A92141:1311
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.
Quest. How is it then that the soul is under sweet dispositions and plenty of means, and yet wants influences?
Answ. This is to show the absolute freedom of grace, as Cant. 1. the Spouse is in a sweet condition, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for his love is better then ⟨p. 380⟩wine. 3. Because of the savour of thy good ointments, thy name is ointment poured out, therefore do the virgins love thee. 4. The King brought me into his chambers; yet she stands in need of a pull, draw me. v. 7. Tell thou me (O thou whom my soul loves) where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon-day. Here is a soul in love, longing to be embraced and kissed, smelling Christs precious ointments, taken in to the Kings chamber; yet the prayer to be drawn, and to be instructed where to find him, teacheth, that some are at the well-head, and yet thirsty, and in Christs banqueting house, and yet the praying of such to be drawn, speaks want of influences, and hunger for more, except Christ intimately apply his influences to will and to do. Cant. 2. 4. He brought me into his banqueting house, his banner over me was love. 6. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. What is here wanting? is not this paradise come down from heaven? but the prayer, v. 5. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love, is a strong evidence that the Spouse, even in Christs arms, and in his house of wine, where are all the refreshments of heaven, is not sick only, but fallen into a deep swoon, if Christ hold not up the head, and stay the soul with quickening influences: what then could you make of heaven it self, and of Christs sweetest embracements, if he teach not how to improve the fullness of this free love in sweetest actings of heavenly duties? When John is in heaven, and sees heavens glory, yet if the present actings of the spirit go not betwixt him and Angel-worship he roves; influences must then make Christ to be Christ, and heaven to be heaven, and the Spirit must open and let out upon the withered soul streams of the well of life, otherwise there is the banqueting house of wine, and there is yet the hungry and swooning Spouse; there is heaven and fullness of glory, and there is yet miscarrying John: