He that trusts in works does nothing
freely and with a willing mind; he would do no good work at all if he
were not compelled by the fear of hell, or allured by the hope of
present good. Whereby it is plainly seen that they strive only for gain,
or are moved with fear, showing that they rather hate the law from their
hearts, and had rather there were no law at all. An evil heart can do
nothing that is good. This evil propensity of the heart, and
unwillingness to do good, the law betrays when it teaches that God does
not esteem the works of the hand, but those of the heart.

Thus sin is known by the law, as Paul teaches; for we learn thereby that
our affections are not placed on that which is good. This ought to teach
us not to trust in ourselves, but to long after the grace of God,
whereby the evil of the heart may be taken away, and we become ready to
do good works, and love the law voluntarily; not for fear of any
punishment, but for the love of righteousness. By this means one is
made of a servant, a son; of a slave an heir.

We shall now come to treat more particularly of the text. Verse 1. "The
heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, tho he
be lord of all." We see that the children unto whom their parents have
left some substance are brought up no otherwise than if they were
servants. They are fed and clothed with their goods, but they are not
permitted to do with them, nor use them according to their own minds,
but are ruled with fear and discipline of manners, so that even in their
own inheritance they live no otherwise than as servants. After the same
sort it is in spiritual things. God made with His people a covenant,
when He promised that in the seed of Abraham, that is in Christ, all
nations of the earth should be blest. That covenant was afterward
confirmed by the death of Christ, and revealed and published abroad by
the preaching gospel. For the gospel is an open and general preaching of
this grace, that in Christ is laid up a blessing for all men that
believe.

Before this covenant is truly opened and made manifest to men, the sons
of God live after the manner of servants under the law; and are
exercised with the works of the law, altho they can not be justified by
them; they are true heirs of heavenly things, of this blessing and grace
of the covenant; altho they do not as yet know or enjoy it. Those that
are justified by grace cease from the works of the law, and come unto
t