the covenant which had been made with them™. If it be asked, Why then was the law given ? We answer, Not to supersede the covenant which had been " before confirmed of God in Christ," but to shew men their need of that better covenant11, and to serve "as a school-master to bring them unto Christ, that they might be justified by faith0. "
Now compare this with the whole train of argument in the five first chapters to the Romans, and the coincidence will establish the point at once. The Apostle there shews our con- demnation by the law, and the consequent impossibility of ever being justified by it: from thence he shews the necessity of seeking justification by faith in Christp ; more especially because that way of justification, and that alone, would ex- clude boasting q. He then proceeds to establish his point by the examples of Abraham r and David s, both of whom sought justification by faith only : and he argues from thence, that if works compose any part of our justifying righteousness, " our reward will not be of grace, but of debt ;" and heaven will be, not a gift bestowed, but a compensation that we have earned: and consequently, that we must " not work" in order to obtain righteousness, but " believe on him who justifieth the ungodly*'" (Mark well, not the godly, but the ungodly.) If it be said, that another Apostle represents Abraham as justified by his works u, St. Paul proves to demonstration, that St. James cannot speak of Abraham's justification before God, but only of the justification, or manifestation, of his faith, as true, and genuine ; for that Abraham " was justified while yet he was in uncircumcisionx;" which was not only before he offered Isaac upon the altar, but long before Isaac was borny.
It is needless to prosecute any further the Apostle's state- ment: it will be sufficient just to mention his conclusion from it, which is ; " Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God2."]
2. The objections he anticipates —
[In all his writings St. Paul is careful to obviate the ob- jections which he foresees will be urged against the truths that he inculcates. The objections which he supposes an ignorant person will make, are two : first, That if, where sin has abounded, grace much more abounds, we may " continue in
m Gal. iii. 15—18. n Gal. iii. 19. ° Gal. iii. 24.
p Rom. iii. 19—22. <i Rom. iii. 27, 28. (Mark ver. 28.) r Rom. iv. 1 — 3. s Rom. iv. 6 — 8.
1 Rom. iv. 4, 5. Mark these verses, and weigh every word in them.
u Jam. ii. 21. x Jam. iv. 9 — 11.
y Gen. xvii. 19, 23, 24. with Gen. xxii. 1—13. z Rom. v. 1.