A49244:528
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 13: XIII. 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.
5. To weak Christians. Do not deny the ⟨p. 160⟩truth of grace in your souls, because you cannot find the strength of grace in your souls. A poor weak man in a Consumption cannot lift up such a weight, nor can he bear such a burden as a man in strength and health can do, yet he hath life as well as the strongest man in the world. It may be day when it is not noon, thou mayst in respect of spiritual estate, have the strength of a child, though not the strength of a man. It is not only an act of untbank fullness to God; but also of uncharitableness to a mans own soul, to conclude a nullity of grace from the weakness of it.
5. To weak Chaistians. Do not deny the ⟨p. 160⟩truth of grace in your souls, because you cannot finde the strength of grace in your souls. A poor weak man in a Consumption cannot lift up such a weight, nor can he bear such a burden as a man in strength and health can do, yet he hath life as well as the strongest man in the world. It may be day when it is not noon, thou mayst in respect of spiritual estate, have the strength of a child, though not the strength of a man. It is not only an act of untbank fulnesse to God; but also of uncharitablenesse to a mans own soul, to conclude a nullity of grace from the weaknesse of it.
6. Look not so much on your sins, but look upon your grace also, though weak grace. Weak Christians look more on their sins then on their graces, yet God looks on their graces, and overlooks their sins and infirmities: saith the Holy Ghost,1 Ye have heard of the patience of Job. He might also have said, Ye have heard of the impatience of Job, but God reckons of his people, not by what is bad in them, but by what is good in them. Mention is made of Rehabs entertainment of the spies, but no mention is made that she told the lie when she did so, that which was well done was mentioned to her praise, and what was amiss is buried in silence, or at least is not recorded against her and charged upon her. He that drew the picture of Alexander with his scar on his face, drew him with his finger on his scar. God lays