Paul teaches that no man is justified before God by the works of
the law; for sin only cometh by the law. He that trusts in works
condemns faith as the most pernicious arrogancy and error of all others.
Here thou seest plainly that such a man is not righteous, being
destitute of that faith and belief which is necessary to make him
acceptable before God and His Son; yea, he is an enemy to this faith,
and therefore to righteousness also. Thus it is easy to understand that
which Paul saith, that no man is justified before God by the works of
the law.
The worker must be justified before God before he can work any good
thing. Men judge the worker by the works; God judges the works by the
worker. The first precept requires us to acknowledge and worship one
God, that is, to trust Him alone, which is the true faith whereby we
become the sons of God. Thou canst not be delivered from the evil of
unbelief by thine own power, nor by the power of the law; wherefore all
thy works which thou doest to satisfy the law can be nothing but works
of the law; of far less importance than to be able to justify thee
before God, who counteth them righteous only who truly believe in Him;
for they that acknowledge Him the true God are His sons, and do truly
fulfil the law.
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