A40370:82
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
Book 1 › What the power and efficacy of Faith is; whom it justifies, and how.
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 scope of all which dispute is, that Faith being adorned with Works, may do something; and on the contrary, that, if Works are not joined with it, it may seem a kind of rude matter, void of life and form, not only unprofitable to purchase Righteousness, but a certain dead and destructive thing. Which if it be true, I would know this of them, and chiefly I would ask of you, Osorius, in what Common-wealth, in what Church, in whose Kingdom, do you coin this new piece of Divinity? If it is the Church of Christ, that is not yours, It is his Kingdom, in which you are only a servant. What? Shall not Christ have a free power permitted to him of administering his own affairs, as in his own lawful Commonwealth?
The scope of all which dispute is, that Faith being adorned with Works, may do something; and on the contrary, that, if Works are not joyned with it, it may seem a kind of rude matter, void of life and form, not only unprofitable to purchase Righteousnes, but a certain dead and destructive thing. Which if it be true, I would know this of them, and chiefly I would ask of you, Osorius, in what Common-wealth, in what Church, in whose Kingdom, do you coyn this new piece of Divinity? If it is the Church of Christ, that is not yours, It is his Kingdom, in which you are only a servant. What? Shall not Christ have a free power permitted to him of administring his own affairs, as in his own lawful Commonwealth?
And whence is this your great boldness in another's Dominion, in a Church that ye never founded, to alter and change as you list, the appointments and institutions of your Prince, contrary to Law and Right? Or by what authority do you oppose your selves, but that every man may act in his own possession according ⟨p. 33⟩to his own right, and freedom of command? What if it seems good in the Eyes of Christ to communicate freely the glory of his Kingdom, to whom he will? Will ye forbid him? What if the most Gracious Lord will pay a full reward to those that come to work at the last hour of the day, and make all equal by making the like agreement with them all, should your Eye therefore be evil because he is good?