3. _Everything provocative of strife and envy is carefully avoided._--"Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another" (ver. 26). Vaingloriousness was a weakness of the Galatic temperament; and is not unknown in modern Christian life. Superiority, or fancied superiority, in talents or status is apt to proudly display itself. It is indeed a pitiable exhibition when even spiritual gifts are made matter of ostentation, exciting the jealousy of inferior brethren, and creating discontent and envy. The cultivation of the fruit of the Spirit is the best remedy against all bitterness and strife. +Lessons.+--1. _The fruit of the Spirit a suggestive contrast to the works of the flesh._ 2. _Consistency of life is the test of genuine religion._ 3. _The operations of the Spirit are in harmony with the highest law._ _GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES._ Vers. 22, 23. _The Fruit of the Spirit._ +I. Love.+--1. The love of God. (1) Shown in a desire of fellowship with God. (2) To love the Word of God above all earthly treasure, and to tread our own will underfoot. (3) The love of them that love God and Christ. 2. The love of our neighbour. This is love indeed, to show love and to do good to them that wrong and abuse us. +II. Joy.+--1. To rejoice in the true acknowledgment of God. 2. To rejoice in the work of our regeneration. 3. To rejoice in the hope of eternal glory. +III. Peace.+--To maintain peace and concord: 1. Neither take offence nor give offence. 2. Seek to edify one another; either do good or take good. +IV. Longsuffering.+--To moderate our anger and desire of revenge when many and great wrongs are done us. Set and sow this plant in the furrows of your heart, and consider: 1. The goodness of God, who forgives more to us than we can forgive. 2. It is the duty of love to suffer and forbear. 3. It is a point of injustice to revenge ourselves, for then we take to ourselves the honour of God, and against all equity--we are the parties and judge and witness and all. 4. We are often ignorant of the mind of men in their actions, and of the true circumstances thereof, and so may easily be deceived. +V. Gentleness.+--Right courtesy is with an honest heart to bless when we are wronged. +VI. Goodness.+--The virtue whereby we communicate to others good things, for their good and benefit. +VII. Faith.+--Faith towards man, which means: 1. To speak the truth from the heart. 2. To be faithful and just in the keeping of our honest promise and word. This faith a rare virtue in these days. The common fashion of them that live by bargaining is to use glorying, facing, soothing, lying, dissembling, and all manner of shifts. They that deal with chapmen shall hardly know what is truth, they have so many words and so many shifts. +VIII. Meekness.+--The same in effect with longsuffering. The difference is that meekness is more general, and longsuffering the highest degree of meekness.