A92141:158
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.
Obj. 5. Praying and seeking of God at set and fixed hours were not lawful; For if we cannot pray, but when the Spirit moves us, we cannot say, we shall pray at any hour: for we cannot tie the Spirit's joining to our hours; and again, if we are to pray at any hour we please, we use the habit of grace and supplication, when, and as we will; as a Musician may sing when he will, or not sing.
Obj. 5. Praying and seeking of God at set and fixed hours were not lawful; For if we cannot pray, but when the Spirit moves us, we cannot say, we shall pray at any hour: for we cannot tie the Spirit's joyning to our hours; and again, if we are to pray at any hour we please, we use the habit of grace and supplication, when, and as we will; as a Musitian may sing when he will, or not sing.
Ans. 1. We have not any question now about religious set hours, such as the morning and evening Sacrifice, or the three hours of prayer used by David, Morning, Evening, and at Noon, Psal. 55. 17. and Daniel chap. 6. 10, 11. Acts 3. 1. Acts 10. 3, 9, 10. and the godly Jews; for by no divine Precept are we tied to such hours. Papists abuse ⟨p. 30⟩the Scripture to Canonic hours; But in Christian prudence we may fix a time to reading, praying, conferring on the Word, and to other sacred duties; yet do we not tie the Spirit's joining to our hour; the man Christ set a night apart for praying; and so did Jacob for wrestling by tears with the great Angel, Genes▪ 32. 24. Hos. 12. 3, 4. without limiting the Spirit in his influences to any time; nor yet will it follow that we use the habit or spirit of grace and supplication, when we will; for sanctified will is to set the time, and to actuate it self by the habit of grace; And the same Argument shall conclude, that the Husbandman who sets a time for ploughing and sowing, must limit the Lord to join his influences: For except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain, who build it; though they set days to the hired Masons. Except the Lord keep the City, the Watch-man watcheth but in vain; though times be set to the hired Watchers. Its in vain to rise up early,