A40370:49
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.
How easy it is to err in the Doctrine of Justification.
How easie it is to err in the Doctrine of Iustification.
Seeing these things and others like unto them, contain the principal Heads, of all Christian Doctrine; therefore Divines should take a special care lest they err in these; which care, unless they take, there will follow a most grievous ruin and perturbation of all things, the foundations 1being as it were put out of their places. And yet I know not how it comes to pass that error is no where more easily committed than in these Points. Neither is it so strange; for so it comes to pass, that this animal nature we call Human Reason, when consulted with about the things of God, is most blind, and sees nothing, unless it be Illuminated with the better Light of Divine Knowledge shining in upon it: For the right understanding of Divine things comes by the Spirit of God, and not by Human Capacity; and ⟨p. 11⟩though the Law, and the things of the Law, were in some sense born with us, and cleave unto our Nature; Yet the Mysteries of the Doctrine of the Gospel are not apprehended so easily, because the Nature of both is very different. Moreover, you may see many, who following the guidance of Nature, and her precepts more than is meet, do teach and dispute of things belonging to the Gospel; just as if a Philosopher should discourse of the Principles of Nature, or a Moralist of the perfection of Virtues, in which they place their chiefest good; or as if a Pharisee sitting in the Chair of Moses, should dispute about the Righteousness of the Law.
SEeing these things and others like unto them, contain the principal Heads, of all Christian Doctrine; therefore Divines should take a special care lest they err in these; which care, unless they take, there will follow a most grievous ruin and perturbation of all things, the foundations 1