A40370:1012
Of free justification
Of free justification by Christ written first in Latin by John Fox, author of the Book of martyrs, against Osorius, &c. and now translated into English, for the benefit of those who love their own souls, and would not be mistaken in so great a point.Of free justification by Christ written first in Latine by John Fox, author of the Book of martyrs, against Osorius, &c. and now translated into English, for the benefit of those who love their own souls, and would not be mistaken in so great a point.
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1694
Book 3 › An Answer to the Adversaries, wherein their Frivolous Exceptions, a… › Argument.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. As touching the scope of this Epistle, how greatly is campian mistaken? For who is so void of sense, that he doth not clearly perceive, ⟨p. 496⟩that the drift of the Apostle is not that, which those Jesuits dream of, to attribute our Salvation or Justification to any Works, either going before, or following after? Neither was this Office of an Ambassador committed unto him, that he might contend with the Jews about Ceremonies, or with the Gentiles about Moral Duties; but as Peter was entrusted with the Apostleship of the Circumcision, so also the Preaching of the Gospel to the Uncircumcision was committed unto Paul; not that he should Preach the Law, but the Faith, which before he opposed: Not that he might declare the Righteousness of Works (in which there is no Salvation) but that God by him might reveal his Son amongst the Gentiles, and might manifest unto the World that heavenly Trophy and glad Tidings of Peace and Victory obtained in Heaven by Christ, and spread abroad far and wide through the Churches, the boundless riches of Divine Grace, which he had experienced in himself. For he was called for this purpose to the Apostleship, that the infinitely gracious Lord and Redeemer Christ Jesus might first exercise his Mercy towards him, and afterwards by him declare his great Mercy towards Sinners, not only by his Example, but also by his Ministry For 1thus he bears witness of himself, that the Ministry of Reconciliation was committed to him, for which he was appointed to be a Preacher, and Apostle and Teacher of the Gentiles, in Faith and Truth, that he being an Ambassador in Christ's ⟨p. 497⟩2stead, might invite all men, yea and beg of them, that they would 3be reconciled unto God. And this seems to be the principal scope, that Paul aims at, not only in the Epistle to the Romans, but also in all his Doctrine, to proclaim amongst the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and that he might set before the view of all men, what is the Communion of the Mystery that was hidden with God in former Ages, &c. But now in the Righteousness of Works, no such Mystery lay hidden with God from former Ages. Therefore it is false, and abominable, which Campian the Jesuit, and such like Sophisters assert concerning the scope and sense of Paul's Epistle to the Romans: