A49244:177
Grace: the truth and growth and different degrees thereof. The sum and substance of…Grace: the truth and growth and different degrees thereof. The summe and substance of…
Grace: the truth and growth and different degrees thereof. The sum and substance of XV. sermons. Preached by that faithful and painful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Lawrence Jury, London. They being his last sermons. To which is added a funeral sermon, being the very last sermon he ever preached.Grace: the truth and growth and different degrees thereof. The summe and substance of XV. sermons. Preached by that faithful and painful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Lawrence Jury, London. They being his last sermons. To which is added a funerall sermon, being the very last sermon he ever preached.
London: printed by E.G. for J. Rothwell, 1652
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.
2. Desires after grace are joined with holy endeavours; and therefore the Apostle joins desire and zeal together;1 to intimate that true desires are always joined with zealous endeavours. Thus the Apostle also joineth a readiness of will, and performance together. God will never accept the will for the deed, unless there be an endeavour to perform,2 what we say we are willing to do. And therefore Solomon rightly describes, how pernicious desires are without endeavours. The desires of the slothful (saith he) kill him, because his hands refuse to labour. Bernard describes the laziness to the life: Carnal men love to obtain, 3but love not to follow Christ: they will not endeavour to seek him whom they desire so find.4
2. Desires after grace are joyned with holy indeavours; and therefore the Apostle joyns desire and zeal together;1 to intimate that true desires are alwayes joyned with zealous indeavours. Thus the Apostle also joyneth a readinesse of will, and performance together. God will never accept the will for the deed, unlesse there be an indeavour to performe,2 what we say we are willing to do. And therefore Solomon rightly describes, how pernicious desires are without indeavours. The desires of the flothfull (saith he) kil him, because his hands refuse to labour. Bernard describes the lazinesse to the life: Carnal men love to obtain, 3but love not to follow Christ: they will not indeavour to seek him whom they desire so finde.4