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¹ Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, is in a state of servitude, tho' he is to be lord of all; ² being under tutors and guardians, 'till the time prefix'd by his father. ³ even so we, whilst we were children, were in a state of servitude to the elements of the world. but when the time appointed was accomplished, ⁴ God sent forth his own son born of a woman, and subject to the law, to redeem those, ⁵ who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. ⁶ and because ye are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying Abba, that is, father; ⁷ so that thou art no longer a bond servant, but a son: and if a son, then an heir of God thro' Christ.

⁸ When you did not know God, you did service to those, who in reality are no Gods; but now that you know God, ⁹ or rather that you are favoured by him, how can ye turn again to the weak and beggarly elements of the law, to which you desire again to be in bondage? ¹⁰ observing as you do, the days, the moons, the feasts and years. ¹¹ you make me apprehensive, that the labour I have bestowed upon you will be all in vain.

¹² I beseech you, brethren, be as I am, for I was as you are. ¹³ It is not you that have done me any injury: tho' you knew through what infirmity of the flesh I heretofore preached the gospel to you, ¹⁴ yet you did not despise me for the trial which attended my person, nor treated me with scorn; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ what benedictions did you then pour out upon me! for I bear you witness, that, had it been practicable, you would have pulled out your very eyes, and given them to me. ¹⁶ am I now become your enemy in continuing to tell you the truth?

¹⁷ they court your affection, but not in a fair way; for they design to exclude me, that you might have the greater esteem for them. ¹⁸ but it is just you should cultivate my affection for you upon all proper occasions, and not only when I am present with you.

¹⁹ my dear children, how am I in pain, till Christ be formed in you? ²⁰ I wish I could be present this very moment with you, and suit my discourse accordingly, for I stand in doubt what to think of you.

²¹ But tell me, you that are so willing to be under the law, why don't you consider the law? ²² for it is there written, Abraham had two sons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman. ²³ he, who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the ordinary course of nature; but he, who was of the free-woman, was born by virtue of the promise. ²⁴ these things have an allegorical meaning: the two women signify the two covenants, the one from mount Sinai, which is represented by Agar, whose children were born in a state of servitude. ²⁵ this Agar answers to the Jerusalem now in being, for she is in servitude with her children: ²⁶ but the heavenly Jerusalem is represented by the free-woman, who is the mother of us all. ²⁷ for it is written, "rejoice thou barren, that bearest not; break out into loud acclamations, thou that hast not the travels of childbirth, for more are the children of the desolate, than of her that hath an husband." ²⁸ Now we, my brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise. ²⁹ but as then, he that was born in the ordinary course of nature, persecuted him, who was born by an extraordinary power; even so it is now. ³⁰ but what saith the scripture? "cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not share the inheritance with the son of the free-woman." ³¹ so then, my brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free-woman, by virtue of that freedom which Christ has procur'd for us.