“Whence Christ calls the cup which he gives to his disciples in the supper, “the cup of the New Testament in his blood;”(1070) to signify that when the testament of God is sealed with his blood, the truth of it is then accomplished, and thus it is made new and eternal.”
“Whence he elsewhere calls a legitimate prayer “the prayer of faith.”[300] Besides, when God so frequently affirms, that he will give to every man according to his faith, he implies that we can obtain nothing without faith.”
“Whence the Lord, by the Prophet, promises, as an instance of peculiar grace, that he will give the Israelites “a heart to know” him;(585) plainly suggesting that the mind of man has no spiritual wisdom any further than as it is enlightened by him.”
“Whence these expressions: “He shall abide in the tabernacle of the Lord, that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness,” &c.,(1823) because it is very unbecoming the sanctuary which he inhabits, to be rendered as filthy as a stable.”
“Wherefore faith, having apprehended the love of God, has promises for the present life and the life to come, and a solid assurance of all blessings; but it is such an assurance as may be derived from the Divine word.”
“Wherefore it ought to be held as a certain conclusion, that from the Divine liberality, by the intervention of the merit of Christ, through the sanctification of the Spirit, pardon of sins has been, and is daily, bestowed upon us, who have been admitted and ingrafted into the body of the Church.”
“Wherefore, such forms of expression do not clearly explain the nature of God, but accommodate the knowledge of him to our narrow capacity; to accomplish which, the Scripture must necessarily descend far below the height of his majesty.”
“Wherefore, though the preaching of the cross is not agreeable to human reason, we ought, nevertheless, to embrace it with all humility, if we desire to return to God our Creator, from whom we have been alienated, and to have him reassume the character of our Father.”
“Wherefore, when we exclude the confidence of works, we only mean that the mind of a Christian should not be directed to any merit of works as a mean of salvation; but should altogether rely on the gratuitous promise of righteousness.”
“While the Scripture clearly testifies that it is the duty of a presbyter to govern his own Church,[855] is it not an impious profanation to transfer to another object, or rather to make a total change in, God’s sacred institution?”
“Whosoever therefore engages in prayer, should be displeased with himself on account of his sins, and assume, what he cannot do without repentance, the character and disposition of a beggar.”
“Why, then, does Christ assign a new period, when his disciples shall begin to pray in his name, but because this grace, being now become more illustrious, deserves to be more strongly recommended to us?”
“With a similar fallacy Augustine used to be teased by the Pelagians, who maintained that it is an injury to God, to say that he commands more than the faithful through his grace are able to perform.”
“Yet he is not so terrified at the apprehension of his justice, as to wish to evade it, even if escape were possible; but loves him as much in punishing the wicked as in blessing the pious, because he believes it as necessary to his glory to punish the impious and abandoned, as to reward the righteous with eternal life.”
“Yet his limitation is neither false nor contrary to his command, when he says, “No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.”[517] Let preaching therefore have its course to bring men to faith, and by a continual progress to promote their perseverance.”
“Yet, in opposition to the whole tenor of Scripture, they presumptuously dignify such a persuasion, destitute of the fear of God, with the name of faith.”
