Whatsoever is our own is sin.
Whatsoever is above that, is Christ's gift, purchase, doing, and
working. He bought it of his father derely with his blood, yee with
his most bitter death and gave his life for it. Whatsoever good thing
is in us, that is given us freely with out our deserving or merits
for Christ's blood's sake. That we desire to follow the will of God,
it is the gift of Christ's blood. That we now hate the devil's will
(where unto we were so fast locked, and could not but love it) is
also the gift of Christ's blood, unto whom belongeth the praise and
honour of our good deeds, and not unto us.
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(Preface of the Worms octavo edition of 1526.)
To the Reader.
Give diligence, reader (I exhort thee) that thou come with a pure
mind, and, as the Scripture saith, with a single eye, unto the words
of health and of eternal life, by the which (if we repent and believe
them) we are born anew, created afresh, and enjoy the fruits of the
blood of Christ. Which blood crieth not for vengeance, as the blood
of Abel, but hath purchased life, love, favor, grace, blessing, and
whatsoever is promised in the Scriptures, to them that believe and
obey God, and standeth between us and wrath, vengeance, curse, and
whatsoever the Scripture threateneth against the unbelievers and
disobedient, which resist, and consent not in their hearts to the law
of God, that it is right, holy, just, and ought so to be.
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