A92141:1191
Influences of the life of grace
Influences of the life of grace. Or, A practical treatise concerning the way, manner, and means of having and improving of spiritual dispositions, and quickening influences from Christ the resurrection and the life. By Samuel Rutherfurd, Professor of Divinity in the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.Influences of the life of grace. Or, A practical treatise concerning the way, manner, and means of having and improving of spiritual dispositions, and quickning influences from Christ the resurrection and the life. By Samuel Rutherfurd, Professor of Divinity in the Vniversity of St. Andrews in Scotland.
London: printed by T.C. for Andrew Crook, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Assert. 2. But the habit and seed of God being within, though the indisposition be great, yet we would act, do well.
Assert. 2. But the habit and seed of God being within, though the indisposition be great, yet we would act, doe well.
2. Because a natural heat in literal stirring doth pre-paratively work upon the soul (though not by way of any Gospel-promise) to make it ready to receive an influence of believing. Moses his wondering at the bushes burning, and it was not consumed, made him draw near to see more of God, and the acting of faith: and wondering ripened Christs hearers for influences of believing; so Cant. 5. 6. Moving of the bowels makes way for influences of opening to let the Beloved in, and of praying and seeking.
2. The very noise and literal stirrings in these actings, have far-off acting upon the dead habit to awake it up; so beating of the lump of perfume,1 wakens up the smell. The blowing of the wind on the garden of delicious flowers extracts sweet smelling: the first three or four throwings of the iron bolt in the ship, brings not out water; but five or six causes the water to flow out apace. The two disciples conferring, Luke 24. concerning Christ crucified, seem cold and indifferent; yea there is much unbelief and deadness on the Spirit, v. 21. We trusted that it should have been he which should have restored Israel; though they say he was a Prophet mighty in word and deed before God and all the people, v. 19. Yet their speech saith their heart was very cold concerning his office as Redeemer, and concerning his Resurrection; but they go on in the conference, and pursue the duty, though literally, till he begun, v. 25, 26, 27. to open the Scriptures to them, and then the heart begins to burn with heat, v. 32. It's considerable that the woman of Samaria's is very literal at the beginning, and only concerning Jacobs well; yet she going on in the conference, there comes a warmness, and a liking, and a seeking of the water of life, and a discerning of Christ to be a Prophet; and at length a warmness, of faith in believing him to be Christ, and a leaving of the water-pot, and a running to the City to invite others to come to Christ.