all believers partake. The possession of the world, therefore, here intended, must be understood in a manner consistent with these passages. The expression is frequently taken in a general sense, as indicating gene- ral prosperity and Ijappiness. " To be heir of the world" would then mean to be prosperous and happy, in the best sense of the words. Re- ference is made, in support of this interpretation, to such passages as Matt. 5:5," The meek shall inherit the earth ;" Ps. 25 : 13, " The seed of the righteous shall inherit the earth;" Ps. 37: 11. The promise then, to be the heir of the world, is a general promise of blessedness. And as the happiness promised to believers, or the pious as such, is, of course, the happiness consequent on religion, and is its reward, the pro- mise in this sense may include all the blessings of redemption. So in Gal. 3 : 14, Paul uses the expression " that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles," as equivalent to saying, ' that all the bless- ings of the gospel might come upon them." 4. Or the promises in question may have reference to the actual possession of the world by the spiritual seed of Abraham, and Christ their head. The declaration that Abraham should be the father of many nations, and that his seed should be as the stars of heaven for multitude, included far more than that his natural descendants should be very numerous. If they who are of faith ' are the seed of Abraham, and heirs of the promise,' Gal. 3 : 9, 29, then will the promise, as stated by the apostle, have its literal accomplish- ment ; when the kingdoms of this world are given to the saints of the most high God (Dan. 7 : 27), and when the uttermost parts of the earth become the possession of Christ. In this sense, the promise includes the universal prevalence of the true religion, involving, of course, the advent of Christ, the establishment of his kingdom, and all its consequent blessings.
The promise to Abraham and his seed was not through the law, hut through the righteousness of faith. That is, it was not on condition of obedience to the law, but on condition of his having that righteousness which is obtained by faith. Through the law is, therefore, equivalent to through the works of the law, as appears from its opposition to the latter clause, ' righteousness of faith.' By the law is to be understood the whole rule of duty, as in other passages of the same kind ; see 3:20. In this sense it of course includes the Mosaic law, which, to the Jews, was the most prominent portion of the revealed will of God, and by obedience to which especially they hoped for the mercy of God.
(14) For if they who are of the law he heirs, &c. The original con- dition being faith, if another be substituted the covenant is broken, the promise violated, and the condition made of none effect. "They who are of the law" sometimes, as v. 16, means the Jews, i. e. those who have the law; compare v. 12, "Those of circumcision," &c. But here it means legalists, those who seek justification by the works of the law; as 'those who are of faith' are believers, those who seek justification by faith ; compare Gal. 3 : 10, " As many as are of the works of the law are