The child of God is like a lame man that goes the right way, but yet halts at every step. Abraham and Sarah desire issue, that is from the Spirit; but they desire issue by Hagar their handmaid, that is from the flesh. Rebekah seeks the blessing for Jacob, that is a work of the Spirit; but she seeks it by lying, that is from the flesh. Peter eats with the Gentiles, that is from Christian liberty. He afterwards separates himself, that is from corruption. Thus we see that the best works are imperfect and mixed with corruption, and that for the best works we must humble ourselves and seek pardon, not in respect of the goodness of the work, but in respect of the defect thereof.
William Perkins, Commentary on Galatians, in Works, 2:103 (HT: Inwoo Lee).
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- William Perkins: Both Justification And Salvation Are Through Faith Alone
- Perkins: Justification Is The Foundation Of The House
- Perkins On Sanctification In Galatians 5:6
- Perkins: The Doctrine Of A Two-Stage Justification Is A “Popish Device”
- Perkins: We Exclude Good Works From The Act Of Justification And Salvation
- Sanctification Is A Work Of God’s Grace: Resources On Sanctification
Thanks for the sermon padding! I’ll be using it tomorrow on my BC #24 part IV sermon entitled “The Value of Good Works”…would it be plagiarism to give the full credit to Perkins or am I bound to mention the hand (blogger) who gave it to me?
You credit Perkins. I am just the messenger. May the Lord bless your ministry tomorrow.
I mentioned you anyway just the same. It’s cheap advertising for the Blog, where I am delighted to send folks for sound instruction and spiritual benefit. These quotes you cull are just priceless. Keep up the good work Dr. Clark
Thank you Pastor. Inwoo Lee has been sending many of these Perkins quotes.
Quotes? Did someone say quotes? “Augustine’s argument against the Pelagians is so supremely excellent that almost all his other works seem rather dull in comparison.” – Philip Melancthon, Loci Communes, 1, III. 1521. Tr. Christian Preuss. St Louis: Concordia, 2015. p. 29.