Study Desk

this Agar answers to the Jerusalem now in being, for she is in servitude with her children:

for it is written, "rejoice thou barren, that bearest not; break out into loud acclamations, thou that hast not the travels of childbirth, for more are the children of the desolate, than of her that hath an husband."

but what saith the scripture? "cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not share the inheritance with the son of the free-woman."

so then, my brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free-woman, by virtue of that freedom which Christ has procur'd for us.

for I testify to every man that is circumcised, that he is under an obligation to perform the whole law.

but as for us, our minds are possessed with the hopes of justification by faith.

for in the christian-dispensation, neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision, but an active benevolent faith.

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.

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.

for all the law is comprehended in this one precept, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

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.

for if a man thinks himself to be considerable, when he is not, he deceives himself.

for every man must be answerable for his own actions.

be not deceived, God will not be mocked: for what a man soweth, that shall he also reap:

let us then not be weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we be not tired.

they who desire to make a figure in the world, constrain you to be circumcised, only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

for even they who are circumcised, do not themselves observe the law in other respects; but they dedesire to have you circumcised, that they may have matter of glorying upon that account.

for in the dispensation of Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but the new creation.

from henceforth let no man give me trouble; for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

who has by his blood obtained for us the redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace,