A92141:1505
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.
Answ. Ah, you miss influences of God, as concurring with a gift; but ye miss not his gracious and saving influence to pray and hear in faith and feeling to concur with the Spirit of grace.
2. Judas the traitor cannot preach and cast out devils, without a common influence of a God with his gift; and that is all your missing. The renewed man misses that which (in a manner is his due) as a renewed man; and that is the presence of the spirit of grace in his acting. If a horse want a leg, he shall soon miss it when he comes to running,; for four legs are due to him by nature, but the horse in running misseth not the wings of an eagle; for wings are not due to him. Gracious influences are ⟨p. 437⟩not due to a Judas, nor such a guide as the Spirit to any reprobate man; therefore they cannot miss such a gracious guide.
2. Judas the traitor cannot preach and cast out devils, without a common influence of a God with his gift; and that is all your missing. The renewed man misses that which (in a manner is his due) as a renewed man; and that is the presence of the spirit of grace in his acting. If a horse want a leg, he shall soon miss it when he comes to running,; for four legs are due to him by nature, but the horse in running misseth not the wings of an eagle; for wings are not due to him. Gracious influences are ⟨p. 437⟩not due to a Judas, nor such a guide as the Spirit to any reprobate man; therefore they cannot misse such a gracious guide.
2. It teaches us to be willing to be led as to 1. Deny our will and wisdom; as the blind man should not contend with his leader and guide, as if he did see better then his guide. Slack your high-bended will, and deny it, and cavil not with the Spirit, this way I must go whether my guide will or not: Let your will be as dead, and no will at all; and let the Spirit in his will and wisdom reign in you.