A15061:182
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.
Origene lived before S. Augustine two hundred years, and was for his learning and skill in the scriptures universally renowned, although he be not sound in every point of Christian faith. Let us […] what he hath delivered unto us concerning this question in hand, whether our works can merit the kingdom of heaven. These are his words:1 But when I consider the loftiness of the words, in that the Apostle sayeth, to him that worketh, recompense is made according to debt, I scarcely believe, that there can be any work, that may of due demand the reward of God, for so much as even this same, that we can do, or think, or speak any thing, 2we do it by his gift and bounty. Then how can he owe us any thing, whose grace did prevent us? And therefore we must rather consider, least perhaps, that he said, To him that worketh, the reward shall be imputed according to debt, ought to be understood ⟨p. 121⟩of the debt due to the wicked work. For that debts are called sins in the holy Scriptures, you shall often find. Then he allegeth sundry places to this purpose, and afterwards proceedeth thus: whereupon the same Apostle in an other place saith, the wages of sin is death: and he added not and said likewise, And the wages of justice is eternal life, 3but he saith, But eternal life is the gracious gift of God; to teach us, that wages which is like to debt and reward, is a recompense of punishment and death, and to assign eternal life to grace only. And thus determining that reward according to debt belongeth to the wicked in respect of their works, but not the believers, he goeth on forward and saith, To confirm as it were his former saying, to him that worketh not, but believeth in him, that justifieth the wicked, his faith is imputed for righteousness. the Apostle taketh a testimony out of the psalms, and saith, 4As David doth declare the blessedness of the man, whom the Lord accounteth righteous without works. This is Origenes judgement, that our ill deeds deserve of due and debt punishment, and condemnation, but that our good deeds cannot merit the reward of eternal life: & so hath he discovered the