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.
Samuel Rutherford 1600?–1661London: printed by T.C. for Andrew Crook, 1659
[34], 438 p. · 181k words · Wing R2380 · ESTC R207742
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.
1. Our consent is not sought to the first Creation, nor yet to the second, the Lord does not (as it were) parley, nor ask the question at the thirsty wilderness, Shall I pour water on thee, and floods of rain? house of David, will ye yield your consent and good will, 1that I pour upon you the spirit of grace and of supplication? For the formal infusion of a new heart is not done by moral acting in that point of dispensation.
1. Our consent is not sought to the first Creation, nor yet to the second, the Lord does not (as it were) parly, nor ask the question at the thirsty wilderness, Shall I pour water on thee, and flouds of rain? house of David, will ye yield your consent and good will, 1that I pour upon you the spirit of grace and of supplication? For the formal infusion of a new heart is not done by moral acting in that point of dispensation.
1The Lord seek• not our consent to the first infusion of a new heart.
2. Our Divines on strong grounds, teach that the sinner is a mere patient habet see passivè in the formal moment of the Lords infusing of a new heart, as the wildness is a ⟨p. 428⟩patient in receiving rain, Isa. 44. 4, 5. the dead man a patient in receiving influences of life, Eph. 2. 1. And you hath be quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. John 5. 25. The man is a passive subject under a creating power,
. Yea if adversaries of grace yield an infusion of a new grace, and natural and supernatural power to believe (be that a remote or farther-off power) in all and every man, member of the Visible Church, or Indian, or Brazilian. 1. They must prove it by Scripture. 2. They must show some covenant and promise like to that
. betwixt Christ and the Americans, and show whether the offer be moral or not, as well as we. Or 3. they must say with Pelagians, the power of believing was neither broken, nor hurt, nor taken away by the fall. But we may see and read free grace here: Christ leaves no room to our fencing and digladiation. He said not to the foundling, Wilt thou live? or wilt thou not live? but I said positively unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, live. And to make it sure, Yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, live.
. Send me your hand-writ and consent out of the graves, else Isle not enlive you. Nay he did the work first, and first gave us life, and then sought and obtained our after-consent. As a Prince, who by strong hand conquers a people, never treats with them whether he shall be their King or not, till he first subdue them, take their forts and castles, disarm the inhabitants, and then he offers them good conditions, and gains their after-good will that he rule over them. And we are translated and in Christ's bounds, and have laid down arms, before ever we yield a spiritual, vital, lively, and sincere amen and closing with Christ, that he, and none but he only shall reign over us. And it's admirable what branches of freedom are here. As
2. Our Divines on strong grounds, teach that the sinner is a meer patient habet se passivè in the formal moment of the Lords infusing of a new herat, as the wildeness is a ⟨p. 428⟩patient in receiving rain, Isa. 44. 4, 5. the dead man a patient in receiving influences of life, Eph. 2. 1. And you hath be quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. John 5. 25. The man is a passive subject under a creating power, 2 Cor. 4. 6. Eph. 2. 10. So Ezek. 36. 26. Ezek. 11. 19. Zech. 12. 10. Yea if adversaries of grace yield an infusion of a new grace, and natural and supernatural power to believe (be that a remote or farther-off power) in all and every man, member of the Visible Church, or Indian, or Brasilian. 1. They must prove it by Scripture. 2. They must shew some covenant and promise like to that Jer. 31. 33. Ezek. 11. 19, 20. betwixt Christ and the Americans, and shew whether the offer be moral or not, as well as we. Or 3. they must say with Pelagians, the power of believing was neither broken, nor hurt, nor taken away by the fall. But we may see and read free grace here: Christ leaves no room to our fencing and digladiation. He said not to the foundling, Wilt thou live? or wilt thou not live? but I said positively unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, live. And to make it sure, Yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, live. Ezek. 16. 6. Nor said he to the dry bone•, Shall I open your graves, and bring you out loving and believing? John 5. 25. Send me your hand-writ and consent out of the graves, else Ile not enlive you. Nay he did the work first, and first gave us life, and then sought and obtained our after-consent. As a Prince, who by strong hand conquers a people, never treats with them whether he shall be their King or not, till he first subdue them, take their forts and castles, disarm the inhabitants, and then he offers them good conditions, and gains their after-good will that he rule over them. And we are translated and in Christ's bounds, and have laid down arms, before ever we yield a spiritual, vital, lively, and sincere amen and closing with Christ, that he, and none but he onely shall reign over us. And it's admirable what branches of freedome are here. As
1. No husbandman can help the clouds; no art of navigators can create fair winds, nor can our seeking create influences of sensible and feeling finding of him whom the soul loves, Cant. 1.
