A92141:1240
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.
CHAP. XIIII.
The Law discovereth the disease, but heals it not. 2. How nature begins, and the spirit acts. 3. We, not God, in withdrawing his grace must be the culpable cause of non conversion. 4. Some truth we must first physically hear and consider, before we believe.
Knowledge, or the commanding Law strengthens the wicked desire by forbidding it. A strong stream runs with more strength that a dike of stone and clay stands in its way: I know not (saith Augustine) epist. contra Hilarium 89, &c. de spir. & lit. 4. how that which is desired becomes more pleasant, because it is forbidden: Nescio quo enim modo hoc ipsum quod concupiscitur, 1fit jucundius, dumb vetatur; the letter of the Law or bare knowledge meets with unrenewed nature, and then a severe master and a froward servant make no work betwixt them: the Law came in, that sin might abound, Rom. 5. Jubet (Lex) magis quam juvat, docet morbum esse, non sanat; imo ab eo quod non sanatur, augetur, ut attentius & sollicitius gratiae medicina quaeratur; The Law commands, but it helps not, it teacheth the disease to be there, but heals it not.
KNowledge, or the commanding Law strengthens the wicked desire by forbidding it. A strong stream runs with more strength that a dike of stone and clay stands in its way: I know not (saith Augustine) epist. contra Hilarium 89, &c. de spir. & lit. 4. how that which is desired becomes more pleasant, because it is forbidden: Nescio quo enim modo hoc ipsum quod concupiscitur,