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I. SALVATION IS BY FAITH in order —

1. That it might be by grace, or pure favour and goodwill. Coming thus —

(1) It honours God as an act of royal beneficence.

(2) It honours man as making him the object, not of Divine justice and wisdom merely, but of Divine charity.

(3) It blesses the recipient by culturing humility and gratitude.

2. That the promise may be sure to all —

(1) Were it by works, however, some may fancy themselves able to gain it, the mass of mankind must despair.

(2) Were it by works the original purpose of its provision could not be fulfilled, for the promise was to all nations.

(3) Faith in a condition which all may fulfil; the feeblest as the strongest, the most guilty as the least guilty, the debtor of ten thousand talents as the debtor of an hundred pence.

III. THIS FAITH IS EXEMPLIFIED IN ABRAHAM. He is the father of all who believe, as Tubal is the father of iron workers, and Jubal of musicians. His faith is exhibited as —

1. A faith that regarded God as the quickener of the dead and Creator of things not existing — as a God with whom nothing was impossible.

2. A faith that looked for fulfilment of the promise when there was no probability of that fulfilment; as when he believed in his possession of Canaan.

3. A faith that expected when fulfilment seemed impossible; as when he believed the promise of a son to himself and aged, barren Sarah.

4. A faith that failed not when fulfilment seemed to be stopped by the acts of God Himself; as When the whole promised seed lay doomed to death upon the altar.

5. A. faith that staggered not — a full persuasion of heart.

6. A faith that practically confided: as when he went forth from his father's house, and when he bound Isaac for death; thus a faith made perfect by works. His seed are all who imitate his faith.

(W. Griffiths.)

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KJV: Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

WEB: For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.