A40370:476
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.
God useth sometimes thus to propose a Recompense and Rewards to the Regenerate, whereby we may be stirred up to do well: And there is no doubt but the Rewards promised, will follow the office performed.
But in the mean while let us see to whom this promise was made, and for what cause it was made; of which thing let us understand what is the Opinion of Osorius: God hath promised, faith he, to all that live 1righteously, great wealth, exceeding great pleasures, and an immortal Kingdom, very great dignity, everlasting glory, &c. There are many faults in these vicious Argumentations, and that is none of the least, which is committed by making a division not ⟨p. 265⟩sufficient: In which kind Osorius offends here: For whereas there are two kinds of promises very much differing 2from one another; the one belonging to the Law, being annexed unto certain conditions; the other belonging to the Gospel, being free, without all condition of Law. The whole discourse of Osorius is so taken up in that Legal kind, that he doth not so much as make mention of the other. God hath promised, says he, to all that live righteously, &c. That is true indeed, if we look to those 3things that belong to the Law: For the Law, as it hath its threatenings, so also it hath its promises proposed to them that live unblameably; in which we are commanded to do this and live. Concerning which Paul also saith, Peace and life to every one that doth good, &c. So then the Law promiseth, and the Gospel also promiseth, but upon a different account; for they differ in this; The promises of the Law regard the Desert of Life: But the Grace of the Gospel doth not so much regard the manner of Life, as the Faith of the Person, and measures his dignity, not by the merits of Works, but measures the merits of Works themselves, by the Faith of the Believer, and the dignity of the Object only on whom he believes. Wherefore as touching Rewards proposed in the Gospel, it is not enough to look only on the things themselves, which are proposed, but the consideration must be referred to the Faith and Person of Believers,