The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

In the beginning of the Chapter unto v. 14. He reproves those unto whom he wrote for many sins committed against the Law the rule of their sins and Obedience; or at least warneth them of them; and having showed the danger they were in hereby, he discovers the Root and principal occasion of it, v. 14. which was no other but a vain surmise and deceiving presumption that the Faith required in the Gospel was nothing but a bare assent unto the Doctrine of it, whereon they were delivered from all obligation unto moral Obedience or good Works, and might without any danger unto their eternal state live in whatever sins their lusts inclined them unto, Chap. 4. v. 1, 2, 3, 4. Chap. 5. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The state of such persons which contains the whole cause which he speaks unto, and which gives rule and measure unto the interpretation of all his future arguings is laid down, v. 14. What doth it profit my Brethren though a man say he hath Faith and have not Works, can Faith save him? suppose a man, any one of those who are guilty of the sins charged on them in the foregoing verses, do yet say, or boast of himself, that he hath Faith, that he makes profession of the Gospel, that he hath left either Judaism or Paganism, and betaken himself ⟨p. 574⟩to the Faith of the Gospel, and therefore although he be destitute of good Works, and live in sin, he is accepted with God and shall be saved? will indeed this Faith save him? this therefore is the question proposed: whereas the Gospel saith plainly, that he who believeth shall be saved; whether that Faith which may and doth consist with an indulgence unto sin, and a neglect of Duties of Obedience, is that Faith whereunto the promise of life and Salvation is annexed? And thereon, the enquiry proceeds, how any man, in particular he who says he hath Faith, may prove and evidence himself to have that Faith which will secure his Salvation. And the Apostle denies that this is such a Faith as can consist without Works, or that any man can evidence himself to have true Faith any otherwise but by Works of Obedience only. And in the proof hereof doth his whole ensuing Discourse consist. Not once doth he propose unto consideration the means and causes of the Justification of a convinced sinner before God, nor had he any occasion so to do. So that his words are openly wrested when they are applied unto any such intention.

In the beginning of the Chapter unto v. 14. He reproves those unto whom he wrote for many sins committed against the Law the rule of their sins and Obedience; or at least warneth them of them; and having shewed the danger they were in hereby, he discovers the Root and principal occasion of it, v. 14. which was no other but a vain surmise and deceiving presumption that the Faith required in the Gospel was nothing but a bare assent unto the Doctrine of it, whereon they were delivered from all obligation unto moral Obedience or good Works, and might without any danger unto their eternal state live in whatever sins their lusts inclined them unto, Chap. 4. v. 1, 2, 3, 4. Chap. 5. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The state of such persons which contains the whole cause which he speaks unto, and which gives rule and measure unto the interpretation of all his future arguings is laid down, v. 14. What doth it profit my Brethren though a man say he hath Faith and have not Works, can Faith save him? suppose a man, any one of those who are guilty of the sins charged on them in the foregoing verses, do yet say, or boast of himself, that he hath Faith, that he makes profession of the Gospel, that he hath left either Judaism or Paganism, and betaken himself