The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

1. Wherefore in general, it is evident that the Apostle by the Law and the Works thereof intended, what the Jews with whom he had to do, did understand by the Law and their own whole Obedience thereunto. I suppose this cannot be denied. For without a Concession of it, there is nothing proved against them, nor are they in any thing instructed by him. Suppose those Terms equivocal and to be taken in one sense by him, and by them in another, and nothing can be rightly concluded from what is spoken of them. Wherefore the meaning of these Terms the Law and Works, the Apostle takes for granted as very well known, and agreed on between himself and those with whom he had to do.

1. Wherefore in general, it is evident that the Apostle by the Law and the Works thereof intended, what the Jews with whom he had to do, did understand by the Law and their own whole Obedience thereunto. I suppose this cannot be denied. For without a Concession of it, there is nothing proved against them, nor are they in any thing instructed by him. Suppose those Terms aequivocal and to be taken in one sense by him, and by them in another, and nothing can be rightly concluded from what is spoken of them. Wherefore the meaning of these Terms the Law and Works, the Apostle takes for granted as very well known, and agreed on between himself and those with whom he had to do.

2. The Jews by the Law intended what the Scriptures of the Old Testament meant by that Expression. For they are no where blamed for any false Notion concerning the Law, or that they esteemed any thing to be so, but what was so indeed, and what was so called in the Scripture. Their present Oral Law was not yet hatched, though the Pharisees were brooding of it.

3. The Law under the Old Testament, doth immediately refer unto the Law given at Mount Sinai, nor is there any distinct mention of it before. This is commonly called the