A40370:398
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 1 › Concerning the Grace of God, how it is defined by Osorius, with a c… › 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.
Grace is a habit of Life universally well ordered, not according to the degrees of things ordered, but as it is called a Relation of the whole Life to the obtaining of the End. But Justice doth not this, nor Virtue; for Justice doth not necessarily make worthy of Eternal Life, upon the account that it is Justice, or Virtue, &c. What if the proper and true cause which reconciles us to the love of God, and makes us worthy of Eternal Life, should be searched for. We shall find, that it lies not in the Works of Justice, but that it proceeds from another cause.
Grace is a habit of Life universally well ordered, not according to the degrees of things ordered, but as it is called a Relation of the whole Life to the obtaining of the End. But Iustice doth not this, nor Vertue; for Iustice doth not necessarily make worthy of Eternal Life, upon the account that it is Iustice, or Vertue, &c. What if the proper and true cause which reconciles us to the love of God, and makes us worthy of Eternal Life, should be searched for. We shall find, that it lyes not in the Works of Iustice, but that it proceeds from another cause.
And what that cause is, Christ himself the best Master will teach you in the Gospel. Whom I request, and beseech you not only to hearken unto, but to believe. For these are his words in the Gospel: For the Father himself loveth you, because 1ye have loved me, and have believed that I came from the Father. By which you see that it comes to pass not for the sake of our Justice or Virtue, but for the sake of his own dearly beloved Son, that God the Father cares for us, and loves us.
And what that cause is, Christ himself the best Master will teach you in the Gospel. Whom I request, and beseech you not only to hearken unto, but to believe. For these are his words in the Gospel: For the Father himself loveth you, because 1ye have loved me, and have believed that I came from the Father. By which you see that it comes to pass not for the sake of our Iustice or Vertue, but for the sake of his own dearly beloved Son, that God the Father cares for us, and loves us.