cities, in the atrophying of
all that was best in himself, in the death of joy and peace. And this
iron sequence he, with an eloquent paradox, calls a 'law,' though its
very characteristic is that it is lawless transgression of the true
law of humanity. He so describes it, partly, because he would place
emphasis on its dominion over us. Sin rules with iron sway; men madly
obey it, and even when they think themselves free, are under a bitter
tyranny. Further, he desires to emphasise the fact that sin and death
are parts of one process which operates constantly and uniformly.
This dark anarchy and wild chaos of disobedience and transgression
has its laws. All happens there according to rule. Rigid and
inevitable as the courses of the stars, or the fall of the leaf from
the tree, is sin hurrying on to its natural goal in death. In this
fatal dance, sin leads in death; the one fair spoken and full of
dazzling promises, the other in the end throws off the mask, and
slays. It is true of all who listen to the tempting voice, and the
deluded victim 'knows not that the dead are there, and that her
guests are in the depth of hell.'

II. The method of deliverance.

The previous chapter sounded the depths of human impotence, and
showed the tragic impossibility of human efforts to strip off the
poisoned garment. Here the Apostle tells the wonderful story of how
he himself was delivered, in the full rejoicing confidence that what
availed for his emancipation would equally avail for every captived
soul. Because he himself has experienced a divine power which breaks
the dreadful sequence of sin and of death, he knows that every soul
may share in the experience. No mere outward means will be sufficient
to emancipate a spirit; no merely intellectual methods will avail to
set free the passions and desires which have been captured by sin. It
is vain to seek deliverance from a perverted will by any
republication, however emphatic, of a law of duty. Nothing can touch
the necessities of the case but a gift of power which becomes an
abiding influence in us, and develops a mightier energy to overcome
the evil tendencies of a sinful soul.

That communicated power must impart life. Nothing short of a Spirit
of life, quick and powerful, with an immortal and intense energy,
will avail to meet the need. Such a Spirit must give the life which
it possesses, must quicken and bring into action dormant powers in
the spirit that it would free. It must