connected with them ; because they are almost of necessity led to impute to the Gospel itself the indiscretions and absurdities of those who profess it. Let these incautious professors con- sider what evil they do, and what guilt they contract : for if there is a " woe to the world because of offences, there is a double woe to those by whom the offence cometh." As for those who cause " the way of truth to be evil spoken of" by their inconsistent conduct, bj their neglect of their own proper calling ; for instance, by a want of truth in their words, or integrity in their dealings ; " let them look to it ;" for evil is before them : and the very Gospel which they so dishonour will plunge them into tenfold perdition. Let all who profess the Gospel see to it, " that they give no needless offence in any thing." Let them rather be far more observant of the whole of their duty, that they may " give no occasion to the enemy to speak reproachfully :" and let it be their one con- tinued care to " adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."]
Gal. v. 16. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
IN the Church of God, no less than in the ungodly world, there have always been found persons ready to foment divisions, and to kindle animosities between man and man. It was so in the apostolic age : it is so at this day : and it must of necessity be so, as long as tares are left growing amongst the wheat, or per- sons professing godliness suffer themselves to be led captive by a proud, unmortified, and contentious spirit. In the Galatian Church, persons of this description abounded : and to such a height did their conten- tions arise, that the Apostle was constrained to give them this solemn warning : " If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another a."
Now, how shall this propensity be counteracted ? The Apostle tells us, " Walk in the Spirit, and ye
a ver. 15.