2. No excellency of means, were it an Angel, and the man Christ preaching, so as all bear him witness, and are astonished at the gracious words that proceed out of his mouth, Luke 4. 22. can create saving influences; but by the contrary, influences of hell fill them with wrath, that they would cast Christ over the hill, and break his bones, Luke 4. 28, 29.
2. No excellency of meanes, were it an Angel, and the man Christ preaching, so as all bear him witness, and are astonished at the gracious words that proceed out of his mouth, Luke 4. 22. can create saving influences; but by the contrary, influences of hell fill them with wrath, that they would cast Christ over the hill, and break his bones, Luke 4. 28, 29.
3. Fectless objects fetch influences from hell: as King Herod and all Jerusalem with him are quaking for fear, at the birth of a weeping babe in cradle. Can an infant rise out of his swaddling clothes and cut the Kings throat, Matth. 2. 9. and with fire and sword destroy all Jerusalem? or can a dead corps in the grave rise and slay the soldiers? Mat. 28.
3. Fectless objects fetch influences from hell: as King Herod and all Jerusalem with him are quaking for fear, at the birth of a weeping babe in cradle. Can an infant rise out of his swadling cloaths and cut the Kings throat, Matth. 2. 9. and with fire and sword destroy all Jerusalem? or can a dead corps in the grave rise and slay the souldiers? Mat. 28.
4. For the external calling, many are called, and hear 40, 50, 60, 70. years, and yet no influences of grace fall on them, as if men (ah if it were not so) were the cursed ground and blasted fig-tree: yea contrary to influences, he blasts the roses by withdrawing sap from them, burns the earth, and turns hearts into iron, by forbidding the clouds to rain on them.
4. For the external calling, many are called, and hear 40, 50, 60, 70. yeares, and yet no influences of grace fall on them, as if men (ah if it were not so) were the cursed ground and blasted fig-tree: yea contrary to influences, he blasts the roses by withdrawing sap from them, burnes the earth, and turns hearts into iron, by forbidding the clouds to rain on them.
6. Who knows not the celerity and swiftness of the love-visits of Christ, coming leaping over the mountains, and skipping over the hills? When the man is going down to the pit, the influence that a found ransom it accepted for him, makes him revive so that his flesh shall be fresher then a child's, Job 33. 23, 24, 25. and v. 26. He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him, saith Elihu.
6. Who knows not the celerity and swiftness of the love-visits of Christ, coming leaping over the mountaines, and skipping over the hills? When the man is going down to the pit, the influence that a found ransome it accepted for him, makes him revive so that his flesh shall be fresher then a childs, Job 33. 23, 24, 25. and v. 26. He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him, saith Elihu.
6. There is a great difference here betwixt Sun-influences and the influences of grace. The apple on the same tree which are nearest to the Suns shining, are most cordial and delicious; they are rawer and sourer, though upon the same stock, that are long in the morning ere the Sun-influences fall on them, and are soon under the afternoon-shadow; but the disciples, shined upon by the influences of the glory of the transfiguration near Christ, ⟨p. 430⟩and Moses, and Elijah, spake they knew not what, and that carnally, Mark 9. 5, 6. And who can think there is heterodox Divinity so near heaven as now the Apostles were? So doth John fall dead at the feet of Christ when he is in the Spirit, Revel. 1. 10, 13, 17. The well is damned at the head of the fountain.
