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…

4. If thou hast strong affections that carry thee to Christ,¹ certainly thou hast grace, though thy strong corruptions often carry thee from Christ. Peter had more infirmities and corruptions and sins, then all the disciples besides (excepting Judas.) He took Christ aside, gave him carnal counsel, and said as to his sufferings,² Far be it from the Lord, this shall not be unto thee; for which Christ said to him, Get thee behind me, Satan. He dreams of merit, and boasts of what he had done for Christ, at it is observed of him, when he said to Christ,³ Behold, we have forsaken all and followed thee, what shall we have therefore? Peter of all the disciples was the most confident of his own strength; and boasts what he would do and suffer for Christ; Though all men should be offended because of thee; ⁴yet will I never be offended. And if I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Nay and presently after this confident undertaking, Peter denies Christ, and swear: and curses that he knew him not. Some observe, that Peters cursing, was not only his cursing of himself if he knew Christ, but that he also cursed Jesus Christ, that so he might appear to them to be none of his disciples; and yet notwithstanding all this Peter had not only truth and reality, but eminency ⟨p. 113⟩and strength of grace: for though temptations and corruptions did sometimes prevail, yet he had strong affections towards Jesus Christ; he did and suffered that which few or none of the other disciples did.

4. If thou hast strong affections that carry thee to Christ,¹ certainly thou hast grace, though thy strong corruptions often carry thee from Christ. Peter had more infirmities and corruptions and sins, then all the disciples besides (excepting Judas.) He tooke Christ aside, gave him carnal counsel, and said as to his sufferings,²