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¹ Stand fast therefore, and be not hampered again with the yoke of bondage. ² take notice, 'tis I Paul declare it to you, that if you are circumcised, Christ shall be of no advantage to you. ³ for I testify to every man that is circumcised, that he is under an obligation to perform the whole law. ⁴ Christ is of no use to you, whoever of you seek to be justified by the law; you have lost all interest in the gospel-dispensation. ⁵ but as for us, our minds are possessed with the hopes of justification by faith. ⁶ for in the christian-dispensation, neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision, but an active benevolent faith. ⁷ You set out well in your course: who hath obstructed your progress in the truth? ⁸ this opinionativeness does not come from him that called you. ⁹ a little leaven affects the whole mass. ¹⁰ I have confidence in you, that, through the Lord, you will be of the same mind with me, so that he who troubles you shall fall under the censure he deserves, whoever he be. ¹¹ as for me, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why am I yet persecuted? for then there would not be so much objection to the doctrine of the cross. ¹² I wish they who unsettle you were entirely circumcised.

¹³ for, brethren, you have been called to liberty. only abuse not this freedom as a pretext to vice, but in offices of love be as servants one to another. ¹⁴ for all the law is comprehended in this one precept, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." ¹⁵ but if you bite and tear one another, take heed that you be not consumed by one another. ¹⁶ I say then, conduct yourselves by the spirit, and you will not then gratify the animal passions. ¹⁷ for the vicious desires are contrary to those of the spirit, and the inclinations of the spirit are contrary to those of the animal part; these are opposite to each other, so that you do not the things that you would. ¹⁸ but if you are governed by the spirit, you are not subject to the law. ¹⁹ now the effects of vicious passions are manifestly these, fornication, uncleanness, ²⁰ brutality, idolatry, poisoning, enmities, quarrels, emulations, animosities, strife, seditions, factions, envyings, ²¹ drunkenness, revellings, and such like, concerning which I forewarn you now, as heretofore I have done, that they who practise such vices, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, sweetness of disposition, beneficence, faithfulness, meekness, temperance: ²³ against such there is no law. ²⁴ now they who belong to Christ, have crucified the animal nature with the affections and passions thereof. ²⁵ if we live by the spirit, let us regulate our actions by the spirit: ²⁶ let us not be vain-glorious, provoking one another, envying one another.