(the profession of the faith of) Christ have put on (the profession of the gospel of) Christ.

28. There is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles, bond-men and free-men, males and females; for they have all the same privileges in Christ. 29. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's (believing and true) seed, and heirs (of life) in virtue of the promise.

CHAP. IV.

CHRIST FREES US FROM THE RITUAL LAW.

Now I say, The heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, tho' he be lord of all (by title and lineage), 2. But is under tutors and governors, till the time appointed by the father. 3. Even so we (the Jewish church), being in childhood, were in bondage (in the world's childhood), under the elements of the world, (carnal purifications, material ordinances, as letters and figures of the spiritual). 4. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (to fulfil it, and bear the curse due to his people's sins,) 5. To redeem those under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (of God.) 6. And, because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

7. Therefore thou art no longer a servant, but a son; and if so, an heir of God through Christ. 8. But, when ye knew not God, ye served them who by nature are no gods. 9. But now, after ye have known God, or rather are known (or favoured) of God, how turn ye again to the weak and poor elements (of Mosaic ceremonies), whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage. 10. Ye observe ceremonial days, and months, and seasons, and

years. 11. Concerning you I am afraid, Iest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

12. Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I was as ye are: for ye have not injured me at all. 13. Ye know that in weakness of the flesh, I preached the gospel to you at first. 14. And my troubles in my flesh, ye despised not, nor rejected me for them; but received me as an angel of God, or even as Christ Jesus. 15. What was then your felicity? for 1 testify to you, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and given them to me.

16. Am I, therefore, become your enemy because I tell you the truth? 17. They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude us from you, that ye might affect them. 18. But it is good to be zealously affected always in what is good, and not only when I am present with you.

19. My little children, of whom I (as it were) travail in birth again until (the image of) Christ be formed in you. 20. I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I doubt concerning you.

21. Tell me, ye who desire to be under the law, why do ye not understand the law? 22. For it is written (therein), That Abraham had two sons, (Gen. xvi. 15. xxi. 1. Ishmael and Isaac), the one by Hagar, a bond woman, (and inferior wife), and the other by Sarah, a free woman, (and primary wife.) 23. But the bond woman's son was born according to the flesh, (or the course of nature); whereas the free woman's son was born by virtue of the promise, (preternaturally.) 24. Which

very things are figurative; for these are (figures of) the two covenants, (the law and gospel,) the one from mount Sinai, which brings forth her children to bondage, which is Hagar. 25. This Hagar (i. e. a rock) is a figure of those under the law given from mount Sinai in Arabia, (where the Hagarenes

settled,) and answers (in the allegory) to (the present state of the earthly) Jerusalem, which with her children, is in a state of bondage, (to the rites of the ritual law, and its terrors.) 26. But the Jerusalem above, (the gospel covenant), is (figured by) the free woman, our mother, (as Christians). 27. For it is written, (Isa. liv. concerning the gospel church of the Gentiles, and the Jews at last), Rejoice, thou who hast been long barren, shout for joy, thou who wast not in travail; for many more now are her children who was desolate, than hers who had an husband.

28. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise, (Abraham's believing seed.) 29. But as it was then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, (and the promise), even so is it now, (the infidel Jews persecute us). 30. But what saith the scripture? Send out the bond woman and her (insolent) son; for he shall not inherit with Isaac, the free woman's son.

31. Now, brethren, we (Christians) are not the bond woman's children, (under the Mosaic yoke of ceremonies), but the free woman's.

CHAP. V.

GOSPEL LIBERTY.

THEREFORE, stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not again entangled with the yoke of bondage. 2. Lo, I Paul, tell you, If ye be circumcised (with a dependance on the yoke of Jewish rites for justification) Christ shall profit you nothing. 3. Yea, I testify again to every man who is circumcised (in order to submit to the ritual law), that he is thus become a debtor to do the whole law. 4. Christ is become of none effect to you, who (seek to be) justified by the ritual law; ye are fallen from grace, (and the

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profession of the gospel). 5. For we thro' the Spirit's aid wait for the hope of justification (and life) by faith. 6. For in the gospel of Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith, which worketh by love (to God and man.)

7. Ye did once run well; who has hindered you to obey the truth? 8. This persuasion cometh not of him (even the apostle) that calleth you. 9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole mass. 10. I have yet confidence in you thro' the Lord Jesus, that ye will be none otherwise minded; but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whoever he be.

11. And if I, brethren, yet preach circumcision, (as some suggest,) Why do I suffer persecution (by the Jews)? then were the offence (taken at the doctrine) of the cross ceased. 12. I would they were even cut off (from the communion of the church), who trouble you. 13. For, brethren, ye have been called to gospel liberty; only abuse not liberty for an occasion to fleshly lusts, but by love serve one another. 14. For all the law duty to man is fulfilled in one command, even this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not destroyed by one another.

16. But now I say, Walk according to the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. 17. For the flesh (the sinful disposition) hath desires contrary to the Spirit, (the gracious principle), and the Spirit hath desires contrary to the flesh, and these are opposite to each other, so that ye do not the things that ye would. 18. But if ye are led by the Spirit (of God,) ye are not under (the curse of) the law. 19. Now, the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, and all uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20. Idolatry, poisoning secretly, enmities, strifes, fu

rious zeal, resentments, contentions, party spirit divisions, heresies, 21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of which I forewarn you, as I have also told you in time past, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, 23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, (the sin ful disposition), with its passions and desires.

25. If we live by the Spirit, (under his influence), let us also walk according to the Spirit. 26. Let us not be vain-glorious, provoking one another, envying one another.

CHAP. VI.

PAUL EXHORTETH TO MILDNESS.

BRETHREN, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

5.

. 2. Bear ye one another's burdens (and troubles), and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4. But let every man try his own work by the rule, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden (of recompense at last). 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate of all good things to him that teacheth (for his support.) 7. Be not deceiv. ed; God is not mocked: for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8. For he that soweth to his flesh, (the sensual appetite), shall of the flesh reap corruption, (and destruction); but he that soweth to the Spirit, (being spiritually exer cised), shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.