A40370:448
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.
What then? Are there no Merits then, say they, of the Righteous? Is there no reward by way of Merit left in Heaven, which Christ promises to be so plentiful in the Scriptures? What, will all that provision of inherent Righteousness avail us nothing towards Life? Will so many labours and store of most Holy Works profit nothing, wherewith we being Clothed by the Holy Spirit, are advanced daily more and more towards the 1fullness of Righteousness? Augustin will answer to these things, and first of Merits. If you ask, saith he, whether there are no Merits of the Righteous?
VVHat then? Are there no Merits then, say they, of the Righteous? Is there no reward by way of Merit left in Heaven, which Christ promises to be so plentiful in the Scriptures? What, will all that provision of inherent Righteousness avail us nothing towards Life? Will so many labours and store of most Holy Works profit nothing, wherewith we being Cloathed by the Holy Spirit, are advanced daily more and more towards the 1fulness of Righteousness? Augustin will answer to these things, and first of Merits. If you ask, saith he, whether there are no Merits of the Righteous?
- 1Answers. Aug. Epist. 65.
There are indeed, because they 1are Righteous; but there were no Merits, that they might be Righteous. For they were made Righteous ⟨p. 244⟩when they were justified, &c. 2Therefore they were not made Righteous by Merits, if we believe Augustin, but Merits proceed from the Just: By which you may understand, that a Person is not valued by the Dignity of his Works or his Grace; but that the Dignity of Merits receives its value from the Justified Person. Wherefore seeing Men are not made Righteous by Merits, as Augustin witnesseth, but Merits receive their Virtue and Dignity from the Justified, it easily appears from hence, what should be judged of reward by way of Merit. For if after the like manner it be asked, whether there is no reward of the Saints in Heaven: that which Augustin answers concerning the Merits of the Righteous, the same do I also acknowledge concerning the reward of the Saints, that the Saints want not a reward, and that a large