An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches

§. 16. And God by this operous Law would humble the Jews, that by their peculiarity were apt to be puffed up with Pride▪ And as all his works grow to Perfection by degrees, even the Works of Grace in particular Souls, so did his Means of Grace, and the welfare of his Church; which was to begin at their Rudiments, and grow up to better means and knowledge: yet so that all were to be judged according to the Law that they were under.

§. 17. It is this operous Law of Moses which Paul meaneth usually by the [Law of Works, and the old or former Covenant] and neither the Law or Covenant of Innocency made to Adam, nor yet as if this Law of Moses were of the same Tenor or Conditions, and so called a Covenant of Works, as making Innocency its Condition: But this Law ⟨p. 137⟩which was an Appendix to the Law of Grace, and was a peculiar Law of Grace it self, is called, The Law of Works, because of the great and burdensome and costly Externals before mentioned, and because as a political Law it so much insisteth comparatively on those Externals, and the Doctrine of Grace is comparatively more obscure in it than in the Gospel; and because the Jews had by their abusive Interpretation overvalued the Externals and operous Ceremonies and Sacrifices of it.

§. 18. The mistake of Paul's meaning in this Phrase [the Law of Works, or old Covenant] hath led some men to a new frame of Theology in a great part, and engaged others in Errors, and fruitless Contentions.