Original

398
of God founded by Jesus Christ on earth : a society,
a kingdom
destined to be immortal. The world is the
society of men who follow the standard of Satan ; it
is the kingdom which the devil has usurped and which
is upheld by men who have rebelled against God : a
society, a kingdom which at the end of time will be over
thrown, and whose subjects will be cast into the abyss of
hell.
Within each one of us there are TWO OPPOSING ELEMENTS
which wage constant war for the mastery. These two
elements are the SPIRIT and the FLESH. The spirit,
of which there is here question, is the human soul,
regenerated by Baptism, enlightened by faith, and
sanctified by grace. By the flesh is understood the
human body with its corrupt senses, its depraved in
stincts, its disorderly inclinations, and its evil habits.
These form within us two implacable adversaries ever
contending fiercely against each other ; between them
reigns perpetual enmity.
The conflict between the Spirit of God and the spirit
of Satan began with the world and will only end when
time shall be no longer. This conflict is manifested
in its results : the works of the spirit and the works of
the flesh.
In the Epistle for this fourteenth Sunday after Pen
tecost, Saint Paul describes the works of the flesh which
he classifies under three headings : ist, those base pas
sions, which we shrink to mention ; 2nd, idolatrous acts,
impious acts, witchcraft, blasphemy, or direct outrages
against the divine Majesty ; 3rd, all acts directed against
the life, honour or material property of our neighbour :
anger, hatred, jealousy, murder. Saint Paul next pro
ceeds to describe the works of the Spirit, these are, he
says, the works of the soul enlightened by faith and