A09453:106
A Reformed Catholic
A reformed Catholic: or, A declaration showing how near we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundry points of religion: and wherein we must for ever depart from them with an advertisement to all favourers of the Roman religion, showing that the said religion is against the Catholic principles and grounds of the catechism.A reformed Catholike: or, A declaration shewing how neere we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of religion: and vvherein we must for euer depart from them with an advertisment to all fauourers of the Romane religion, shewing that the said religion is against the Catholike principles and grounds of the catechisme.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1598Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1598
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.
I. They hold that before justification there goes a preparation thereunto; which is an action wrought partly by the holy Ghost and partly by the power of natural freewill, whereby a man disposeth himself ⟨p. 63⟩to his own future justification.
I. They holde that before iustification there goes a preparation thereunto; which is an action wrought partly by the holy Ghost and partly by the power of naturall freewill, whereby a man disposeth himselfe ⟨p. 63⟩to his owne future iustification.
In the preparation they consider the ground of justification, and things proceeding from it. The ground is faith, which they define to be a general knowledge, whereby we understand and believe that the doctrine of the word of God is true. Things proceeding from this faith are these; a sight of our sins, a fear of hell, hope of salvation, love of God, repentance, and such like: all which, when men have attained, they are then fully disposed (as they say) to their justification.
In the preparation they consider the ground of iustification, and things proceeding from it. The ground is faith, which they define to be a generall knowledge, whereby wee vnderstande and beleeue that the doctrine of the word of God is true. Things proceeding from this faith are these; a sight of our sinnes, a feare of hell, hope of saluation, loue of God, repentance, and such like: all which, when men haue attained, they are then fully disposed (as they say) to their iustification.
This preparation being made, then comes justification it self: which is an action of God, whereby he maketh a man righteous. It hath two parts: the first, and the second. The first is, when a sinner of an evil man is made a good man. And to effect this, two things are required: first the pardon of sin, which is one part of the first justification: secondly the infusion of inward righteousness, whereby the heart is purged and sanctified: and this habit of righteousness stands specially in hope and charity.