“All the law,” saith he, “is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself.”3825 This love is from the Holy Spirit. “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
First see, if thou knowest yet how to love thyself; and then will I commit to thee the neighbour
whom thou art to love as thyself. But if thou dost not yet know how to love thyself; I fear
lest thou shouldest deceive thy neighbour as thyself. For if thou lovest iniquity, thou dost
not love thyself. The Psalm is witness; “But whoso loveth iniquity, hateth his own soul.” 3826
Now if thou hate thine own soul, what doth it profit thee that thou dost love thy flesh? If
thou hate thine own soul and lovest thy flesh, thy flesh shall rise again; but only that thy
soul may be tormented. Therefore the soul must first be loved, which is to be subdued unto
God, that this service may maintain its due order, the soul to God, the flesh to the soul.
Wouldest thou that thy flesh should serve thy soul? Let thy soul serve God. Thou oughtest
to be ruled, that thou mayest be able to rule. For so perilous is this struggle, that if thy Ruler
forsake thee, ruin must ensue.
6. What struggle? “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not con-
sumed one of another. But I say, Walk in the Spirit.”3827 I am quoting the words of the
Apostle, which have been just read out of his Epistle. “But I say, Walk in the Spirit, and ye
shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.” “But I say, Walk in the Spirit, and the lusts of the flesh,”
he did not say, “Ye shall not have;” nor did he say, “Ye shall not do;” but, “Ye shall not fulfil.”
Now what this is, with the Lord’s assistance, I will declare as I shall be able; give attention,
that ye may understand, if ye are walking in the Spirit. “But I say, Walk in the Spirit, and ye
shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.” Let him follow on; if haply anything, as this which is
here obscure, may be understood more easily by the sequel of his words. For I said, that it
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was not without a meaning that the Apostle would not say, “Ye shall not have the lusts of
the flesh;” nor again would even say,” Ye shall not do the lusts of the flesh;” but said, “Ye
shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.” He hath set forth this struggle before us. In this battle
are we occupied, if we are in3828 God’s service. What then follows? “For the flesh lusteth
against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. For these are contrary the one to the other,
so that ye do not the things that ye would.”3829 This, if it be not understood, is with exceeding
peril heard. And therefore anxious as I am lest men by an evil interpretation should perish,
I have undertaken with the Lord’s assistance to explain these words to your affection. We
have leisure enough, we have begun early in the morning, the hour of dinner does not press;
3825 Gal. v. 14.
3826 Ps. x. 5, Sept. (xi. 5, English version).
3827 Gal. v. 15, 16.
3828 Deo militamus.
3829 Gal. v. 17.
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On the words of the Gospel, John v. 31, ‘If I bear witness of myself,’ etc.;…