A49244:503
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.
Sermon 12: XII. Sermon At Lawrence Jury, London. April 20, 1651.
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.
3. If you have not a calling to use or put forth the exercise of your gifts.1 Your gifts may decay, though grace do not decay. Gifts are increased by exercise, the less they are exercised the more they decay: if thou hast not an opportunity to exercise thy gifts as in former times, to pray in company, to use holy conference, as in former times thou hadst; in such a case a Christian who is strong in grace may grow weaker in gifts.
3. If you have not a calling to use or put forth the exercise of your gifts.1 Your gifts may decay, though grace do not decay. Gifts are encreased by exercise, the lesse they are exercised the more they decay: if thou hast not an opportunity to exercise thy gifts as in former times, to pray in company, to use holy conference, as in former times thou hadst; in such a case a Christian who is strong in grace may grow weaker in gifts.
- 1Case 3.
4. If what you want in gifts you make up in humility.1 Strength of grace is not to be measured by notions and speculations in the head, but by humility in the heart; therefore if thy gifts be weak, if thy humility be great, thou hast strength of grace: the less blossoms there are on the branches, the more sap there is in the root. He that hath great parts, and is proud of them, it is much to be feared hath less grace, then that man who hath but few gifts, and low parts; but in the sense of their own weakness, hath low and self-denying thoughts of himself.2
4. If what you want in gifts you make up in humility.1