A40370:403
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.
But now seeing it is most true, 1which neither Osorius himself denies, That there is no man hath led his life so exactly, that in the whole course of his life he hath not been guilty of any gross offence: And that there is not any state of Mind so framed by Divine Grace, although it abounds with Divine Benefits, in which nothing was ever violated by perfidiousness, or offensive through error of mind, or omitted through negligence; or which doth not more consist of the remission of sins, than the perfection of virtues: What remains then, but that it should either be false, which this Osorius of ours cracks of an humane perfection, or at least it behoveth that something should be searched for, besides the virtues themselves, which may commend these first beginnings of our imperfections to the Divine Perfection, and reconcile them to his favour.
But now seeing it is most true, 1which neither Osorius himself denies, That there is no man hath led his life so exactly, that in the whole course of his life he hath not been guilty of any gross offence: And that there is not any state of Mind so framed by Divine Grace, although it abounds with Divine Benefits, in which nothing was ever violated by perfidiousness, or offensive through errour of mind, or omitted through negligence; or which doth not more consist of the remission of sins, than the perfection of vertues: What remains then, but that it should either be false, which this Osorius of ours cracks of an humane perfection, or at least it behoveth that something should be searched for, besides the vertues themselves, which may commend these first beginnings of our imperfections to the Divine Perfection, and reconcile them to his favour.
- 1Aug. de Civit. Dei. l. 19. c. 27.
And now then this remains to be searched into; What it is that reconciles sinners to God, and restores them to his favour? and because this Reconciliation