A40370:441
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.
The Error of the Tridentines in defining Grace is examined.
The Errour of the Tridentines in defining Grace is examined.
I Have explained the sayings of some Divines, which differ several ways from one another, yet they are all wonderfully agreed in this one thing, as it were by a common Conspiracy, that they may take away from sinners that saving Grace which only justifies us. Let us join also unto these, if you please, the Sophisters of later times, and especially the Nobles of Trent, and the Heretics of that Council, whose Writings, Opinions, and Decrees, when they are read, what do they declare? I will say in a word, and truly, nothing that is sound, nothing that is not full of Error, nothing that does not disagree with the genuine verity of the Word. But what that Error is, lest we should seem to accuse them without cause, let us explain in a few words, but true; to wit, seeing there is a twofold Testimony of the Grace of the Father towards us in the Scriptures; the one whereby in a free gift he bestowed his Son upon us […] the other, whereby he bestowed his Spirit: The Son to die for us, the Spirit to […] our Life; there is not any man, but should confess ⟨p. 240⟩that they are both great gifts. He gave his Son, than whom nothing was dearer to him; he bestows his Spirit, than which nothing is higher in Heaven. But for what purpose doth he bestow both? how does he give them for our advantage? for what end? with what fruit? what did he design in so doing? by what Reason was he persuaded? by what necessity? by what mercy was the most gracious Father and maker of the World moved? I would very willingly ask this first, either of Thomas Aquinas, or rather of those Tridentine fellow-Priests; for if Free-will being helped by the grace of the Spirit of God, as they say, could do so much by meriting through the infused Virtues, even as much as was sufficient for obtaining Salvation, what cause then was there why all this charge should be put upon Christ the Son of God? What need. was there of his blood? Why did not the most gracious Father spare his Life? But if so be that all other helps of grace could afford no help to expedite the business of our Redemption; Then it remains to be asked of those men, what they affirm of Christ, whether they acknowledge him the only Saviour or not? And indeed I know that they will not deny that Christ is the only Saviour.