Romans 6:2,3 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

How shall we, that are dead, &c.— The objection which carnal minds are naturally apt to make against justification by God's free grace, through the infinite merit of Christ, is not to be answered by allowing that our own righteousness is to be joined in part with his to justify us; for, on that supposition, there would be no room for the objection, and the assertion would be contrary to the whole analogy of faith. But it is to be answered by shewing, as the Apostle does, the indispensable necessity of personal holiness in them who are justified, and the inseparable connection which is fixed, by the ordination of God in the Gospel, between these things, without blending them together, or confounding one with the other. While therefore we, after the Apostle's example, adhere strictly to the doctrines of grace, and guard in this manner against the abuse of them, we may be satisfied that our doctrine is the same, and fully answers the same objection with his: and while we keep both these points in view, in our dealings with God, and walking in newness of life before him, we need not fear a miscarriage in our way to heaven. The Apostle's answer is, No, by no means: this would be the vilest abuse of this most endearing and comfortable truth, and directly contrary to its holy nature and design. For, though we cannot be justified by any of our own works; yet how can we, who profess and are obliged to die to sin, and who are really mortified in our affections to it, as to the worst of evils, if we be sincere believers; how, I say, in any consistencewith our state and character, and with a sense of duty and gratitude; or with what conscience, hope, or peace, can such as we are, go on any longer in a course of sin, or allow ourselves in the practice of any known iniquity? It is monstrously absurd to suppose it.