A09453:426
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.
Reason III. The blessed Angels, nay the very flesh of the son of God hath not any quickening virtue from it self: but all this efficacy or virtue is in and from the godhead of the son: who, by means of the flesh apprehended by faith, deriveth heavenly and spiritual life from himself to the members. Now if there be no efficacy in the flesh of Christ, but by reason of the hypostatical union: how shall bodily actions about bodily elements confer grace immediately.
Reason III. The blessed Angels, nay the very flesh of the sonne of God hath not any quickning vertue from it selfe: but all this efficacie or vertue is in and from the godhead of the sonne: who, by meanes of the flesh apprehended by faith, deriueth heauenly and spirituall life from himselfe to the members. Nowe if there be no efficacie in the flesh of Christ, but by reason of the hypotasticall vnion: howe shall bodily actions about bodily elements conferre grace immediatly.
Reason IV. Paul, Rom. 4. stands much upon this, to prove that justification by saith is not conferred by the sacraments. And from the circumstance of time he gathereth that Abraham was first justified, and then afterward receive circumcision, the sign and seal of this righteousness. Now we know that the general condition of all sacraments is one and the same, and that baptism succeeded circumcision. And what can be more plain then the example of Cornelius, Act. 10. who before Peter came unto him, had the commendation of the fear of God, and was endued with the spirit of prayer: ⟨p. 303⟩and afterward when Peter by preaching opened more fully the way of the Lord, he & the rest received the holy Ghost. And after all this they were baptized. Now if they received the holy Ghost before baptism, then they received remission of sins, and were justified before baptism.