A40370:248
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
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.
Therefore, that you contend so earnestly with the Blessed Apostles for following the footsteps of Christ, herein we do very willingly both hear you, and assent unto you. But that you place all the dignity of our Salvation in this, that you refer all the promises of God to this one head, as if there were no cause of Salvation, ⟨p. 142⟩but that which is placed only in precepts and instructions of Life, herein your discourse seems to pass far beyond the bounds of sound and Apostolic Doctrine.
Therefore, that you contend so earnestly with the Blessed Apostles for following the footsteps of Christ, herein we do very willingly both hear you, and assent unto you. But that you place all the dignity of our Salvation in this, that you refer all the promises of God to this one head, as if there were no cause of Salvation, ⟨p. 142⟩but that which is placed only in precepts and instructions of Life, herein your discourse seems to pass far beyond the bounds of sound and Apostolick Doctrine.
For though it is a thing of very great concernment, that we should frame all the endeavours and Offices of Life to 1the imitation of him; yet Salvation is not therefore promised, because our actions agree to this rule of Righteousness, neither is the title of Righteousness given us, because we live virtuously, but because he was made Righteousness for us: For we do not become just before God by imitation, but by Regeneration. As of Old, not through our fault, but Adams, not by Imitation, but by Birth and Propagation, the pollution of his Sin 2was imputed to us unto Condemnation. So by virtue of the Second Adam, not by any power of our own, by being born again, not by imitating, is Righteousness imputed to us unto the Justification of Life: Neither doth it therefore follow, that the examples of Christ are not proposed to us for Imitation.