, making us to love that which the Law commands, is able to rule over the free.
creased the lust, and made it unconquered:' that there might be transgression also, which without the Law was not, although there was sin, '' For where there is not Law, neither is there transgression."? Thus the Law, Grace not helping, forbidding sin, became over and above the strength of sin; whence the Apostle saith, '' The Law is the strength of sin."?3 Nor is it to be wondered at, that man's weakness even from the good Law added strength to evil, whilst it trusts to ful-
9g. And also, when he exhorts us, that we live not after the flesh, lest we die, but that by the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the flesh, that we may live; surely the trumpet which sounds, shows the war in which we are engaged, and enkindles us to contend keenly, and to do our enemies to death,' that we be not done to death by them, But who those enemies are, it hath set forth plainly enough. For those are they, whom it willed should be done to death by us, that is to say, the works of the flesh. For so it saith, '' But if by the Spirit ye shall mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live.'"' And in order that we may know what these are, let us hear the same in like manner writing unto the Galatians, and saying, '' But the works of the flesh are manifest, which are, fornications, uncleannesses, luxuries, idolatry, witchcrafts, hatreds, contentions, emulations, wraths, strifes, heresies, envyings, drunkennesses, revellings, and such like; of which I foretell to you, as I have foretold, that they who do such things shall not possess the kingdom of God.''? For the very war there also was he showing, that he should speak of these, and unto the deathdoing of these enemies was he calling up the soldiers of Christ by the same heavenly and spiritual trumpet. For he had said above, '*But I say, walk in the Spirit, and perform ye not the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. For these are opposed one to the other, that ye do not what ye would. But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the Law.''° Therefore being set under Grace, he would have them have that conflict against the works of the flesh. And in order to point out these works of the flesh, he added what I have mentioned above.
fill the Law itself of its own strength. Forsooth being ignorant of the righteousness of God,* which He gives unto the weak, and wishing to establish his own, of which the weak is void, he was not made subject to the righteousness of God, reprobate and proud. But if the Law, as a schoolmaster, lead unto Grace one made an offender, as though for this purpose more grievously wounded, that he may desire a Physician; against the baneful sweetness, whereby lust prevailed, the Lord gives a sweetness that worketh good, that by it Continence may the more delight, and '' our land giveth her fruit,''' whereby the soldier is fed, who by the help of the Lord wars down sin.
8. Such soldiers the Apostolic trumpet enkindles for battle with that sound, '' Therefore let not," saith he, ** sin reign in your mortal body to obey its lusts; nor yield your members weapons of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as living in place of dead, and your members weapons of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not rule over you. For ye are not under the law, but under Grace.''® And in another place, '' Therefore,'' saith he, "'brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye shall live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if by the Spirit ye shall mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." 7 This therefore is the business in hand, so long as this our mortal life under Grace lasts, that sin, that is the lust of sin, (for this he in this place calls by the name of sin,) reign not in this our mortal body. But it is then shown to reign, if obedience be yielded to its desires. There is therefore in us lust of sin, which must not be suffered to reign; there are its desires, which we must not obey, lest obeying it reign over us. Wherefore let not lust usurp our members, but let Continence claim them for herself; that they be weapons of righteousness unto God, that they be not weapons of
But the works of the flesh are manifest, which are, fornications,"' and the rest, whether what he mentioned, or whether what he admonished were to be understood, chiefly as he added,
'Sand such like." Lastly, in this battle, against what is in a manner the carnal army leading forth as it were another spiritual line,
"But the fruit of the Spirit is,'' saith he, '"'charity, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness,continence; against such there is no law.''™ He saith not ''against t Rom. v. 20. 2 Rom. iv. 15. 4 Rom. x, 3. 5 Ps, Ixxxv. 12. 7 Rom. viil. 12, 13, 14.
31Cor. xv. 56. © Rom. vi. 12, 13, 14.
8 Mortificare. 9 Gal. v. 19-21. 10 Gal. v. 16-18. [See R. V.] 11 Gal, v. 22, 23.