Galatians 3:14

Galatians 3:14. That the blessing, &c.— That the blessing, Galatians 3:8-9; Galatians 3:14 justification, Gal 3:11 and being the children of God, Gal 3:26 are in effect all the same, on the one side; and that the curse, Gal 3:13 is the direct contrary, on the other side, is so plain in St. Paul's discourse here, that nobody who reads it with the least attention can be in any doubt. His argument, to convince the Galatians that they ought not to be circumcised, or to submit to the law, on account of their having received the Spirit from him, that is, by his instrumentality, on embracing the gospel which he preached to them, stands thus: "The blessing promised to Abraham and his seed was wholly upon account of faith, Galatians 3:7. There were not different seeds who should inherit the promise,—the one by the works of the law, and the other by faith; for there was but one seed, which was Christ, (Galatians 3:16.) and those who should claim in and under him by faith. Among these there was no distinction of Jew and Gentile: they, and they only, who believed, were all one and the same true seed of Abraham, and heirs according to the promise, Galatians 3:28-29. And therefore the promise made to the people of God, of giving them the Spirit under the Gospel was performed only to those who believed in Christ:—a clear evidence that it was not by putting themselves under the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, that they were the people of God, and heirs of the promise." It has been observed, that the plentiful effusion of the Holy Spirit of God had been so frequently promised by the prophets, as the great blessing of the latter day, that it is here used as synonimous to the blessing of Abraham. Whence the great importance of the Spirit may be inferred; since the imparting it is represented as the great blessing of the gospel dispensation. And hence it follows, that the withdrawing and withholding it, is the great calamity which falls upon men by their apostacy from God. Only, it must ever be remembered, that every good thought, word and work, which has been produced by fallen man, has originated with this same Divine Spirit.