A92141:1268
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.
But 1. he makes no mention of Christ, his death and merit, which is the only meritorious cause of effectual calling of the chosen. A spiritual soul loves the strongly prevailing power of Christ's calling, the more strongly that it is a work of saving grace, and of the grace of Christ, Rom. 3. 14.
2. The man is equally Lord of heaven and hell who hath salvation in his power by this way, as men have by the Jesuits way; but all men by this way have in their power this prevening grace: for if they do what in them is, and eschew sins, against the law of nature, which Cumel saith they may do, (for such sins are the only impediment of grace) they may be saved; not by merit, as the Jesuits say, but by free-grace, as Dominicans say: but as to the matter Cumel conspires with the Jesuits; call it merit, or give it another name, it's against the Scriptures to teach that all the Americans, Brazilians and Heathen have the prevening grace of God and salvation in their power.
2. The man is equally Lord of heaven and hell who hath salvation in his power by this way, as men have by the Jesuits way; but all men by this way have in their power this prevening grace: for if they do what in them is, and eschew sins, against the law of nature, which Cumel saith they may do, (for such sins are the only impediment of grace) they may be saved; not by merit, as the Jesuits say, but by free-grace, as Dominicans say: but as to the matter Cumel conspires with the Jesuits; call it merit, or give it another name, it's against the Scriptures to teach that all the Americans, Brasilians and Heathen have the prevening grace of God and salvation in their power.
And 2. That though all men may lay an impediment to the prevening grace of God, yet they may fulfil the law of nature, and eschew all mortal sin, which if they do, infallibly the Lord bestows prevening grace upon the Americans; for the Scripture saith, We are dead in sins and trespasses,