A15061:187
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.
Now let us descend lower to S. Bernard, who lived after Saint Gregory five hundred years, and see how the same doctrine hath been continued, and believed of the godly.1 Thus writeth Saint Bernard: It sufficeth to me for all righteousness, to have him alone merciful to me, to whom alone ⟨p. 126⟩I have sinned. All that he hath decreed not to impute to me, is as though it had not been at all. 2Not to sin, is Gods justice: mans justice is the mercifulness of God. In another sermon upon the same book, If (saith he) the mercies of God are from everlasting and for ever, I also will sing the mercies of God for ever. Shall I sing mine own righteousness? Lord I will remember thy righteousness only. For that is mine also. For thou art made unto me of God righteousness. Need I fear lest that one be not sufficient for us both? It is not a short cloak, which (as the Prophet saith) cannot cover two. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness. What is longer, then eternity? It will cover both thee & me largely, being a large and everlasting righteousness. And in me it covereth the multitude of sins: in thee O Lord, what else, but the treasures of piety, the riches of goodness? Here S. Bernard teacheth us two points against the Papists: one, that our righteousness, whereby we are justified before god, is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us: an other, that we are saved not by the goodness and desert of our works, but by covering and forgiving of our sins.3 Thus in an other place saith he to like purpose, A man was indebted, and ⟨p. 127⟩a man made payment. For if one (saith he) died for all, therefore all are dead, 4that the satisfaction of one might be imputed to all, as he alone bare the sins of all. Again in this same epistle he saith, Therefore where reconciliation is, there is remission of sins, and what is that else, but justification? If remission of our sins be our justification, then can not the Popish doctrine be allowed, which teacheth that we are justified and saved by our merits. Yet further in an other place the same good father.