The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 321

works. Fruit points to organie unity. The works of the flesh. are confused and con- fl1cting.. One lust coo tends with e,nother for the mastery. Bat the fruit of the Spirit is like well-formed fruit. All is consistent. And one grace by its growth does not take from another grace, but contributes to the richness and beauty of the whole. (a-) What it is. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love." 'l'his stands at the head of the list as com- prehending Or carrying with it all the re!lt. This is a characteristic: result of the Spirit's working. 'l'he apostle be~ches by the love of'the Spirit. Aud we are told of the love of God, i.e. U:pparently· the love ·which constitutes the very essence of God, being shed abroad in our hearts· through the Holy Ghost given untd ns. Therefore we need ri,ot •be· surprised at t_he apostle connecting the Spirit, first, with the imbuing, dyeing deep of our nature with love. "·Joy, peace.", These two go together, not as good dis- positions, but as feelings which always accotlipany good dispositions. With the former we associate movements, th_rills; with the latter we associate repose. God is infinite Love, and therefore he is infinite Joy and Peace. And our being, through the Spirit, pulsating with his, now he sends a thrill of joy through us, and now he introduce8 his own calm. Oh what a joy_ in what God is I What a height of ecstasy does it admit of I And what ii, calm too in what God is I It takes away all the feverishness of sins and quiets us to the ve_ry depths of our being. And ever, as love animates us as it animates God, does _the thrill pass through us, and the calm come into us, expelling doubt and fear and all .restlessness of spirit. '' Long-suffering, kinaness, goodness." These three go together. The first is bearing with others for their good. It is that which marks the outgoing of the Divine love toward us as sinners. And therefore it is fittiQg that it should_ be reflected in us. Love (not only in God, but in all beings) "suffereth long," and; it is added, " is kind." The word translated "kinilness" seems to point to delight in men as our fellow-beings. God delights in us as beings whom he has inade. He feels kindly disposed tdward us, as a father does toward his children. And sq'are we to delight in others for what they are, especially as having come from God, wearing a noble nature. And we are to feel kindly disposed toward them, wishing especially that, as they have a noble nature, they may not fail of having a noble character. The word translated·" goodness" seems to point to a disposition to benefit others; e:r.tendi,ng to all forms in which they can be benefited. The highest form of goodI!ess is when we are impelled to help others to live well. "Faithfulness, meekness, temperaµce." The first is having such a love for our neighbour that we would uot injure him by breaking our promise td him, God is a Rock, while infinite tenderness, and thece should be something of the rock in us, that dependence may be placed on us in the various relations of life. Meekness is required when wrong bas been inflicted on us. It especially pojnts td us having_ the commaI!,d _of our feelings under wrong. Temperance is self- comma.nd. It bas ·come· to have a_ speeial reference td our having the command of our appetites. When temperance is born of worldly prudence or of self-reliance· it is not what it should be. It is1only rea.l and beautiful and everlasting when it is produced by the Spirit, when it is the outcome of a changed heart. (b) What ·it does not entail. "Against such there is· no Law." -The apostle might have extended bis list. He would have us think not of these only, but of all such, and think this regarding all such, that age.in·st them there is no Law. If these things are in us, then the Law can never be adverse to us. We shall be removed beyond the condemnation of all Law. 'l.'hat is bis way of saying that we shall be blessed. We ~hall be blessed in the very possession of these dispositions and feelings; We shall be'blessed in our enjoying the smile of God. 5. Christians are being delivered from the flesh. "And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof." At a past period, in idea, they crucified the flesh. That idea is now being carried out into fact. '!.'here is a. deadening, a_slow and painful crucifying going on in the flesh. Its passions are bein~ depleted of their heat; its lusts are being depleted of their force. The conflict is still going on; but- the Spirit is gaining triumphs over the flesh, and there is _promise of the Spirit gaining a complete triutnpb, of the flesh with all its inclinations to sin being annihilated. 6. Thf! Christian rule re-6'njorced. " If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk:" If the life of the Galatians had d~pended ?n the _L_aw, then their first and imperative duty would have been to have submitted to orrcumc1S1on ; and their duty after that would have been td have subjected themselves to th!l whole disci• pline oft-he Mosaic ordinances. But, as they were in tho better position of depending  '.?88 THE EP1S1'LE '1'0 THE GALATIANS. [on. v. 1-26.