A92141:1382
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.
18.1 If we should distinguish betwixt thoughts and conquering, and victorious thoughts. 2. Betwixt fixed and wanton carelessly feeling thoughts. 3. Betwixt guarded and well watched hearts, and masterless hearts; we should know that we hinder and obstruct influences though Sovereignty dispense gracious influences by sinful thoughts, the thoughts being the wings of the soul; can influences have a seat on thoughts marred by us? surely no more then a bird can fly with broken wings; and the God of nature doth not join his influences with causes impossible to act; he concurs not with the bird to fly when the wings are broken; nor the running of a dead horse, though one should ride on a carrion, and use spur and rod. But when the thoughts are seasoned with the heavenly disposition of a renewed heart, as the buds and blossoms of the vine-tree are in a nearest way to receive influences from the God of nature to become excellent wine-berries, and the most refined earth near to be turned into gold, and to receive influences for that effect; so a heart gratified with heavenly dispositions must be a subject for heavenly ⟨p. 406⟩thoughts, and if there be a holy heart, heavenly meditations come out in the night, Psal. 63. 6, 7. Psalm 139. 17. Phil. 3. 19, 20.
18.1 If we should distinguish betwixt thoughts and conquering, and victorious thoughts. 2. Betwixt fixed and wanton carelesly feeling thoughts. 3. Betwixt guarded and well watched hearts, and masterless hearts; we should know that we hinder and obstruct influences though Soveraignty dispense gracious influences by sinful thoughts, the thoughts being the wings of the soul; can influences have a seat on thoughts marred by us? surely no more then a bird can flie with broken wings; and the God of nature doth not joyn his influences with causes impossible to act; he concurs not with the bird to flie when the wings are broken; nor the running of a dead horse, though one should ride on a carrion, and use spur and rod. But when the thoughts are seasoned with the heavenly disposition of a renewed heart, as the buds and blossoms of the vine-tree are in a neerest way to receive influences from the God of nature to become excellent wine-berries, and the most refined earth neer to be turned into gold, and to receive influences for that effect; so a heart gratified with heavenly dispositions must be a subject for heavenly