anc1. burie.l, and crucifixion, and resurrection, and new life alon~ with Christ. Sanctinoa. tion in this way naturally issues out of justification.1 The apostle cousoquently proceeds to show that the dominion of sin is broken by the same means as the removal of our oondernnatfon, viz. by outlook to Jesus. We find ourselves to be uo longer under law ss a condemning power, but under a reign of grace. Ilut if we are under a reign of g_rare, and not unde~ a condemning law, might we !1,°t be tempted _to !hink lightly of i;~n; nay, more, to sm that gr11ce may abound? lo meet this; obJect1on, the apostle discus...-.es the reign of sin, and contrasts it with the reign of grace, Sin me.y be our master, but RS the slave of sin we shall get relV&l'ded in shame e.nd death; or righteous- ness, that is, the God of grace himself may be our Master, and, as the slave of righteousness or slave of 0,.-..d, we shall have our reward--& reward of grace, in the development of holiness, and in the gift of eternal life. We cannot do better, then, than contrast the reign of sin with the reigu of grace. I. THE: REIGN OF SIN. (Vers. 12, 13, 21.) And in this connection let us notice : L Si,i is a 1JerY e:wcting tyrant. In fact, when we become slaves of sin, we cease being our own masters. We lose the dignity of our nature; we lose self-co=and; we lose will-power and decision of character. Our bodies become the instruments of unrighteousne.ss, and the lusts of the flesh are obeyed. The prodigal in the parable presents l"ividJy the condition of one under the tyranny of sin (Luke xv. 11-25).• Then we notice: 2. Sifl is 4 very poor paymaster-. For even allowing that it has pleasures t.o bestow, these are found to be only for a season (Heb. xi. 25). After these come shame, remorse, and the horrible tempest which infuriated sin entails. Then comes death, the real wages, or rations (l,4>~,,.,. from /14>0", "cooked meat," see Shedd, in Zoe.), This means, of course, alienation from God, and, when it sets finally into the experience, proves a hopeless and helpless condition. 3. The sooner all slaves of sin change their master ~ better. The reign of sin only tends to torment. The soul that sells itself to such a tyrant is a fool He is besidll himself, like the prodigal, when he does so. He comes to himself when he renounces the tytanny and transfers his allegiance. II. THE REIGN OF GB.ACE. (Vers. 16-23.) Now, in this passage the apostle uses no less than three terms to express the new and better reign. These are " grace," " obedience," "righteousness." And then, dropping personification altogether, he shows how we become subject.s and slaves of God. From the slavery of sin it is possible to pass into the service and slavery of God. We may get free from sin, and then shall we be at liberty to serve God anJi be his slaves. We shall not make much mistake if we take up Paul's teach.mg under the idea of a reign of grace.3 And here we have to notice : L We emer of Q'll,r rrum free-will into the slavery of the God of grace. We 8l'e not forced into it; we are "made willing in the day of God's power" (Ps. ex. 3). The slavery to God is voluntary. It is a yielding of ourselves. In both slaveries we must remember that the will is not forced, but free. We are free in our slavery to sin; we are free when we turn from it to the slavery of a God of grace. No one forces our hand. 2. We enter our state of grace thr01J,[Jh obeying from the heart " that form of teadi,ing uihereunto we were de'livered" (Revised Version). This refera clearly to the all-important doctrine of justification by faith, through the recepUon of which we get delivered from condemnation, and started on our course of sanctification. It is mOt!t important, therefore, that that doctrine should be faithfully and clearly stated to th.e sonl which is enslaved through sin. It is the very charter of its spiritual freedom. 8. We find tl.at in seruing a God of graai we secure holiness of character. For this voluntary and gnicioUB slavery im,Pli81! the dedication of all our powers to God. We lay ourselves aa "living sacrifices on God's altar. We find ourselves in consequence visited by an increasing sense of consecration. We learn to live not unto ourselveR, but unto him who died for UB and rose again (2 Cor. v. 14). This sense of consecration becomes habitual. We feel that we are not our own, but bought with e. price, and therefore bound to glorify God with our bodies as well as spirits, which are God's 1 See a fine llel'IllOil by Adolphe Monod, on '' r,,,. Be.ncti1loation par le Bo.tut Gre.tult," lu his LyOI1J1 • BermODI,' ~oatrieme edition, p. 107, ew. • See Hofacker s • Predigten,' No. 54, upon "Der Knechtsohe.ft der Bllode und der Kneeht.che.fi der Gerechiigkeit." • 8er: Booth'• iillftrDCtive volame, • The Beign of Grace from it■ Riio to it• Oon1umlllBtfoqt' 1-JUMia. 4llt, vn. 1-26.J THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 181
(1 Oor. vi. 20). 4. We find this str1Jiu of grace happy as well a, holy. In other words, we find in God an excellent Paymaster. His service is delightful. Feeling that we are Ieee than the least of all his mercies, feeling that we are at beat hut unprofitable eervants, we accept joyfully whatever he sends; we feel that he daily loadeth us with hie benefits, and then, regarding the great future, he gives ns therein "eternal life." Doubtless we do not, strictly speaking, deserve such rewards ; they are rewards of grace, not of debt; they are free " gifts" from a gracious Master. Yet they are none the less welcome. Let us, then, renounce the reign of sin, and accept the reign of grace. Its fruit, increasing with the consistent years, is unto holineBB, and its end ia everlasting !He.1 We are real freemen only when we have become the slaves of a gracioua God.- B. M. E.