also a mixture of pity : he felt deeply in his soul for their spiritual welfare*1; he therefore expostulated with them in order to reclaim them.]
Inferences —
1. How great is the evil and danger of self-right- eousness !
[The Galatians intended to honour God's own institu- tions; hut by laying an undue stress upon them they en- dangered their own salvation. How careful then should we be not to trust in any righteousness of our own ! Let us remember in what light our own righteousness should be viewed1 — let us bear in mind our Saviour's direction3 — let us cultivate the disposition of the great Apostle l — ]
2. What need have even the most eminent Chris tians to watch against apostasy !
[The attainments of the Galatians seemed to be very eminent: yet they were soon seduced from the simplicity of the Gospel. Who then are we, that we should be over confi- dent? Our dearest friends may well regard us as Paul did the Christians at Corinth". Let us attend then to the advice which he gives usx — nor let us despise that salutary admoni- tion of St. Peter y—]
3. What cause of thankfulness have they who are kept steadfast in the truth !
[They who know their own instability will wonder that they are kept at all. Surely such will adopt the grateful acknowledgment of Davidz — and these are the persons in whom that declaration shall be verified4 — We conclude with that suitable doxologyb — ]
1 Gal. iv. 19. r Isai. lxiv. (5. s Luke xvii. 10.
t Phil. hi. 9. » 2 Cor. xi. 3. x 1 Cor. x. 12.
y 2 Pet. hi. 17. z Ps. xxvi. 12. a 1 Pet. i. 5. b Jude, ver. 24, 25.