But saith Ihon (in the same place) grace and verity is
given us in Christ. So that when the law hath passed upon us, and
condemned us to death (which is his nature to do) then have we in
Christ grace, that is to say favour, promises of life, of mercy, of
pardon freely by the merits of Christ, and in Christ have we verity
and troth, in that God fulfilleth all his promises to them that
believe. Therefore is the gospell the ministration of life. Paul
calleth it, in the fore rehearsed place of the second chap. To the
Cor. The ministration of the spirit, and of righteousness. In the
gospell when we believe the promises, we receive the spirit of life,
and are justified in the blood of Christ from all things where of the
law condemned us. Of Christ it is written in the fore rehearsed first
chapter of Ihon: This is he of whose abundance, or fullness, all we
have received, grace for grace, or favour for favour. That is to say,
for the favour that God hath to his son Christ, he giveth unto us his
favour, and good will, as a father to his sons. As affirmeth Paul
saying: which loved us in his beloved before the creation of the
world. For the love that God hath to Christ, he loveth us, and not
for our own faith. Christ is made lord over all, and is called in
scripture God's mercy foretold whosoever flyeth to Christ, can
neither bear nor receive of God any other thing save mercy.
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