A09453:138
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.
The II. difference touching faith in the act of justification, is this. The Papist saith, we are justified by faith, because it disposeth a sinner to his justification after this manner: By faith (saith he) the mind of man is enlightened in the knowledge of the law and gospel: knowledge stirs up a fear of hell with a consideration of the promise of happiness, as also the love and fear of God, and hope of life eternal. Now when the heart is thus prepared, God infuseth the habit of charity and other virtues, whereby a sinner is justified before God. We say otherwise, that faith justifieth because it is a supernatural Instrument created by God in the heart of man at his conversion, whereby he apprehendeth and receiveth Christs righteousness for his justification.
The II. difference touching faith in the act of iustification, is this. The Papist saith, we are iustified by faith, because it disposeth a sinner to his iustification after this maner: By faith (saith he) the minde of man is inlightened in the knowledge of the law and gospell: knowledge stirres vp a feare of hel with a consideration of the promise of happines, as also the loue and feare of God, and hope of life eternall. Now when the heart is thus prepared, God infuseth the habite of charitie and other vertues, whereby a sinner is iustified before God. We say otherwise, that faith iustifieth because it is a supernaturall Instrument created by God in the heart of man at his conuersion, whereby he apprehendeth and receiueth Christs righteousnes for his iustification.
In this their doctrine is a twofold error: I. that they make faith which justifieth, to go before justification it self, both for order of nature as also for time: whereas by the word of God, at the very instant, when any man believeth first, he is then justified and sanctified. For he that believeth, eateth and drinketh the body and blood of Christ, and is already passed from death to life, John 6. 54. The second is, that faith being nothing else with them but an illumination of the mind, stirreth up the will; which being moved and helped, causeth in the heart many spiritual motions: and thereby disposeth man to his future justification. But this indeed is as much as if we should say, that dead men only helped, can prepare themselves to their future resurrection. For we are all by nature dead in sin, and therefore must not only be enlightened in mind, but also renewed in will, before we can so much as will or desire that which is good. Now we (as I have said) teach otherwise: that faith justifieth as it is an instrument to apprehend & apply Christ with his obedience; which is the