♦5. They are not condemned, Secondly, for any present sins, for now transgressing the commandments of God. For they do not transgress them? They do not _walk after the flesh but after the Spirit_. This is the continual proof of their _love of God, that they keep his commandments_: even as St. _John_ bears witness, _Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. For his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God_: he cannot, so long as that seed of God, that loving, holy faith remaineth in him. So long as _he keepeth himself_ herein, _that wicked one toucheth him not_. Now it is evident, he is not condemned for the sins which he doth not commit at all. They therefore who are thus _led by the Spirit, are not under the law_, (_Gal._ v. 18.) Not under the curse or condemnation of it; for it condemns none but those who break it. Thus, that law of God, _Thou shalt not steal_, condemns none but those who do steal. Thus, _Remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy_, condemns those only who do not keep it holy. But _against_ the fruits of the Spirit, _there is no law_; (_v._ 23.) as the apostle more largely declares, in those memorable words of his former epistle to _Timothy_. _We know, that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; knowing this_, (if while he uses the law of God, in order either to convince or direct, he know and remember this) ὅτι δικαίω νόμος οὐ κεῖται. (Not, that the law is not made for a righteous man; but) _that the law does not lie against a righteous man_: (it has no force against him, no power to condemn him) _but against the lawless and disobedient, against the ungodly and sinners, against the unholy and profane――according to the glorious gospel, of the blessed God_. _1 Tim._ i. 8, 9, 11. 6. They are not condemned, thirdly, for inward sin, even tho’ it does now remain. That the corruption of nature does still remain, even in those who are the children of God by faith, that they have in them the seeds of pride and vanity, of anger, lust and evil desire, yea, sin of every kind, is too plain to be denied, being matter of daily experience. And on this account it is, that St. _Paul_ speaking to those, whom he had just before witness’d to be _in Christ Jesus_[25], to have been _called of God into the fellowship_ (or participation) _of his Son Jesus Christ_[26], yet declares, _Brethren, I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal; even as unto babes in Christ_ (_1 Cor._ iii. 1.) _Babes in Christ_――So we see they were _in Christ_; they were believers in a low degree. And yet how much of sin remained in them? Of that _carnal mind_, which _is not subject to the law of God_?