A92141:147
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.
3. The actual Influence cannot be a Rule; for we cannot know or feel the actual influence of God, Creator, or of Grace, but only when we are a-working.
3. The actual Influence cannot be a Rule; for we cannot know or feel the actual influence of God, Creator, or of Grace, but only when we are aworking.
4.1 The question of the obligation is one thing, and the question of ability to pray is another; for Magus yet in the Gall of bitterness, is under the obligation of a Commandment, Acts 8. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee; And in a state of nature, he is most unable and so far more indisposed to pray and repent; And the ⟨p. 27⟩believing Thessalonians are under a command to pray continually, 1 Thes. 5. 17. to praise, to rejoice, ver. 16. 18. what ever their indisposition be. Now though the man fallen in Adam be unable to keep and do the Law, and natural men living in the visible Church, be unable & indisposed to believe in Christ and to pray, yet except we say that such are under neither Law nor Gospel, we cannot say that men, because of their wretched estate, are not obliged to pray, believe, love Christ, walk with God. Libertines say its unlawful and a taking of the Name of God in vain, to aim at praying, when the Spirit withdraws. Suppose we could not reconcile our inability and our indisposition to pray, nor the acting of strong grace and of weak will; yet when God hath undeniably commanded duties and promised in the new Covenant grace, and gives the new heart, and the habit of grace, no man hath warrant upon the account of the Lord's denying influence to abstain from duties; for upon the same account one might cast himself in the Fire, and another in the Water; why, it may be the Lord shall deny his influence to the fire and water, to burn or consume us, and so the water shall not overwhelm me, nor the fire consume me, though I wickedly cast my self in fire and water.