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.

Our reasons.

I. A satisfaction that is made imperfect either directly or by consequent, is indeede no satisfaction at all. But the Papists make Christs satisfaction imperfect, in that they

do adde a supply by humane satisfactions: & thus much a learned schoolman, Biel in plain words confessed. Although (saith he) the pas∣sion of Christ be the principall merit, for which grace is conferred, the opening of the kingdome and glorie: yet IS IT NEVER THE ALONE AND TOTAL MERITORIOVS CAVSE: it is manifest, because alwaies vvith the me∣rit of Christ, there concurreth some vvorke, as the merit of congruitie or condignitie of him that receiueth grace or glorie, if he be of yeares and haue the vse of reason: or of some other for him, if he want reason. For that which admitts a supply by an other, is imperfect in it selfe. Therefore humane sa∣tisfactions cannot stand. Learned Papists make answere, that Christs satisfaction and mans may stand well togither. For (say they) Christs satisfactions is sufficient in it selfe to answer the iustice of God for all sinne and punishment: but it is not sufficient to this or that man till it be applyed: and it must be ap∣plied by our satisfaction made to God for the temporall punishment of our sinnes. But I say againe, that mans satisfaction can be no

meanes to apply the satisfaction of Christ: and I prooue it thus. The meanes of apply∣ing Gods blessings and graces vnto man are twofold: some respect God himselfe, and some respect man. Those which respect God, are such whereby God on his part doth offer and convay his mercies in Christ vnto man: of this sort are the preaching of the word, baptisme, and the Lords supper, and these are as it were the hand of God where∣by he reacheth downe and giueth vnto vs Christ with all his benefits. The other meanes of applying on mans part, are those whereby the saide benefites are receiued. Of this sort there is onely one, namely faith, whereby we beleeue that Christ with all his benefits belong vnto vs. And this is the hand of man whereby he receiueth Christ as he is offered, or exhibited by God in the word and sacraments. As for other meanes beside these, in Scripture we finde none. Foolish therefore is the answere of the Pa∣pist, that make mens satisfactions meanes to apply the satisfaction of Christ vnto vs: for by humane satisfactions, Christs is neither

offered on Gods part, nor yet receiued on mans part: let them prooue it if they can. O∣thers, not content with this their former an∣swer, say; that our satisfactions doe nothing derogate from the satisfaction of Christ: be∣cause our works haue their dignitie & merit from Christs satisfaction: he meriting that our workes should satisfie Gods iustice for temporall punishments. But this is also absurd and false, as the former was. For if Christ did satisfie that man might satisfie, then Christ doth make euery beleeuer to be a Christ, a Iesus, a Redeemer, & a Priest in the same or∣der with his owne selfe. But to make sinfull man his owne redeemer, though it be but from temporall punishments, is a doctrine of deuils. For the holy Ghost teacheth that the priesthood of Christ is incommunicable, & cannot passe from him to any other. Nowe to make satisfaction for sinne or any part of the punishment thereof, is a dutie, or a part of Christ his priesthood, and therefore to make satisfaction is a worke that cannot passe frō his person to the person of any man. Againe, if Christ by his satisfaction giue power to

man to satisfie, then man doth satisfie by Christ, and Christ beside his owne satisfacti∣on vpon the crosse, must daily satisfie in man, to the ende of the world: but this cannot be, for Christ vpon the crosse, when death was vpon him, said, It is finished, that is, I haue ful∣ly satisfied for all the sinnes of mankind, both in respect of the fault and punishment. As for Christs buriall and resurrection which fol∣lowed his death, they serued not to satisfie but to confirme and ratifie the same. Againe Paul saith, 2. Cor. 5. 12. He that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs, that is, the punishment of sinne for vs; but if the Church of Rome say true, that Christ doth daily satisfie, then Paul spake too short, and should haue saide further, that Christ was made sinne for vs, and in vs too: and that God was not onely in Christ but also in vs reconciling the world to himselfe. But Paul neuer knew this lear∣ning: and therefore let them turne themselues which way they will, by putting a supple∣ment to Christs satisfaction, they doe indeed annihillate the same.

Reason II. In sundrie places of Scrip∣ture,

especially in the Epistles of Paul: we are are said to be redeemed, iustified, and saued Freely: which word freely, doth import that we are iustified and saued without any thing done on out part or by our selues in the matter of our saluation: and if this be so, then can we doe nothing at all that may sa∣tisfie the iustice of God for the least punish∣ment of our sinnes. If we satisfie in our own persons we are not saued freely: and if we be saued freely, we make no satisfaction at all.

Reason III. We pray daily, forgiue vs our sinnes: now to plead pardon, & to satisfie for our sinnes be contrary: and for all things, for which we can make satisfactiō, we neede not crave a pardon; but we are taught in the foresaid petition wholly and onely to vse the plea of pardon for our sinnes, and therefore we acknowledge that we cannot make any satisfaction at all.

Reason IV. The iudgement of the aun∣cient Church. Tertul. de Baptism. Guiltines beeing taken away, the PVNISHMENT IS ALSO TAKEN AVVAY. August. Christ, by taking vpon him the punishment and not the fault,

hath done away both the fault and THE PVNI∣SHMENT. And Tom. 10. hom. 5. he saith, when we are gone out of this world, there will re∣maine no compunction or satisfaction. Some newe Editions haue foisted in the worde [aliqua] and so haue turned the sense on this manner: There will remaine no compunction or some satisfaction. But this is flatte against Augustines meaning who saith alitle before, that when the way is ended there is no com∣pounding of our cause with any. Chrysost. proem. in Esa. Say not to me, I haue sinned: how shall I be freed from so many sinnes? Thou canst not: but thy God can. Yea, and he will so blot out thy sinnes that there shall REMAINE NO PRINT OF THEM: which thing befalls not the body, for when it is healed there remaines a skarre: but God as soone as he exempts thee from punishment, he giueth thee iustice. Am∣brose saith, I reade of Peters teares, but I read not OF HIS SATISFACTION. Againe, Let vs adore Christ that he may say vnto vs, feare not thy sinnes of this world, nor the waues of bodily sufferings: I haue remission of sinnes. Hierome saith in Psal. 31. The sinne that is

couered is not seene, the sinne that is not seene is not imputed: that which is NOT IMPVTED, IS NOT PVNISHED. Chrysostome in Matth. hom. 44. Among all men, some indure punish∣ment in this life and the life to come: others in this life alone: others alone in the life to come: others neither in this life nor the life to come. There alone, as Dives, who vvas not lord so much as of one droppe of vvater. Here alone, as the incestuous man among the Co∣rinthians. Neither here nor there, as the A∣postles and Prophets, as also Iob and the rest of this kinde: for they indured NO SVFFERINGS FOR PVNISHMENT, but that they might be knowne to be conquerours in the fight.

Notes

• Super. lib. 3. dist. 19. concl. 5.
• Hebr. 7. 24.
• Serm. 37. de verbis Apost.
• Luc. 22. Pe∣trinegat.
• De bono mer