A09453:168
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
Doctrine 4 › Objections of Papists.Doctrine 4 › Obiections of Papists.
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.
III. Object. When man confesseth his sins and humbleth himself by prayer and fasting, Gods wrath is pacified and stayed: therefore prayer and fasting are causes of justification before God. Ans. Indeed men that truly humble themselves by prayer and fasting, do appease the wrath of God: yet not properly by these actions, but by their faith expressed and testified in them, whereby they apprehend that which appeaseth ⟨p. 99⟩Gods wrath, even the merits of Christ, in whom the father is well pleased; and for whose sake alone he is well pleased with us.
III. Obiect. When man confesseth his sinnes and humbleth himselfe by praier and fasting, Gods wrath is pacified and staied: therefore prayer and fasting are causes of iustification before God. Ans. Indeede men that truely humble themselues by praier and fasting, doe appease the wrath of God: yet not properly by these actions, but by their faith expressed and testified in them, whereby they apprehend that which appeaseth ⟨p. 99⟩Gods wrath, euen the merits of Christ, in whome the father is well pleased; and for whose sake alone he is well pleased with vs.
IV. Object. Sundry persons in Scripture are commended for perfection: as Noah, and Abraham, Zechariah, and Elizabeth: and Christ biddeth us all be perfect; and where there is any perfection of works, there also works may justify. Answ. There be two kinds of perfection: perfection in parts, and perfection in degrees. Perfection in part is, when being regenerate, and having the seeds of all necessary virtues, we endeavour accordingly to obey God, not in some few, but in all and every part of the law: as Josiah turned unto God according to all the law of Moses. Perfection in degrees is, when a man keepeth every commandment of God, and that according to the rigour thereof, in the very highest degree. Now then whereas we are commanded to be perfected, and have examples of the same perfection in Scripture: both commandments and examples must be understood of perfection in parts, and not of perfection in degrees, which