A09453:143
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.
II. Reason. Gal. 5. 6. Neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision availeth any thing, but FAITH THAT WOEK•TH BY LOVE. Hence they gather that faith doth justify together with love. Ans. The property of true faith is, to apprehend and receive something unto it self: and love, that goes always with faith, as a fruit and an unseparable companion thereof, is of another nature. For it doth not receive in, but as it were give out it self in all the duties of the first and second table towards God and man: and this thing faith by it self cannot do: & therefore Paul saith that faith worketh by love. The hand hath a property to reach out it self, to lay hold of any thing: and to receive a gift: but the hand hath no property to cut a piece of wood of it self without saw or knife, or some like instrument; and yet by help of them, it can either divide or cut. Even so it is the nature of faith, to go out of it self and to receive Christ into the heart: as for the duties of the first and second table, faith cannot of it self bring them forth; no more then the hand can divide or cut: yet join love to faith, and ⟨p. 86⟩then can it practise duties commanded concerning God and man. And this I take to be the meaning of this text, which speaketh not of justification by faith, but only of the practise of common duties, which faith putteth in execution by the help of love.
II. Reason. Gal. 5. 6. Neither circumcision, nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing, but FAITH THAT VVOEK•TH BY LOVE. Hence they gather that faith doth instifie together with loue. Ans. The propertie of true faith is, to apprehend and receiue something vnto it selfe: and loue, that goes alwaies with faith, as a fruite and an vnseperable companion thereof, is of another nature. For it doth not receiue in, but as it were giue out it selfe in all the duties of the first and second table towards God and man: and this thing faith by it selfe cannot doe: & therefore Paul saith that faith worketh by loue. The hand hath a propertie to reach out it selfe, to lay hold of any thing: and to receiue a gift: but the hande hath no propertie to cut a peice of wood of it selfe without saw or knife, or some like instrument; and yet by helpe of them, it can either deuide or cut. Euen so it is the nature of faith, to goe out of it selfe and to receiue Christ into the heart: as for the duties of the first and second table, faith cannot of it selfe bring them forth; no more then the hand can deuide or cut: yet ioyne loue to faith, and