6. There is a great difference here betwixt Sun-influences and the influences of grace. The apple on the same tree which are nearest to the Suns shining, are most cordial and delicious; they are rawer and sourer, though upon the same stock, that are long in the morning ere the Sun-influences fall on them, and are soon under the afternoon-shadow; but the disciples, shined upon by the influences of the glory of the transfiguration near Christ, ⟨p. 430⟩and Moses, and Elias, spake they knew not what, and that carnally, Mark 9. 5, 6. And who can think there is heterodox Divinity so near heaven as now the Apostles were? So doth John fall dead at the feet of Christ when he is in the Spirit, Revel. 1. 10, 13, 17. The well is damned at the head of the fountain.
2.1 Hence the second Property is clear of it self; it's of free grace we are married here before we spiritually yield that Christ be our husband. We are created of new to be his holy frame and workmanship, and then hardly can we but consent; nor bought we his love-influences. Yea nor is the Lord obliged to give the Sun-influences for shining and moving, nor the fire for casting out heat: He hath interposed his Sovereignty in the contrary when he pleased, Josh. 10. 13. Isa. 38. 8. Dan. 3. 27. to teach that Heaven and Earth have their Charters and their Writs of both being and working, from the free goodness and sovereignty of God.
2.1 Hence the second Property is clear of it self; it's of free grace we are maried here before we spiritually yield that Christ be our husband. We are created of new to be his holy frame and workmanship, and then hardly can we but consent; nor bought we his love-influences. Yea nor is the Lord obliged to give the Sun-influences for shining and moving, nor the fire for casting out heat: He hath interposed his Soveraignty in the contrary when he pleased, Josh. 10. 13. Isa. 38. 8. Dan. 3. 27. to teach that Heaven and Earth have their Charters and their Writs of both being and working, from the free goodness and soveraignty of God.
1We are married to Christ before we consent to the marriage.We are maried to Christ before we c••sent to the mariage.
3. For the third Consideration, the Lord is the cause of his own influences. Of our actings. 2. The efficacious, domineering, insuperable cause. 3. How the effects are ascribed to him principally. To prove the first I need not go back to prove the necessity of divine influences, and that he works all our works in us. The second is more dubious, but it's spoken to before, Christ is such a cause.
3. For the third Consideration, the Lord is the cause of his own influences. Of our actings. 2. The efficacious, domineering, insuperable cause. 3. How the effects are ascribed to him principally. To prove the first I need not goe back to prove the necessity of divine influences, and that he works all our works in us. The second is more dubious, but it's spoken to before, Christ is such a cause.
2. The same power of God that raised Christ from the dead acts here. Elsewhere this is proved by famous D. Tuisse, by Learned Amesius, and many of our worthy Divines.
Obj. 1He who gives an insuperable influence to a free and contingent effect, must render that effect necessary, and not free. 2. He who with mans free-will does insuperably produce the effect, must do violence to mans free-will.
Obj. 1He who gives an insuperable influence to a free and contingent effect, must render that effect necessary, and not free. 2. He who with mans free-will does insuperably produce the effect, must doe violence to mans free-will.
1The Lord determines free-will, and does no violence to it.
Answ. He who with mans free-will doth insuperably produce the effect by his alone and only physical and real motion, and no other way, as the Lord causeth the Sun ⟨p. 431⟩to rise and go down, and the fire to give heat, •e doth or must do violence to mans free-will. True. But now the Assumption is false; for the Lord doth not so and by such an only physical motion insuperably produce the effect.
Answ. He who with mans free-will doth insuperably produce the effect by his alone and only physical and real motion, and no other way, as the Lord causeth the Sun ⟨p. 431⟩to rise and goe down, and the fire to give heat, •e doth or must doe violence to mans free-will. True. But now the Assumption is false; for the Lord doth not so and by such an only physical motion insuperably produce the effect.
He who with mans free-will does insuperably produce the effect, with both an insuperable, physical, and real motion, and also with a moral, persuasive, and legal motion, flowing from a command, he must do violence to mans free-will.
He who with mans free-will does insuperably produce the effect, with both an insuperable, physical, and real motion, and also with a moral, perswasive, and legal motion, flowing from a command, he must doe violence to mans free-will.
Puritans
Scotland
Scottish theologian and commissioner to the Westminster Assembly.
