A09453:485
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.
That I may in some order manifest this which I say, I will begin with the Symbol or Creed. And first of all it must be considered, that some of the principal doctrines believed in the Church of Rome are, that the Pope or Bishop of Rome is the vicar of Christ, & the head of the Catholic church: that there is a fire of purgatory after this life: that images of God and Saints are to be placed in Churches and worshipped: that prayer is to be made to Saints departed and ⟨p. 355⟩their intercession to be required: that there is a propitiatory sacrifice daily offered in the mass for the sins of the quick and the dead. These points are of that moment, that without them the Roman religion cannot stand: & in the council of Trent the curse Anathema is pronounced upon all such as deny these or any of them. And yet mark: the Apostles creed which hath bin thought to contain all necessary points in religion to be believed: and hath therefore been called the Kay and rule of faith: this creed I say, hath not any of these points: nor the Expositions made thereof by the ancient fathers, nor any other creed or confession of faith made by any council or Church for the space of many hundred years. This a plain proof to any indifferent man, that these be new articles of faith never known in the Apostolic Church: and that the fathers and Councils could not find any such articles of faith in the books of the old and new Testament. Answer is made: that all these points of doctrine are believed under the articles, I believe the Catholic Church: the meaning ⟨p. 356⟩whereof, they will have to be this, I believe all things which the catholic Church holdeth and teacheth to be believed. If this be as they say, we must needs believe in the Church: that is, put our confidence in the Church, for the manifestation and the certainty of all doctrines necessary to salvation: and thus the eternal truth of God the Creator, shall depend on the determination of the creature; and the written word of God in this respect is made unsufficient; as though it had not plainly revealed all points of doctrine, pertaining to salvation. And the ancient Churches have bin far overseen, that did not propound the former points to be believed as articles of faith, but left them to these latter times.
That I may in some order manifest this which I say, I will beginne with the Symbole or Creed. And first of all it must be considered, that some of the principall doctrines beleeued in the Church of Rome are, that the Pope or Bishop of Rome is the vicar of Christ, & the head of the Catholike church: that there is a fire of purgatorie after this life: that images of God and Saints are to be placed in Churches and worshipped: that praier is to be made to Saints departed and