A40370:437
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.
NOW this is it in which chiefly the unspeakable amplitude of Divine Grace towards us doth evidently shine forth, that God the Almighty Governor and Creator of the World, according to his singular Mercy, ⟨p. 233⟩wherewith he hath loved the World, having given his Son, sent him to us, and so sent him, that he for us hath fulfilled all Righteousness; for there was no need that he should fulfil it for himself, and if he hath fulfilled it for us, what hinders now, but that may be ours, which was done for us? or 1to what purpose should he do that for us, which he knew was necessary to be done by our selves for our Salvation? But what if according to the saying of Thomas, Whatsoever things we can do by Friends, we our selves are said to be able to do it in some respect: How much better then may we our selves be supposed both to be able to do, and also to have done those things which a Friend is not only able to do for us, but hath also done for us? and this is that grace chiefly, which every where the Evangelical Writings sound forth unto us; unto which all our both consolation & salvation should be referred; which Paul the Apostle having received from Christ, did propagate it with so continued labour among the Gentiles and taught it with so great fervour of spirit and made it evident with so many Signs and Miracles, and also confirmed it with so many Scriptures and most sure Testimonies. Wherefore those Papists are the more worthy to be abhorred as being Enemies to Antiquity, and Enemies to Paul; who seem to be busied about nothing else, but to abolish the Gospel of Christ, and to overturn the Foundations of ⟨p. 234⟩the Doctrine of the Apostles, that have been long since very well laid by our first Fathers, and to sow another Gospel in the 2minds of Christians: For what else doth all their Doctrine drive at, who disputing about Grace, Faith and Righteousness, do so handle the matter by their Philosophical Principles, that he who observes their Collections, Distinctions, Corollaries and Opinions, will perceive that they do not teach as Christians out of the Gospel, out of Christ, out of Paul, but that the Ancient Philosophers of the old Academy, or the Talmudists of the Law of Moses are again risen up and alive;