A57963:404
Christ Dying and Drawing Sinners to Himself
Christ dying and drawing sinners to himself, or, A survey of our Saviour in his soul-suffering, his loveliness in his death, and the efficacy thereof in which some cases of soul-trouble in week believers ... are opened ... delivered in sermons on the Evangel according to S. John Chap. XII, vers. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 ... / by Samuel Rutherford.Christ dying and drawing sinners to himself, or, A survey of our Saviour in his soule-suffering, his lovelynesse in his death, and the efficacie thereof in which some cases of soule-trouble in weeke beleevers ... are opened ... delivered in sermons on the Evangel according to S. John Chap. XII, vers. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 ... / by Samuel Rutherford.
London: printed by J.D. for Andrew Crooke, 1647
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.
4. Since there is not a Fatum, nor an Adamantine destiny §4and irrevocable decree but this; is it holy wisdom to knock hard heads with God? Its true, Pride grows green, and casteth out its golden branches in the fattest soil: But Job 9.4. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered? There is infinite wisdom in God, and infinite power to bring to pas•e his Decrees; will clay counterwork Gods infinite counsel? The Former of all things makes fire-works under the earth against sinners; can sinners make counter-mines to out-work the Almighty? Sure if he be wise in heart, who hath a most eminent, holy, and just providence in all that falleth out, when we hear that the Gospel, and the Church of Christ are oppressed in judgement, we are to look on that oppression, as on the sin of other men, and as our cross, and to mourn for it: In the former consideration, and in the latter, as it troubles us, to judge it good, necessary, and better, then if it had been otherwise. The formal ⟨p. 155⟩reason of goodness is the will of God, and your judgement is to esteem that good, which is ill to you, though it be sour and heavy; for it hath goodness from this, and goodness to you that the Lord hath decreed it; to be sour and sweet make up a middle taste most pleasant; Christ twisteth black and white in one web; the Jews sins, which he willeth not; and their sin is the redemption of man, which he loveth; and these two are pleasant to behold, and when they are mixed in one, and come from the most wise God, they have beauty to God, far be it from me, to judge them black, or unjust, which are fair to him.
4. Since there is not a Fatum, nor an Adamantine destiny §4and irrevocable decree but this; is it holy wisdome to knocke hard heads with God? Its true, Pride growes greene, and casteth out its golden branches in the fattest soile: But Job 9.4. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who hath hardned himselfe against him, and prospered? There is infinite wisdome in God, and infinite power to bring to pase his Decrees; will clay counterworke Gods infinite counsell? The Former of all things makes fire-workes under the earth against sinners; can sinners make counter-mines to out-worke the Almighty? Sure if he be wise in heart, who hath a most eminent, holy, and just providence in all that falleth out, when we heare that the Gospell, and the Church of Christ are oppressed in judgement, we are to looke on that oppression, as on the sinne of other men, and as our crosse, and to mourne for it: In the former consideration, and in the latter, as it troubles us, to judge it good, necessary, and better, then if it had been otherwise. The formall