Harris:

Ob[jection]. I but (will some say) I am not only free from all gross sins, but I have received many gifts and graces of God’s Spirit, for I have a good measure of knowledge, and am able to repeat you a sermon, almost word for word; besides that, I have faith, and am able to pray, &c.

Answ[er]. There are graces of two sorts. First, common graces, which even reprobates may have. Secondly, peculiar, such as accompany salvation, as the Apostle has it, proper to God’s own children only. The matter is not whether we have the first sort of graces, for those do not seal up God’s special love to a man’s soul, but it must be saving grace alone that can do this for us. Now that’s saving grace that tends, first, to humbling of the man in whom it is: Secondly, to mercy towards others: Thirdly to edification of others &c. Search then, is the grace you speak of in yourselves such, as that the more you know, the more you understand, the more you believe, the more humble you are, and base in your own eyes, the more mercy you show to your brethren, the readier you are, and desirous to build up others, and the more thankful to God for a Christ? Then you say somewhat to the purpose, else not.

Robert Harris, “The Nineteenth Sermon. Matth. 5:9. Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall bee called the sonnes of God,” in The Works of Robert Harris, (London: Printed by R.Y. for J. Bartlet in Cheape-side in the Gold-smiths-row at the signe of the Gilt-Cup, 1635), 421.

[Note: It seems a shame that so many of us who have been humbled by grace, have not the spirit of grace, which Harris calls for.]