37. If thou believe, thou shalt not only
receive remission of sins, but also do things which pass man’s
power The same twofold grace
is ascribed to Baptism in Cat. xiii. 23: “Thou receivest
now remission of thy sins, and the gifts of the King’s spiritual
bounty.”. And mayest thou be worthy of the gift
of prophecy also! For thou shalt receive grace according to the
measure of thy capacity and not of my words; for I may possibly speak
of but small things, yet thou mayest receive greater; since faith is a
large affair πραγματεία.
Cf. 2 Tim. ii. 4; and Luke xix. 13: Trade
(πραγματεύεοθε) till I come.. All thy life
long will thy guardian the Comforter abide with thee; He will care for
thee, as for his own soldier; for thy goings out, and thy comings in,
and thy plotting foes. And He will give thee gifts of grace of
every kind, if thou grieve Him not by sin; for it is written, And
grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye were sealed unto the day
of redemption Eph. iv. 30.. What then,
beloved, is it to preserve grace? Be ye ready to receive grace,
and when ye have received it, cast it not away.