this that we derive all our hopes both of grace and glory1.
You will still ask, What, after all, has this to do with the argument before us ? I answer, It is the covenant which St. Paul declares to have been made with Abraham for the benefit of himself and all his believing posterity ; and which he therefore calls us to lay hold on, in order that we may be delivered from the curse entailed on us by the first covenant. Hear his own statement, in the passage which on the last occasion we considered : "All," says he, " are cursed by the law :" but " Christ has redeemed us from that curse, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through Jesus Christ." Then, lest we should think that the Abrahamic covenant was superseded by that which was afterwards made with Moses, he observes, that it could not be disan- nulled by any transaction that took place with Moses on Mount Sinai, because only one of the parties that were interested in it was present on that occasion. Then comes his question, " Wherefore, then, serveth the law ? " And this he answers by observing, that " it was added because of trangressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made ;" or, in other words, that it was to be introductory to a new covenant, and to prepare men for their admission into it. Still, however, as there was, in appearance, an opposition between the two covenants, he asks, " Is the law then against the promises of God ? No : God forbid ! " says he : " for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the Scripture hath concluded (shut up) all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept (kept in close custody) under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law, so far from keeping us from Christ to be justified by works, was actually our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be
» See Heb. x. 14—17.