charging him, his master ambition came in, and said, by the mouth of the Jews, "If thou lettest this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend." Thou wilt lose thy credit at court: perhaps forfeit thy present government: certainly not obtain a better. So when Pilate heard these words, he heard them as a servant hears his master's order: they were to him a command: and overcoming all sense of justice and duty, he "delivered up Jesus to them to be crucified."

Thus it is that sin acts as a master over those who yield to it: nay, as a master who will not give up his power. Some, perhaps, in a moment of penitence, in a season of conviction, may desire to escape from their bondage, and break their chains. But, ever and anon, the master returns: sets before them the temptation to which they have been used to yield, the pleasure, or the company, or the gain to which they have been long accustomed: and when he says, Enjoy this, and disregard the consequences, they obey, for they are his servants, and his yoke is over them. How many of the victims of intemperance have resolved never again to taste the poison which is destroying them! How many a gamester has vowed that he will no more risk the ruin of his fortune, his family, and his peace! A few hours after, the master sin appears: bids him return to the place which he had determined to avoid, bids him rejoin the company which so lately he renounced; says, "as one having authority, Come, and he cometh; go, and he goeth." Such is the tyranny of sin: such the dominion under which he holds his captives: they cannot do the things which their conscience tells them should be done; and the things

they approve not in their inner mind, those they do: because their master fetters their will, and makes it agree with his own.

Such then, says St. Paul here, had been the case with those to whom he wrote.

17. But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Ye were the servants of sin. Following the desires of the flesh and of the mind, ye had yielded yourselves to a dominion which is contrary to God and righteousness, and been "led captive by Satan at his will." But it was to men in this unhappy state; it was because this was the helpless condition of the world, that Jesus Christ had come, to impose a new and a very different yoke upon them. And these Roman brethren had listened to the voice of the Deliverer: had been made free from their former master, and had now become the servants of God and of righteousness. God be thanked, -ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Ye have obeyed that doctrine which taught you how the Lord Jesus has laid down his life, that he might redeem to himself a people : free them from the service of sin, and bring them to God. So that now sin has no more dominion over you. He may issue his command, and say, "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes."6_ Sin may urge this; but urge in vain. Ye have chosen another master, who has said, "Mortify your mem

bers which are upon earth:" for "know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." Ambition may try its power with you, and say, Come, make to thyself a name. Seek wealth, seek honour, seek to be spoken well of. But ye have another master, even God: and he warns you, "Whosoever 8 will be the friend of the world, is the enemy of God." Covetousness may put in its claim, and give some tempting reason why ye should enrich yourselves, and disregard the interests of others. But ye are made free from the power of such temptations, and become servants to God: and the maxim of his family is, "What shall it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul!”

This is the answer to that question which corrupt nature is too ready to ask: May we not continue in sin, since we are not under the law, but under ? grace It would frustrate all God's purposes. He has He has "redeemed us from all iniquity," that we might yield ourselves unto God. But "whoso committeth sin, is the servant of sin," still under the yoke, for which the Son of God came to "make him free." For his servants ye are, whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.

7 Col. iii. 3; Eccles. xi. 19.

8 Bovλnon. James iv. 4.

LECTURE XVIII.

THE SERVICE AND THE RECOMPENSE OF SIN AND OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

ROMANS vi. 18-23.

18. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

19. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

20. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

The example which St. Paul uses here was familiar to the persons whom he addresses; and he takes it for that reason, because of the infirmity of their flesh; which needed example, to the better perceiving of the truth. They knew the nature of bondage, and of freedom. The man who is bound to his owner, to come or go at his bidding, is his slave. And the man who yields up his members to iniquity, is in the same manner a slave to sin. Sin issues his command: bids him indulge this or that desire, follow this or that appetite; and he obeys. And such had been the case with these Roman Christians. They had been the servants of sin, and free from righteousness: not bound by that law which is the only real

freedom. One, perhaps, a slave to covetousness. Another, to intemperance, sensual appetite. Another, to ambition. Another, to malice. Perhaps several of these masters had joined, to rule over one unhappy soul. In some way or other they had been free from righteousness, and “led captive by Satan at his

will.”

But as one who has been a slave, or made a slave, may be ransomed and set free, such were these now. Being made free from sin, ye have taken on yourselves another service. Ye were not made free from one master, that ye might act without restraint or rule: but ye became free from sin, that ye might become the servants of righteousness.

And now again Paul speaks after the manner of men. Men, when they enter into service, look for a return. He asks, what return they had received.

21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Truly, the wages of sin, even in this life, are poor wages. Ask the covetous, self-seeking, money-loving man, what his sin has given him? He will answer, if he speak sincerely,-restless nights, and disappointed days. Ask the revengeful, malicious, envious hater of his neighbour, what he has enjoyed;—a heart "like the troubled sea." Ask the intemperate, the impious, the sensual, the reveller, what their sin