entirely for their life on the Spiiit, 1t was their duty to,take the rule of their life simply from him. 7. Tlie (Jhristwn rule is applied to vain-glory. "Let us not be vain- glorious, provoking one another, envying one another." Vain-glory is glorying in what we do not have, or in what we have in a way that is not real or accordin"' to a false standard. The spirit of the practice is sufficiently bro~ht out in the language here. There is a provoking, literally a calling forth, to the ,field of contest. As the result of the trial, some are filled with a sense of their importance as superior in stren"th or in agility, in birth or in wealth, in culture or in honour..' And o~l:iers are filled. ~th envy of those who are thus superior. But as we are not to glory in fancied posse~sions so we are not to glory in possessions as though we had bestowed them on ourselve;, or with an exaggerated idea of their importance. That would be glorying in what had, not foundation in r<'ality. " But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." Let us glory in what God is, and let us glory also in what God has bestowed upon us. Let us glory especially in having a covenant standing before God, and in covenant grace which has passed into our characters. That is having a foundation of reality for our glorying.-R. F. Ver. 1. -Christian freedom. St. Paul concludes the arguments and expostulations nf the two previous chapters with a vigorous exhortation. This has, of course, its ~pecial application to the condition of the Galatian Churches, and the liberty to which it directly applies is deliverance from the bondage of Law. But it admits of wider application to the circumstances of our own day. We have here brought before us a privilege, a danger, and a duty. , I. A. PRIVILEGE. Christ confers freedom (see John viii. 36). 1. Religious freedo,m.•. (1) From servile terrors of superstition; (2) from priestly tyr~nny; (3) from mec};la.ni93l ritual; (4) from external constraints in moral and religious life; and (5) .from the ru1e of the flesh over the spirit. 2. InteUectual freedom. Unbelievers sometimes arrogate to themselves the proud title of free-thinkers ; yet it would seem too often that the, only freedom they allow is freedom for expressing ideas with which they sympathize. The bigotry of Roman Catholic intolerance seems likely to be equalled by the bigotry that many leading opponents of Christianity show towards those who ~ecline . to abaudon their faith. It is Christ who breaks the fetters of the mind. The Christian dares to think. The grounds of this libei:ty are (1) loyalty to truth, and faith in its ultimate triumph; (2) light and power to ,attain truth. 3. Political freedom. This is the outgrowth of Christianity (1) through the spread of the spirit of universal. hrotherhood, and (2) through the cultivation of conscience which makes the gift of liberty safe. , II. A DANGER. Christian freedom is in danger. 1. It is attacked from without. It h11.s to face the e.ssa.ults of the ambitious. There are always those who desire to exercise undue influence over others. There is danger in oflki~lism. The official appointed as e. servant of the general body usurps the place of the master. . The fable of the horse who invited a man to ride him is thus often exemplified, 2. It is wndermined from within. The force of habit wears grooves that become deep ruts out of which we cannot stir. The dead hand lies heavy upon us. Creeds which were the expression of free thought contending in open controversy in one age become the bonds and fetters of a later age. Ritual, which palpitated with living emotion when it first joined itselt naturally as the body to clothe the soul of worship, becomes. fossilized, and yet it is cherished and venerated though it hangs about men'.s necks as a dead weight. The '<'ery atmosphere of liberty is too bracing for some of us. It will not allow us to sleep. Therefore love of indolence iB opposed to it. , Ill. A DUTY. We a.re ea.lied to take a stand against all encroachments on our. Christian freedom. Here is a call to ChriBtia.n manliness. The freedom is given by Christ; but we are exhorted to maintain it. He fought to win it; we must_ fight to hold it. This is not a mere question of choice-a matter only of our own inclination or interest; it is a solemn duty. We must stand firm for liberty on several accounts. 1. That we may not be degraded to servitude. It is a man's duty not to become a slave. because slavery produces moral deterioration. 2. That we may have scope for the unhampered service of God and mam. 3.. That we may hand down to generation• /</llowinq the heritage of liberty, Oni;e lost it cannot be e11,sily r~covered, W ll owe tQ OB. V, 1-26.] 'l'HE EPISTLE TO 'l'HE GALA'l'IANS. 289
our descendants the duty of rnBintaining intact the entail of a grand possession which we received from our forefathers, Bnd which was secured to them at great cost.- W. F. A.