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
the inheritance of justification; they then freely work those things
that are good, to the glory of God and benefit of their neighbors.
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