em to become
righteous before God. They had to hear and apprehend by faith the
promise of God, which was based not on works but only on the coming
seed. For if they had been able by means of the Law or of good works
to become righteous, it would have been wholly unnecessary to give
the promise of blessing in Christ.

8. Now, if Abraham and the fathers could not be justified by works,
and in fact were not justified by them, no more were their children
and descendants justified by the Law or by works. They were justified
in no other way than by faith in the promise given to Abraham and to
his seed, a promise by which not only the Jews but all the heathen
(through the same faith) were blessed.

9. This truth Paul now further enforces and establishes on the basis
of these two particulars--God's promise, and his free grace or
gift--in opposition to the boasting of the Law and our own merit.
First, he makes a declaration concerning the value and weight which
every testament or promise of the last will possesses. Likewise in
the fourth commandment is implied an ordinance that the last will of
parents should be honored by their children and heirs.

10. In regard to this subject he asserts that the rule is, if a man's
testament be confirmed (and it is confirmed by his death) no man dare
alter it nor add to it nor take away from it. So the jurists declare
it to be a divine law that no one should break a man's last will. How
much more then should God's testament be honored intact? Now, God has
made a testament, which is to be his final last will; namely, that he
will bless all nations through the seed which at first he promised to
the fathers. This he determined upon, and assured to Abraham, and in
him to all the world--to us all. And he has confirmed it by the death
of this seed, his only Son, who had to become man and die (as was
typified by the sacrifice of Isaac on the part of Abraham) in order
that the inheritance of the blessing and eternal life might be
bestowed upon us. This is God's last will. He does not desire to make
any other. Therefore, no man can or dare change it or add anything to
it. Now, it is adding to it, it is breaking or revoking it--since
this testament has been opened and the blessing proclaimed to all the
world--if anyone claims that we must first earn that blessing through
the Law, proceeding as if, without the Law, this testament, by mere
virtue of its promise and will, had no force at all.

11. In