A09453:490
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.
6 Lastly the articles, Remission of sins, Resurrection of the body, and Life everlasting, contain a confession of special faith. For the meaning of them is thus much: I believe the remission of mine own sins, and the resurrection of mine own body to life everlasting: and that by the judgement of learned Antiquity. Augustine saith, If thou 1also believe that thou shalt rise again and ascend into heaven (because thou art sure of so great a patron) thou art certain of so great a gift. And, Make not Christ less, who brings thee to the kingdom of heaven, for remission of sins. Without this faith, if any come to baptism, he shuts the gate of mercy against himself. And, Whosoever faithfully believeth, and holds this profession of his faith (in which all his sins are forgiven him) let him prepare his will to the will of God, 2and not fear his passage by death. And, The whole Sacrament of baptism stands in this, that we believe the resurrection of the body and remission of sins to be given us of God. And, He gave these keys to the Church—, ⟨p. 362⟩that whosoever in his Church, should not believe 3his sins to be forgiven, they should not be forgiven unto him: and whosoever believed▪ and turned from them abiding in the lap of the said Church, at length shall be healed by faith and amendment of life. And, That 4which thou hast heard to be fulfilled in the glorious resurrection of Christ, believe that the very same shall be fulfilled in thee, in the last judgement and the resurrection of thy flesh, shall restore thee for all eternity. For unless thou shalt believe that thou art to be repaired by death, thou canst not come to the reward of life eternal. And in ancient time the article of the resurrection hath been rehearsed5 on this manner, The resurrection of THIS FLESH: and the last applied unto it, TO EVERLASTING LIFE. Hence then two main opinions of the church of Rome are quite overthrown, one that we cannot by special faith be certain of the remission of our sins, and the salvation of our souls: the other, that a man truly justified may fall away and be damned. Now this cannot be, if the practise of the ancient Church be good,