A15061:174
An answer to a certain book, writtenAn answere to a certeine booke, written
An answer to a certain book, written by Master William Rainolds student of divinity in the English college at Rhemes, and entitled, A refutation of sundry reprehensions, cavils, etc. by William Whitaker ...An answere to a certeine booke, written by Maister William Rainolds student of diuinitie in the English colledge at Rhemes, and entituled, A refutation of sundrie reprehensions, cauils, etc. by William Whitaker ...
Printed at London : For Thomas Chard, 1585
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.
Thirdly M. Rainolds saith, I understand not S. Paul, alleged by my self, that eternal life is the gift of god. Whereupon I gather that seeing it is the free gift of God, our works are not the causes thereof. For if our works were causes efficient of eternal life, the Apostle would not say that eternal life is given freely unto us by God, seeing to give freely, and to give upon desert, cannot be verified of one thing. But eternal life is a free gift, 1as the Apostle doth affirm expressly, and therefore is not purchased by merit of our good works: where ⟨p. 110⟩is to be noted the opposition between eternal death and life, touching the cause of either, which the Apostle doth so plainly propound unto us. The proper working cause of death is sin: so the Apostle saith, The wages of sin is death: 2so that no mans labour is more truly the cause of his reward, then sin is the cause of death and condemnation. Why did not S. Paul on the other side say likewise: the wages of good works is eternal life? Nay why said he the clean contrary, that eternal life is the free gift of God? Can you tell us any cause, but only to exclude from our works all merit of eternal life? And where the Apostle admonisheth us,3 to finish our salvation in fear and trembling: his meaning is nothing less then to ascribe the finishing of our salvation to good works, as though the Lord began, and left the rest for us to finish: but to teach, that we must run our race in careful obedience to Gods commandments, until we come to the end of our course, & receive our reward. Nether may you bear us in hand here, because the kingdom of god is called in the scriptures a reward of our welldoing, therefore it dependeth upon the worthiness ⟨p. 111⟩and merit of our good deeds. For it is a free reward of only grace, not of desert or merit: as the father rewardeth his son of love and favour, not of debt, seeing he oweth him nothing at all. This you have bin answered a thousand times: & though you can say nothing to purpose against it, yet you will not submit your hearts to the trueth of God, but seek occasions of wrangling without end.