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wherefore she will be reputed an adulteress if she become another man's during her husband's life: but if her husband dies, she is clear from that law, from the imputation of being an adulteress, though she become another man's.

but now we are delivered by the death of the law, which held us in bondage: that we might serve according to the living spirit, and not in the dead letter of the law.

Do we then conclude, that the law is the cause of sin? by no means; but I should not have had such a notion of sin, had it not been for the law: for I should not have known concupiscence was a sin, unless the law had said, "thou shalt not covet."

but sin receiving strength by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. for before the law sin appear'd dead.

then it was I once liv'd secure; but when the prohibition came, sin exerted it self, and I was in a dying condition:

was it then good that brought death upon me? no, but it was sin, that sin might show it self by being able to bring death upon me by means of that which is good; that sin, I say, by the commandment might appear to be exceedingly destructive.

for we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold a slave to sin.

what I do I allow not: for what my mind leads me to, that do I not; but what I have an aversion to, that I do.

now then, it is not wholly I that do it, but the sinful passions that dwell in me.

for I experience, that in the carnal part of me dwells no good: for it is familiar to me, to will, but not to execute that which is good.

for the good that I purpose to do, I do not: but the evil which I resolve against, that I do.

now if I do that which my mind is against, it is not meerly I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.

but I perceive in the animal part of me another law warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my animal part.

for they that are sensually affected, abandon themselves to sensuality, but the spiritual pursue their spiritual entertainments.

now sensual inclinations lead to death; but spiritual affections to a life of tranquillity.

you are not in such a state, but in a spiritual one, provided the divine spirit dwell in you. now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

for if you lead a sensual life, you will be miserable: but if through the spirit you mortify the affections of corrupted nature, you will be happy.

for the spirit you have received is not servile to keep you still in fear; but it is the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, that is, father.

who were not, by their own choice, expos'd to this uncertain state, but by virtue of him, who subjected them thereto:

and not only they, but even those who have the first fruits of the spirit, even we our selves do inwardly groan for the fruit of our adoption, by the deliverance of our body from corruption.