New-York tribune., 1874-07-06
THE BONDAGE OF SIN.

TA Rev " T. Reformed Episcopal Church
The Rev. w. T. Sabine preached yesterday
morning at the First Reformed Episcopal Church, az
Fortyseven ST. anu Madison-ave. His John viii.
sc; II therefore the Son shall make you Free shall be
free ineeed." Among other things he said The Jews
had been bOasting Of their liberty in terms wnchin
view Of the past history aud present condition Of the
chosen people-impied sefdeeeptOn, falsehood. or
torgetfuness. They had said We be Abraham's seed
and never In bondage TO any man." Yet the great
part Of their history had been history of bondage
Their fathers had been bOndmen in Egypt, aud had
been ensaved by many nations in turn and the very
moment when they gave utterance 20 this idle boast,
they were the serfs Of Roman Emperor whose troops
garsoned their capital, and whose taXgatherers, ira
yersed their lands. Without calling attention to
their error untruthfulness Jesus answered "Who-
soeVer comintteth SIN Is the servant OF SIN lt Is as
he mad said Into a discussion or correction Of the
be reminded that there is moral ana SPIRITUAL well
as a physical and national slavery. or whosoever
man Is overcome, Of the same is he brought into
bondage" Having thus cast a doubt upon their
spiritual freedom and ntimated that they needed to be
set liberty ne declares that II the son OF God should
set them free they would De free indeed, thus contrast
ng tnat which in their blindness and Ignorance they
called freedom with that which in truth genuine
liberty Two questions suggest themselves at the out
set of our considerations and will lead us at once TO the
heart OF the subject: First In what does spiritual lib
erty cOnsistH Second By what means is IL to be
quiredl This indeed freedom" then, OF which the
Master speaks. evidently not what understand by
civil liberty" mans "inaenAble rights" The two
are so clearly distlnguishabe that man NAV possess
either without the other he may enjoy the faint
shadow OF spiritual freedom he the verlest slave OF
appetite ana passion. while wisely enacted and justly
executed law him IN rgnt possession OF person
and OF property. How many but yesterday in cee-
braung their freedom code proclaimed t,eir
ss{ery Save under another Tapaved T ther 5Snd
saer ags nSaT moSsy ss sfn What singular anomaly
What melancholy paradox An American citizen
rceHg through the streets vOcIferOusly eXultng IN
his evil liberty, and at the same time announcing MN
self subject a tyranny than the worst Of laws
OF the most exorabe of human despots imposed
upon his race. On the other hand one may be ground
beneath the iron heel of misrule he may be com
petely the mercy Of unpriucipled and wicked law
MS freedom, me- ana property may De helu Al me hod
OF tyrant, and yet he may enjoy the sweetest OF al
Iibert,-ne may be free indeed" Was not John the
Baptist in the dungeon reef an Herod on the throne
Was not Jesus in the Judgment hail freer than Plate on
tue Judgment sedtf And nas not many slave, whose
wife and children STOOD upon Ihe auction DlocA, nld
better title TO the OF freeman" in the ana
Ssttuate ol neaYen tn'n V tsty a. 80 ~ ti7ior ~
forth To his weary t0llf As ttle does t1e Ia4I eA
preston, reli Ous liberty" satisfy the SdYOTs mean'
ing mere one may dwell IN an atmosphere or aDsOlue
churches and yet all ignorant Of that liberty where
there between the liberty enjoyed by inqustors ana
the liberty of those who fell victims to their furi-
GUS and misguided z5ali When saul assisted AT
the martyrd0m OF stephen stephen was the
freeman, saul the slave We assume TIE
yidua will or human legislation may secure either civil
OF religious liberty TO man or class, whereas the
gait. The liberty here spoken or H. then, liberty
Irrespective or man or his appointments, liberty
dlVnev given and maintained, a liberty not OF body,
but of spirit for man may bind the body Whe ne can
not fetter the soul So again he may release the BODY
soul Human power potent IN the domain of the phys-
cal, Is iup0teat IN the realm OF the spiritual Men
speak with enthusiasm of ihc sweets OF civil and re-
giOus reedom they struggle anu die for it, and CEN
tures been obtained celebrate It's dcqdlsl
tou VITA prOcessions explosions bontres and umna-
tiOns. More precious far, the liberty or Whlca VIC
speak-tnat peace OF God that passeth understanding
The speaker spoke of the universal dismay at the
apprOacn dissolution, and SAID tlat death was mes
seuger W ich Jesus call His children home He
said this should not exist and Will not 10 so Tar
becomes cOqulescent Of It's emancipation from
the curse entaied by and continued saying That
Tesus allowed Himself cruced IN order 10 remove
nat unwhOlesOme fear Full many stormy day has
closed amid the glores OF brilliant sunset-Jhe west
eTu aame with unts of crimson aud gOld ana run
rs somber aud shaded Christian lives nave ended IN
radiance and the truth OF tue precious saying
hut as God administers for living does He too
give grace for dying hours. Beautiful the expression
of tine dying poetess Mrs. Hemans feel as II was
sitting with Mary the feet OF Redeemer, nearing
Tue music of Has voice. and learning OF Him 10 be meek
aud owy." The right set the captive tree, TO open
the doors vested by human arrangement IN the
superior powers klug president, master, legisa-
urcthe right OF spiritual enaucpatiOnls vested IN the
son OF God. To do what He did all others were power
less To uado what He has done. all Others are I'M
potent II therefore the son sail make you fgee, ye
shall be free indeed"