Of Free Justification by Christ, Book 1
OF Free Iustification by Christ.
In Reading your Books, Hierom Osorius, concerning Righteousness, though I had not leisure accurately to trace every particular, on which you have enlarged, yet by what I have here and there collected, I think I do well enough perceive whereat you drive, what you design, and what you endeavour: For, according to my apprehension, you are endeavouring, not to strike at some part of Christian Doctrine of smaller concernment, but to cut the very Throat, and extinguish the Breath and Spirit of the Gospel, and to besiege the whole state of our Felicity, and the Castle and chief City of Christian Liberty, and to pluck up from the very Foundation all the Munitions of The necessity of this Defence against Osorius.Peace and Life: For what other thing dost thou in all these ten Books, whereby thou snatchest away out of the Hands, Studies, Minds and Consciences of Men, and out of the Earth. as the Sun out of the World, that most glorious Light of our Free Iustification, purchased by the great bounty of Christ, and confirmed by the Eternal Covenant of God: Which being taken away, I see not what thou leavest remaining to us, but Cimmerian and Osorian Darkness, in which we may grope like blind Moles: Which endeavours of thine, though of themselves being vain and frivolous, there is no great cause, why they should be feared in their opposition against the invincible force of Divine Truth; yet because they strive to with-hold from us that which is most excellent in all Religion; therefore I thought it was necessary to write these things unto thee, not being provoked by any Enmity or Hatred against thy Person, that I might vex thee, but that I might admonish thee both friendly and freely; and so much the more freely, in how much greater danger I see thou art entangled, unless thou return back, and endeavour to walk more uprightly according to the Gospel of Christ. For what think you, Sir? That by your deeds performed as well as can be imagined, and by the steps of your vertues, you can lay for your self a passage into the Kingdom of God? Or think you that any man living in this slippery condition of Nature, can root out all his Lusts, and utterly cut off all their enticements, and so contain himself within the bounds of his duty, that he can equalize those habitations of Eternal Glory, with a proportionable dignity of Righteousness, or dare promise them to himself upon such an account, unless the bounty of God had freely put this honour upon us? O be not of such an opinion! This is not the way to Heaven. Either you must change your mind, or lay down this hope.
Howbeit this opinion seems not to be yours only, but common to you with many, to wit, the late School-Divines, especially those, who have a greater veneration for the authority of the Pope, than the Writings of the Apostles, who being all infected The Enemies of the Grace of God under the Title of righteousness.with the same contagion of error, do boldly profess the same, that you affirm. But yet all of them do not proceed in the same manner and method. Those do so frame their notions, that all men may understand, they are the professed Enemies of Divine Grace, and our Free Iustification in Christ, which they hiss out of the Schools, and openly anathamatize. Your arguings are somewhat different, though you have undertaken, obstinately to maintain the same thing, that they do, but you hide the same venom with a more subtile artifice, so that it insinuates more easily, and lies less open to rebuke. For I see you The Books of Osorius concerning righteousness.write Books concerning Righteousness, and those not a few, nor unpolished. When I look on the argument, I see it is honourable and plausible. When I look into your manner of Speech, your painted eloquence, and laudatory amplifications, wherewith you adorn the Glory, Loveliness and Beauty of Righteousness with a Tragedian-like sublimity of style, I confess this is not unworthy of praise; For who should not deservedly praise him, whom he sees so inflamed with the praises of Righteousness? But if any man look more inwardly, and consider with himself according to right reason, with what mind, for what end, for what pretence, and with what arguments you maintain those parts of righteousness so much praised, and compare them with the Gospel of Christ, he will be forced to acknowledge that you are defective in many things. If you will permit me briefly to give my opinion of the whole frame of this work, (though you have little regard to what my censure is) yet if you will allow me to speak freely to you as becomes me, I will do it according to my duty, and I will so do it, that you your self may perceive that there was nothing less in my design in writing to you, than a perverse inclination to find fault with other mens writings. And thus I judge, you have so handled this subject matter, that you appear to be a Philosopher Platonick enough, and no bad Ciceronian Orator, but not a very Evangelical Divine, I can assure you nor skilful enough to plead the cause of Christian Righteousness. The Title of the Books concerning righteousness.First, As touching the Title of the Book, concerning Righteousness, I find nothing blameworthy. Though the frailty of our Nature might persuade you rather to discourse some thing to us of Mercy. Yet seeing you chuse rather to discourse Philosophically of righteousness, you are not therein The image of righteousness described by Osori us.unworthy of your own praise; For being about to treat of righteousness, you have undertaken a very honourable subject, and I doubt too weighty for your Shoulders to bear: and a work indeed very difficult and excellent. For what is more excellent than righteousness in the whole nature of Divine and Humane things? Which seeing it comprehends within its circumference all kinds of vertues, the whole praise of Piety, and not only the highest perfection of the Law, but also the perfect Image of God: indeed it may be found in Heaven, but on Earth it cannot be found, when you have said all you can. Wherefore I am ready the more to wonder The praise of righteousness.and consider with my self, what secret design you had in your mind. that you have composed Books so accurately exquisite concerning righteousness. If it was that by the Trumpet of your commendation, you might make it more acceptable to us, you have therein lighted on a matter, suitable to your wit, and large enough for setting forth the riches of your Eloquence, that I may confess the truth to you. But I wonder for what purpose or end you did that, will you say, that men may the more evidently behold the beauty of righteousness, and admire it the more? But this hath been formerly attempted by Plato, and many Academicks and Peripateticks, and that with no bad success. And who is so void of all natural sense, but, though he is not himself endued with the excellency of righteousness, yet he apprehends in his mind the Divine brightness thereof, and greatly admires it, and wishes for it with all his heart? If wishes in this case could do any good.