A49244:180
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.
5. We may know the truth of grace though it be little, by the earnest desire after the Word and the means of grace.—Thus Peter sets forth our desires,1 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. There is in a child a natural instinct as soon as ever it is born, to desire after the mothers breast: the Apostle makes it a resemblance of a spiritual man; a man spiritually new born, will desire after the Word, the means of grace, that he may grow in grace.
5. We may know the truth of grace though it be little, by the earnest desire after the Word and the means of grace.—Thus Peter sets forth our desires,1 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. There is in a child a natural instinct as soon as ever it is born, to desire after the mothers breast: the Apostle makes it a resemblance of a spiritual man; a man spiritually new born, wil desire after the Word, the means of grace, that he may grow in grace.
6. An endeared love to those that have grace.1 By this you know you are past from death to life, because you love the brethren. Casuists upon this text, say, that love to Gods children is the first grace, and first appears in young converts. The natives in New England, it is observed, upon their conversion, (for God hath begun there to bring some of those poor creatures from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to himself) the first appearance of grace in them, is in their love and respect to those that are truly gracious. Thus I have showed you an answer to the question, what are the least measures of grace, without which, or some of them, a man cannot be said to have grace, and wheresoever any of these are, that mans condition is safe, and these little measures of grace will bring a man to heaven.