A40370:311
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.
But now, though God willed this very much, that his Laws should be performed most exactly by all, yet besides this end, there are other, both many and weighty causes, why the Law, which is a rule of perfect Righteousness, though it could not be kept by us in respect of perfect Obedience, yet it was necessary that it should be promulgated, either that there might be a public Testimony of the Judgment, and Anger of God against Sin, or that we our selves might be brought more easily to the knowledge of our Sins and Frailty. Concerning 1which Paul said, when the Law came, Sin revived: Or that taking notice of the frailty of corrupted and ruinated Nature, being more strongly driven by this necessity; we might be pressed forward, as by the Ferula of a Pedagogue to Christ, who is the end of the Law, as also the Law is called a Pedagogue ⟨p. 174⟩to Christ: Or that we may be taught, as it were by this same Pedagogy, whither we must go: That if we cannot attain unto a full obedience of the Law, yet we may profit in the Inchoation of obedience as much as we can.
But now, though God willed this very much, that his Laws should be performed most exactly by all, yet besides this end, there are other, both many and weighty causes, why the Law, which is a rule of perfect Righteousness, though it could not be kept by us in respect of perfect Obedience, yet it was necessary that it should be promulagated, either that there might be a publick Testimony of the Iudgment, and Anger of God against Sin, or that we our selves might be brought more easily to the knowledge of our Sins and Frailty. Concerning 1which Paul said, when the Law came, Sin revived: Or that taking notice of the frailty of corrupted and ruinated Nature, being more strongly driven by this necessity; we might be pressed forward, as by the Ferula of a Pedagogue to Christ, who is the end of the Law, as also the Law is called a Pedagogue ⟨p. 174⟩to Christ: Or that we may be taught, as it were by this same Pedagogy, whither we must go: That if we cannot attain unto a full obedience of the Law, yet we may profit in the Inchoation of obedience as much as we can.