Ver. ll 7. the Epi file to the Romans. fÀ ont which they werefreed; but righte- oufneffe,unto which they were now be- come voluntary fervants. TIM. What inflruEÏionr doe ye gather from the ftrfi wordi,[I:bank God ? S 1 L. Firft, whofoever bee delivered from fin,may here learn, that their de- liverance is not in their own power, but is the work of God,and they are behol- den to him for it. Hence it is,that allre- generate perlons are called the work - manlhip of God;Ephef.a.1o. Secondly, in this exlmpleofPaul wee learn to re- joyce and be thankfull , as well for the converfion of others, as for our own. And this is indeed a note and a mark of one truel'y converted, to be unfaignedly glad for the work of Gods grace in o- thers.Thirdly,this teacheth,that the end of our freedome from fin in refpeEa of God is his own praife, that he might be acknowledged, praifed and thanked. Laitly, the Apoble would fhew, what a great benefit it is to be delivered from the tyrannyoffin,for which God cannot be fulficiently t banked.Aifo he bewrays the affebtions of a godly Pallor. Tr M. In :shat effate were they before God converted them? S s t.. They were the fervants of fin, which is the common eEate of all the cleft before their new birth; they all and every one of them, are firfk the fervants of fin, before they are the fervants of God,Rom.5,6,8,Io.AEfs 26.ver.18. T r io. What it it to bee the fervants of fin? S IL. To be held under the dominion and rule offin, being wholly obedient to thelub thereof. No flave or fervant is more fubjeE} to the will of his Lord, then we are unto lulls and defires of fin: fo that we can, will, think, fpeak, or doe nothing,but what fin wil or commands. And this is a moil fearful! and danger - ouseftate, much worfe then the cruen tyrannical! bondage and flavery of !E- gypt. For firfk, that bondage was of the body onely,but the fervice offin is of the whole man,body and foul.Secondly, in the bondage of Egypt they ferved men ; but here in this bondage, fervice is done to fin and fatan,motf vile Lords, which command mob bate and filthy worker. Thirdly, in the bondage of Egypt, the mob harm was temporal,lofs of liberty, (mart and pain of body: in this fervice of fin,the lofle is eternall , even detlro&ionr in hell for ever,without the infinite nter- ty of God. Fourthly,in this bondage un- der Pharaoh, they had a fenfe of their thraldome, and defired liberty : in this fervice of fin,men do not fo much as fi-- pe& themfelves to be bound, but thinke themfelves to by free, and defpife liberty, Rev. 3.17. La(ily, in all outward bon - dage,they which bee bound, can helpe themfelves,asby running away, or by intreaty,or by ranfome:in this bondage we lie bill as it were bound hand and footaill God 'by his mercy deliver us; not fo much as the leali thought of :re- lieving our felves. Ti M. Tell zis now to what purpofe he Apoflle puts them in mind of :heir former bondage? S t L. Firb, by the remembrance of it to humble them, and to keep them from being puft up with their prefent graces, when as they (hall call to mind what they were once, worfe then beans, yea worfe then nothing. Secondly, to provoke tham to a great thankfultiefs unto him, who freed them from fo hey - nous a yoak. Lalìly, to move them to withdraw their hearts further off from that vile fervice of fin, which they have fo well efcaped ; as no flave will return to that tyrant from which he is deliver- ed ; fo neither ought tanners to look back again. Remember Lots wife. Tt M. What other thing may we obferve thit,sbat he faith ; We were the fervants of f n,not, ?hat ye are the fervants ? S i L. That (itch as be freed from fin, though they bill have fin in them, yet they are no more fervants to fin. For they have changed their Malter, and their Livery, and are become fervants to a new Lord;to wir,Chrift Jefus their Redeemer. T t M. Shew us now by what means our Converfion was wrought? S IL. By the doarine of the Gof- pcll,which in this refpeElis in Scripture called the Arme ofGod,Efay 53.1. An R 3 im-
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