484 dames, z: 14. &c. clewed and Vindicated'. C x A P. 7; 2a. The Apostle excluderh works of Righteoufnefs, which-we have doe ne, as oppofed to Mercy & grace. Tit. 3: 5, 7. Now grace flandech in oppofition to all works, even to-works performed without this conceite of merite., as we fee Rom. II: 6. elfe we mutt fay, that the Apoftle there granteth Election to be for forefeen works , performed without a con- ceite of merite, and nothing mull be called works, but what is done with a Pharifaical conceite of merite & intrinfick worth in them , which is abfurd,. C H A R V I L James z: z 4. 8 &c, cleared 8& Vindicated: ALI, who have been of old , and are this day Adverfaries to the way. of jullification before God, which the Orthodoxowne from the Scriptures, have thought to shelter themfelves, under the wings of . of forne expreflions of the Apoftle James;. & have therefore laboured fo to explaine & ftreatch forth the fame expreflions, as they with their corrupr Notions about juftification may feem at leaft to have fume- countenance the- refrom , yea and warrandife to hold fait the fame : And for this caufe they have laboured fo much , and do Rill laboure , fo to expound the words of Paul , as that they may carry no feeming difference unto the words of Ja- nes : for it is recei ved as a known truth , and it is willingly granted , that there is no real Contradiction betwixt the two Apoftles, but what ever ap- parent or feeming difagreement there be betwixt their words; yet all that difficulty is removable; & their words, how contradidtory foever they feem to be , are yet capable of fuch an interpretation , as shall manifeft their har- monious agreement in the truth : fo that games faying Ch. 2: 24. Ye fee then, how that by works a man is jufli fled, di' not by faith only , dot not contra diet the Apoftle Paul, who faith & concludeth, that a man is juflifaed by faith without the deeds of the Law. Itfm. 3: 2S >_ But a queflion is here made,. whether we should interpret tames'r words by Paul's , or Paul's by James's, Our Adverfaries are much for this later, to unit, that we muff interpret Paul's words by the words of j'amer, becau fe , as they alledge, Patti is obfcure in his doctrine , & many were beginning :. to misinterpret & pervert the fame & that therefore tames was neceflìtate to clear up that doctrine of juftification , fo as Paul's words might be better un derltood. But how unreafonable this is, the learned D. Owen bath lately manifefled, & his grounds are indeed irrefragable fol. (I) It is a received way of interpreting Scriptures, that when two places feem to be repugnant, . unto other,. that place, which t'eareth of the- matter dire&tlÿ , defignedly, exprefly & largely ,- is to regulate our interpretation of the other place, whe- re the matter isonly touched obiter, on the bye ',and upon-fome other occa-- and in order to forne ot1er ends, And that therefore_ accordingly ,,_we: swift
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