A09436:30
A grain of mustard-seed or, the least measure of grace that is or can be effectual to salvation. Corrected and amended by W. Perkins.A graine of musterd-seede or, the least measure of grace that is or can be effectuall to saluation. Corrected and amended by W. Perkins.
London: printed by John Legate, 1611London: printed by Iohn Legate, 1611
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
That is, if men endeavour to please God in all things, God will not judge their doings by the rigour of his law: but will accept their little and weak endeavour, to do that which they can do by ⟨p. 41⟩his grace, as if they had perfectly fulfilled the law. But here remember I put this caveat; that this endeavour must be in and by the whole man; the very mind, conscience, will, and affections doing that which they can in their kinds: and thus the endeavour to obey which is a fruit of the spirit, shall be distinguished from civil righteousness, which may be in heathen men, and is only in the outward, and not in the inward man. The trueth of this conclusion appears by that which the Prophet Malachi saith, that God will spare them that fear him, as a father spares his child: who accepts the thing done, as well done, if the child show his good will ⟨p. 42⟩to please his father, and to do what he can.
THat is, if men endeauour to please God in all things, God will not iudge their doings by the rigour of his law: but will accept their litle and weake endeauour, to do that which they can do by ⟨p. 41⟩his grace, as if they had perfectly fulfilled the lawe. But heere remember I put this caueat; that this indeeuour must bee in and by the whole man; the very minde, conscience, will, and affections doing that which they can in their kindes: and thus the endeauour to obey which is a fruit of the spirit, shall bee distinguished from ciuil righteousnesse, which may bee in heathen men, and is onely in the outward, and not in the inward man. The trueth of this conclusion appeares by that which the Prophet Malachi saith, that God will spare thē that feare him, as a father spares his childe: who accepts the thing done, as well done, if the child shew his good will ⟨p. 42⟩to please his father, and to doe what he can.
Understand this conclusion as the former, namely that grief of the hart for the want of any grace necessary to salvation, is as much with god as the grace it self. When being in distress, we cannot pray as we ought God accepts the very groans, sobs, and sighs of the perplexed ⟨p. 43⟩heart, as the prayer it self. Rom. 8. 26. When we are grieved, because we cannot be grieved for our sins, it is a degree & measure of godly sorrow before God.1 Augustine saith well: Sometimes our prayer is lukewarm, or rather cold and almost no prayer: nay sometime it is altogether no prayer at all, and yet we cannot with grief perceive this in our selves: for if we can but grieve because we cannot pray, we now pray indeed. Hierom saith,2 Then we are just when we do acknowledge our selves to be sinners: Again, this is the true wisdom of man, to know himself to be imperfect: And (that I may so speak) the perfection of all just men in the flesh is imperfect: Augustine again saith ⟨p. 44⟩That the virtue which is now in a just man is thus far forth perfect, that unto the perfection thereof, there belongs a true acknowledgement and an humble confession of the imperfection thereof. A broken and contrite heart after an offence, is as much with God, as if there had bin no offence at all. And therefore so soon as David after his grievous fall, in heaviness of heart confessed his sin, saying in effect but thus much: I have sinned, the Prophet in the name of the Lord pronounceth the pardon of his sin in heaven, and that presently.
VNderstand this conclusion as the former, namely that griefe of the hart for the want of any grace necessarie to saluation, is as much with god as the grace it selfe. Whē beeing in distresse, we cannot pray as we ought God accepts the very groanes, sobs, and sighes of the perplexed ⟨p. 43⟩heart, as the praier it selfe. Rom. 8. 26
Sundry persons by the Evangelists are said to believe, which had only seen the miracles of Christ, and as yet had made no further proceedings, but to acknowledge Christ to be the Messiah; and to submit themselves to him & his doctrine, which afterward should be taught. On this manner the woman of Samaria believed, and many of ⟨p. 46⟩the Samaritans upon her report: and a certain ruler, by reason of a miracle wrought upon his son, is said to believe, and all his household. Joh. 4. 42. 52. When our Saviour Christ commended the faith of the Apostles, terming it a rock, against which the gates of hell should not prevail, it was not the plentiful knowledge of the doctrine of salvation: for they were ignorant of many articles of faith, as namely of the death, resurrection, ascension, and kingdom of Christ: but because they believed him to be the Son of God, & the saviour of mankind, and they had withal resolved themselves to cleave unto him, and the blessed doctrine of salvation ⟨p. 47⟩which he taught, though as yet they were ignorant in many points. The holy Ghost commendeth the faith of Rahab when she received the spies. Now this her faith was indeed but a seed and beginning of lively faith: for then she had only heard of the miracles done in Egypt, and of the deliverance of the Israelites, and was thereupon smitten with fear, and had conceived a resolution with her self, to join her self to the Israelites, and to worship the true God. Now these and the like, are termed believers, upon just cause: for though they be ignorant as yet, yet their ignorance shall be no continuing or lasting ignorance: and they have excellent ⟨p. 48⟩seeds of grace, namely a purpose of hart to cleave to Christ, and a care to profit in the doctrine of salvation, whereof they have some little knowledge.
SVndry persons by the Euangelists are said to beleeue, which had onely seene the miracles of Christ, and as yet had made no further proceedings, but to acknowledge Christ to be the Messias; and to submit themselues to him & his doctrine, which afterward should be taught. On this maner the woman of Samaria belieued, and many of ⟨p. 46⟩
