Rom. vi. 17. God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which teas delivered you.
EXEMPTION from the punishment of sin is doubtless an inestimable blessing ; but deliverance from its power is equally precious. The most ad- vanced Christians greatly delight in this part of sal- vation. Hence St. Paul thanks God for bestowing this mercy on the Church at Rome. We shall con- sider from the text,
I. The character of all while in an unconverted state — All are " servants of sin " till they receive convert- ing grace —
[All indeed are not slaves to the same sin. Some are led captive by their lusts and passions: others are drawn away by the pleasures and vanities of the world: others are under the dominion of pride and self-righteousness ; but all, without ex- ception, are alienated from the life of Goda: all are full of unbelief and self-sufficiency.]
This, however humiliating, is an indisputable
truth —
[The Scriptures every where assert this respecting fallen manb. The most eminent saints confess it to have been their own casec: experience proves it with respect to ourselves. The very excuse which men offer in extenuation of their sins, viz. " that they cannot live as God requires," establishes this truth.]
But it does not remain so in regenerate persons ; as appears from,
II. The change they experience in conversion — God instructs them in " the form of sound doc- trine "—
[There is in Scripture a "form of sound doctrine." This in all its parts is set before them. They are enlightened by the Spirit to understand it: they have it applied with divine efficacy to their souls.]
This form of doctrine they " obey from the heart " —
[They yet indeed feel a law of sin in their members ; but " they no more serve sin" willingly as before: on the contrary, " they now delight in the law of God." They obey it, not in appearance only or by constraint, but willingly and without reserve.]
They are now cast, as it were, into the mould of the Gospel —
[This is the force of the original; and is the marginal versiond: this is also the case, wherever the Gospel takes effect e. The wax has every lineament of the seal, and the coin of the die: so do they resemble God, who are renewed by the Gospel f.]
a Eph. iv. 18. b Johnviii. 34. Rom. vi. 16. with the text,
c Tit. Hi. 3. d Ei£ ov trap el 66 >]te tvttov liZayrJQ.
e Col. i. 6. f 2 Cor. iii. 18.