Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 4:14

14. For if they which are of the law be heirs , faith is made void , and the promise made of none effect .

Compare this with Gal. 3.9, 10. There the Apostle sorts them that seek Righteousness and Salvation into two kinds. First, Some are of Faith, and they are such as seek Salvation in that way. Again, Others are of the Works of the Law, and they are such as seek Salvation by means thereof. These Phrases of the Law, and of the Works of the Law, are all one.

That is of the Promises of God; of the Heavenly Rest, of which as before, Canaan was a Type.

i. e. If they which seek the Inheritance of the Law, can by the Law obtain it, then there is no use of Faith: To what end should we by Faith go out of our selves to seek Righteousness and Salvation in Christ, if we could obtain it by the Legal Obedience. See the like, Gal. 5.4.

i. e. The Promise it self, which was made to Abraham, and his Seed; that also is ineffectual, and brought to nought; no Man shall be Saved by it. For as much as the Law can bring no Man to the Obtaining of what is promis'd.

i. e. If they that trust to the Fulfilling of the Law, be Heirs of the Promise of God, and so the Inheritance come by Works; then Faith is to no purpose, neither is there any Use of it, and so also the promises which are made to believers are vain and useless. This is the Sum of this Fourteen Verse, a more particular Explication follows.

Marginal references: Gal. 3.