CHAPTER III.] COMMENTARY ON GALATIANS. You see how he proves that they are under the curse who cleave to the Law, because it is impossible to fulfill it ; next, how comes Faith to have this justifying power? for to this doct rine he already stood pledged, and now main tains it with great force of argument. The Law being too weak to lead man to righteousness, an effectual remedy was provided in Faith, which is the means of rendering that possible which was " impossible by the Law." (Rom. viii : 3.) Now as the Scripture says, " the just shall live by faith," thus repudiating salvation by the Law, and moreover as Abraham was justified by Faith, it is evident that its efficacy is very great. And it is also clear, that he who abides not by the Law is cursed, and that he who keeps to Faith is just. But, you may ask me, how I prove that this curse is not still of force ? Abraham lived before the Law, but we, who once were subject to the yoke of bondage, have made ourselves liable to the curse ; and who shall release us therefrom ? Observe his ready answer to this ; his former remark was suffi cient; for, if a man be once justified, and has died to the Law and embraced a novel life, how can such a one be subject to the curse? however, this is not enough for him, so he begins with a fresh argument, as follows : Ver. 13. " Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having becomea curse for us: for it ic written, Cursed is every one that hang- eth on a tree." l In reality, the people were subject to another curse, which says, " Cursed is every one that continueth not in the things that are written in the book of the Law." (Deut. xxvii : 26.) To this curse, I say, people were subject, for no man had continued in, or was a keeper of, the whole Law ; but Christ exchanged this curse for the other, "Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. As then both hewho hanged on a tree, and he who transgresses the Law, is cursed, and as it was necessary for him who is about to re lieve from a curse himself to be free from it, but to receive another instead of it, therefore Christ took opon Him such another, and there by relieved us from the curse. It was like an innocent man s undertaking to die for another sentenced to death, and so rescuing him from punishment. For Christ took upon Him not the curse of transgression, but the other curse, inorder to remove that ofothers. For,"He had done no violence neither was any deceit in His mouth." ( Isa. liii : g; i Peter ii : 22.) And 1 [" A parenthetic justification from Deut. xxi : 23 of the start ling expression just used.. The passage refers to those criminals who, after being stoned, were hung upon a stake, but were not permitted to remain over night lest the holy land should be dese crated. Our Saviour fulfilled the legal curse by hanging dead on the cross. This is one of the strongest passages for the doctrine of a vicarious atonement. The vicarious efficacy lies not so much in the preposition inrep, for, as in the whole sentence." Schaff G. A.] as by dying He rescued from death those who were dying, so by taking upon Himself the curse, He delivered them from it. Ver. 14. "That upon the Gentiles mightcome the blessing of Abraham." How on the Gentiles? It is said, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed: " (Gen. xxii : 18; xxvi : 4.) that is to say, in Christ. If this were said of the Jews, how would it be reasonable that theywhowere them selves subject to the curse, on account of trans gression, should become the authors of a bless ing to others? an accursed person cannot impart to others that blessing of which he is himself deprived. Plainly then it all refers to Christ who was the Seed of Abraham, and through whom the Gentiles are blessed. And thus the promise of the Spirit is added, as Paul himself declares, "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." 2 As the grace of the Spirit could not possibly descend on the graceless and offending, they are first blessed the curse having been removed ; then being justified by faith, they draw unto them selves the grace of the Spirit. Thus the Cross removed the curse, Faith brought in righteous ness, righteousness drew on the grace of the Spirit. Ver. 15. "Brethren, I speak after the man ner of men ; Though it be but aman s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one mak- eth it void or addeth thereto." " To speak after the manner of men " means to use human examples.3 Having founded his argument on the Scriptures, on the miracles wrought among themselves, on the sufferings of Christ, and on the Patriarch, he proceeds to common usages ; and this he does invariably, in order to sweeten his discourse, and render it more acceptable and intelligible to the duller sort. Thus he argues with the Corinthians, " Who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? " (i Cor. ix : 7.) and again with the Hebrews, "For a testa ment is of force where there hath been death ; for doth it ever avail while he that made it liv- eth?" ( Heb. ix: 17.) One may find him dwelling with pleasure on such arguments. In the Old Testament God does the same thing in many instances, as, " Can a woman forget her sucking child?" (Isa. xlix : 15.) and again, " Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou ? " (Isa. xlv : 9.) and in Hosea, He represents a husband set at nought by his wife. (Hos. ii : 5, f.) This use of human [" After a wondrous chain of arguments * * the apostle comes back to the subject of verse 2 : the gift of the Holy Ghost came through faith in Christ." Ellicott. G. A.] 3 [" Paul now assumes a milder tone and reasons from the com- mon dealings of men." Schaff. G. A.J