by its constant lusting against the Spirit. We find ourselves constantly disappointed in ourselves and in others; but this only tends to teach us the unchangeable character of the flesh, whether regarded morally, intellectually, or religiously. Christendom is full of religious flesh; the worst kind of flesh, because it uses the name of Christ to sanction itself. But the Apostle does not make a onesided statement, as if the flesh only lusted against the Spirit-that would be Antinomianism. But the flesh is hindered by a counter lusting of the Spirit, so that it cannot carry out its own enormities. The flesh is still the flesh; and we can never put off our armour as though it would not rise up against us. There is nothing which is our safeguard so much as keeping our eye fixed on the Cross of Christ, and regarding ourselves as crucified with Christ; and then, however, the flesh would say, "Spare thyself," we shall give it no quarter, but take up our cross. It is an important thing to be led of the Spirit. Where did the Spirit lead Jesus? Into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. The Spirit leads, and leads, too, into conflict with the world, the flesh, and the devil; but the Spirit ever leads unto Jesus, and guides into all truth, and shews us where our strength is, not in legal endeavours, but in receiving out of the fulness of Jesus. "If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under law."

Ver. 19-26. Here we have a catalogue of the works of the flesh; while some are morally offensive to us, others are not so, but are equally offensive to God. "Emulation" is a work of the flesh; but it is the principle on which most of us have been educated,

and in its spirit the most opposite to Him "who did not strive, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street." "Emulation," as rivalry, or competition, is the life of the world-it is honoured and respected, but it is but "the potsherd striving with the potsherd of the earth," to the utter forgetfulness of the real condition of man before God, as a lost and ruined sinner. "Envyings and murders" are grouped together, even as they came into the world together in Cain. "Drunkenness and revellings" are grouped together, and are very often found together. "Revellings and such like" comprise all the exciting amusements, for which men are wont to pay so extravagantly, stage-plays, operas, &c. The world is glad to restrain some of the more gross works of the flesh for its own sake-drunkenness, for example; but would any associate together to reclaim men from "emulations, revellings, and such like." By no means. Herod heard John gladly, and did many things; but when he touched his conscience, by saying, "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife," he put John in prison. "Seditions and heresies" go together, party spirit sacrificing the good of the State to support or benefit a few; and party spirit, for such is heresy, preferring one's own will to the good of the Church. How many of the works of the flesh are unholily sanctioned by the name of Christ! But in this Epistle, while the Apostle presents us with the richest exhibition of the grace of God, he also comes in with a most unsparing hand against the flesh, its lusts, its affections, and its works. "The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, teaches us to deny ungodliness, and worldly

lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."

There is a happy contrast between "the works of the flesh" and "the fruit of the Spirit." Where the Holy Spirit is, it works and produces not a single fruit, but a rich cluster of fruits-"love, joy, peace, &c." Against such there is no law. The law restrained the works of the flesh, the Spirit produces fruit. Here, again, we find the fruit of the Spirit in close connection with the doctrine of the Cross. "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

How little of present spiritual joy do even real Christians know. They look forward to happiness to be enjoyed in heaven at some future time. But, says the Apostle, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit;" and not attempt the impossibility of serving God and Mammon. This is the root of the misery of so many Christians; they desire to know present safety and security; but they "walk as men," and think of eternal life only in the dim and distant future. But if "we live in the Spirit," we enter on "eternal life" now, and taste of its joys.

"Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." This is legalism. The moment I become legal, I say in my heart, "Thank God, I am not like that Christian." He who lives in the Spirit lives near unto God, and being severe in judging himself, has little heart to judge another. He sees the beam in his own eye, and therefore is not quick to discern the mote in the eye of his brother. A legal spirit is a judging spirit.

Chap. vi. 1-5. There is a restoring power in the

grace of the gospel, of which the law was incapable. The law-the law of the land, for example-can find one guilty and condemn, but it has no power to restore. How legality comes out! A Christian has gone wrong, and brought dishonour on the name of Christ, and on the name of other Christians, and how often do we judge without any thought of restoration. The spiritual man knows how to restore, a power of which the natural man is ignorant; he can convict, but not restore. And in nothing do real Christians walk more as men than in judging others, instead of considering themselves lest they also be tempted. How wonderfully consistent is the doctrine of Scripture. "Considering thyself." Let no Christian consider himself as proof against a fall, however faithful he may be. It is dangerous to presume on our faithfulness, but safe, in a sense of the unchanging evil of the flesh, to rest humbly, yet confidently on the faithfulness of God. Every Christian must know his own personal need of restoring grace, and to that should we look for the restoration of a fallen brother.

Christ has borne our burdens, even our sins; and His law is, "That ye love one another even as I have loved you." We should go before God and make our brother's sins our own, just as Daniel did, identifying himself with the sin of all Israel. We have sinned, we have committed iniquity." It is in this way we come into the apprehension of the restoring grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. The very fall of another, which would naturally lead us to thank God that we are not as other men are, leads us into the place of confession, and thus we bear one another's burdens.

How common and easy it is to glory with respect to another, by drawing a comparison between ourselves and another, to our own advantage; but we are not called to give an account of others to God, but of ourselves. " Every man shall bear his own burden;" and therefore "let him prove his own work," and not his neighbours.

Men of the world pay highly for their pleasures; but, says the Apostle, "Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things." Let him show that he appreciates the value of the truth of the gospel, and that he has as much delight in it, as the men of the world appreciate and value their pleasures.

Ver. 7, 8. This is a solemn word to Christians, both as connected with that which immediately precedes it, and as recognizing the solemn truth that "the flesh," although it has received its judgment on the Cross, still puts forth its claims in the Christian, and craves to be satisfied. It is "the flesh" in the Christian. "He that soweth to his (his own) flesh." It is easy to see that those who are in the flesh sow to the flesh, and as they sow so they reap. The Scriptures do notdraw artificial distinctions, as we are wont to do; and turn the keen edge of the sword of the living God from off our own conscience, by making it apply only to the unconverted. But if the Christian sow to his flesh, he, a Christian, shall of the flesh reap corruption. "God is not mocked"-the flesh in the Christian is as bad as the flesh in an unconverted person. It is sad when the doctrine of the Cross is attempted to be used selfishly, making us only desirous to know that