A09453:92
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 3 › Our reasons to the contrary.Doctrine 3 › Our reasons to the contrarie.
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 V. Whereas the Papists teach, that a man may be assured of his salvation by hope: even hence it follows, that he may be unfallibly assured thereof. For the property of true and lively hope is never to make a man ashamed. Rom. 5. 5. And true hope followeth faith and ever presupposeth certainty of faith: neither can any man truly hope for his salvation unless by faith he be certainly assured thereof in some measure.
Reason V. Whereas the Papists teach, that a man may be assured of his saluation by hope: euen hence it followes, that he may be vnfallibly assured thereof. For the propertie of true and liuely hope is neuer to make a man ashamed. Rom. 5. 5. And true hope followeth faith and euer presupposeth certenty of faith: neither can any man truly hope for his saluation vnlesse by faith he be certenly assured thereof in some measure.
The popish doctors take exception to these reasons on this manner. First they say, it cannot be proved that a man is as certain of his salvation by faith, as he is of the articles of ⟨p. 54⟩the creed. I answ. First they prove thus much that we ought to be as certain of the one as of the other. For look, what commandment we have to believe the articles of our faith; the like we have enjoining us to believe the pardon of our own sins, as I have proved. Secondly these arguments prove it to be the nature of essential property of faith, as certainly to assure man of his salvation, as it doth assure him of the articles which he believeth. And howsoever commonly men do not believe their salvation as unfallible, as they do their articles of faith: yet some special men do; having Gods word applied by the spirit as a sure ground of their faith, whereby they believe their own salvation, as they have it for a ground of the articles of their faith. Thus certainly was Abraham assured of his own salvation: as also the Prophets and Apostles, & the martyrs of God in all ages; whereupon without doubting they have bin content to lay down their lives for the name of Christ; in whom they were assured to receive eternal happiness. And there is no question, but there be many now, that