34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.



Ver. 34. Is the servant of sin] Hath as many lords as lusts: {a} that as Augustine said of Rome in her pride, she conquered countries, but was vanquished by vices; {b} and as the Persian kings commanded the whole world, but were commanded by their wives and concubines; so is it with sin’s slaves. This slavery they may easily shake off, saith Seneca; wherein the wise man was utterly out, heavenly wide, as Sir Philip Sidney translateth toto errat caelo.



{a} Servitus gravissima est sibi ipsi servire. Sen.



{b} Victrix Gentium, captiva vitiorum. Aug. Captivarum suarum captiva. Plutarch.