A40370:597
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 if you can never, or but very rarely find in the person of one Bishop the performance of a few Duties belonging to his Office, what should be said of those things, which being commanded by the Lord himself in the Gospel, belong alike unto all; as when he gives precepts of mutual Charity, of forgiving Brethren, of every Man's taking up his Cross, which if a Man refuse, Christ looks not upon him as a Disciple: Of Faith in God, which is not tainted with any wavering: Of Meekness and Humbleness of Mind, resembling the simplicity of little Children: Of Chastity which doth not allow so much as an unclean glance of the Eye: Of bounty towards all Men: Of perfect Patience towards our very Enemies, and the most exact Purity, which is void of Covetousness, and whose treasure is laid up in Heaven, which is not […] with any ambition or vain Glory, and designs it self wholly and all that it hath for the glory of Christ only.
Now if you can never, or but very rarely find in the person of one Bishop the performance of a few Duties belonging to his Office, what should be said of those things, which being commanded by the Lord himself in the Gospel, belong alike unto all; as when he gives precepts of mutual Charity, of forgiving Brethren, of every Man's taking up his Cross, which if a Man refuse, Christ looks not upon him as a Disciple: Of Faith in God, which is not tainted with any wavering: Of Meekness and Humbleness of Mind, resembling the simplicity of little Children: Of Chastity which doth not allow so much as an unclean glance of the Eye: Of bounty towards all Men: Of perfect Patience towards our very Enemies, and the most exact Purity, which is void of Covetousness, and whose treasure is laid up in Heaven, which is not 〈…〉 with any ambition or vain Glory, and designs it self wholly and all that it hath for the glory of Christ only.
But why should I enlarge any more upon those things, which no Man can easily set forth by Words, and with much greater difficulty can he frame his Life according to them. ⟨p. 340⟩So great is the severity of Divine Righteousness, which suffers no rash anger, nor the least reproach cast upon a Brother, nor so much as an idle word to go unpunished. Christ commands our Speech to be Yea, yea, and Nay, nay, telling us,