A Grain of Mustard Seed, Title page – Dedication
A GRAINE OF MVSTERD-SEEDE Or, THE LEAST MEAsure of grace that is or can be effectuall to Saluation.
Corrected and amended by W. Perkins.
Printed at London by Iohn Legate, Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. 1611.
And are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard as the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson.
To the right honourable and vertuous Lady the Ladie Margaret, Countesse of Cumberland, Grace and Peace.
RIght Honourable, the kingdome of heauen, of which the scripture speaketh so oft, is properly a certaine state or condition, whereby wee stand in the fauour and louelove of God, in and by Christ. And this kingdome is compared to a Graine of Musterd-seede, to teach vsus that a man is euen at that instant alreadie entred into the kingdome of heauen, when the Lord that good husbandman hath cast but some little portion of faith or repentance into the ground of the heart; yea, though it be but as one graine of musterd-seede. Of this little graine I hauehave penned this Treatise, in quantitie answerable thereto: and I now present the same to your Ladishippe, not to supplie your want, (for I hope you are stored with many graines of this kinde) but to performe some dutie on my part. Hoping therefore that your Ladiship will read and accept the same, I take my leaue, commending you to the blessing and protection of the Almightie.
Your Honours to command, W. Perkins.
A GRAINE of Musterd-seede, Or, the least measure of grace, that is, or can be effectuall to Saluation.
IT is a very necessary point to be knowne, what is the least measure of grace that can befall the true childe of God, lesser then which, there is no grace effectuall to saluation. For first of all, the right vnderstanding of this point, is the very foundation of true comfort vntounto all troubled & touched cōsciences. Secondly, it is a notable meanes to stirre vp thankefulnesse in them that hauehave any grace at all; when they shall in examination of then selues consider, that they hauehave receiued of God the least measure of grace, or more. Thirdly, it will be an inducement, and a spurre vntounto many carelesse and vnrepentant persons, to embrace the gospel, and to beginne repentance for their sinnes; when they shall perceiue, and that by the word of God, that God accepts the very seeds and rudiments of faith and repentance at the first, though they be but in measure as a Graine of Musterd-seed. Now then for opening and clearing of this point: I will set downe fiue seuerall conclusions, in such order as one shall confirme and explane the other, and one depend vponupon the other.