A09453:240
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 8: The eight point. Of vows.Doctrine 8: The eight point. Of vowes.
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 eight point. Of vows.
The eight point. Of vowes.
Our consent.
Touching vows this must be known, that we do not condemn them altogether, but only labour to restore the purity of doctrine touching this point, which by ⟨p. 152⟩the Church of Rome from time to time hath bin corrupted and defaced: We hold therefore that a vow is a promise made to God touching some duties to be performed unto him: and it is two fold, general, or special. The general vow is that which concerns all believers: and it is made in the covenant both of the law, and of the Gospel. I will here only speak of the vow which is made in the covenant of the Gospel, in which there be two actions: one of God, the other of man. God in mercy one his part promiseth to men the remission of sins and life everlasting▪ and man again for his part promiseth to believe in Christ, and to obey God in all his commandments. All men ever made this vow unto God, as the Jews in circumcision: which also they renewed so often as they received the Passover: and in the new testament all that are baptised do the like. And in baptism this vow is called the stipulation of a good conscience, whereby we purpose to renounce our selves, to believe in Christ, & to bring forth the fruits of true repentance: & it ought to be ⟨p. 153⟩renewed so oft as we are partakers of the supper of the Lord. This vow is necessary and must be kept as a part of the true worship of God; because it is a promise, wherein we vow to perform all duties commanded of God either in the law or in the Gospel. It may be demanded, considering we are bound to obedience, how we bind our selves in baptism thereto. Ans. Though we be already bound partly by nature and partly by the written word, yet may we renew the same bond in a vow, and he that is bound may further bind himself, so it be for this end, to help his dullness for want of zeal, and to make himself more forward in duties of love to men and the worship of God: to this end David sware to keep the law of God, psal. 119. 116. though he were bound unto it by nature and by the written law it self.