A09453:453
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.
And therefore we esteem of repentance only as a fruit of faith: & the effect, or, efficacy of it, is to testify remission of our sins, and our reconciliation before God. It will be said that remission of sins and life everlasting are promised to repentance. Ans. It is not to the work of repentance, but to the person which repenteth, and that not for his own merits or work of repentance, but for the merits of Christ, which he applieth to himself by faith. And thus are we to understand the promises of the gospel, in which works are mentioned: presupposing always in them the reconciliation of the person with God, to whom the promise is made. Thus we see wherefore we dissent from the Roman Church touching the doctrine of repentance.
And therefore we esteeme of repentance only as a fruit of faith: & the effect, or, efficacie of it, is to testifie remission of our sinnes, and our reconciliation before God. It will be said that remission of sinnes and life enerlasting are promised to repentance. Ans. It is not to the worke of repentāce, but to the person which repenteth, and that not for his owne merits or worke of repentance, but for the merits of Christ, which he applyeth to himselfe by faith. And thus are we to vnderstand the promises of the gospel, in which workes are mentioned: presupposing alwaies in them the reconciliation of the person with God, to whome the promise is made. Thus we see wherefore we dissent from the Romane Church touching the doctrine of repentance.
Special abuses, do concern Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction. The first abuse concerning contrition is, that they teach it must be sufficient and perfect. They ⟨p. 324⟩use now to help the matter by a distinction: saying that the sorrow in contrition, must be in the highest degree in respect 1of value and estimation, and not in respect of intention. Yet the opinion of 2Adrian was otherwise, that in true repentance a man should be grieved according to all his endeavour. And the Roman Catechism saith as much, that the sorrow conceived of our sins, must be so