A92141:210
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.
4. That Sovereignty which hath place in choosing and calling Nations, as Israel because he freely loves, Deut 7. 7. Israel, and their seed, not other Nations, Deut. 10. 7. he saith, preach to Macedonia, not to Bithynia, and though afterward the Gospel came to Bithynia, many deservedly perished, old and young, ere it came.
4. That Soveraignty which hath place in chusing and calling Nations, as Israel because he freely loves, Deut 7. 7. Israel, and their seed, not other Nations, Deut. 10. 7. he saith, preach to Macedonia, not to Bithynia, and though afterward the Gospel came to Bithynia, many deservedly perished, old and young, ere it came.
5.1 It is admirable Sovereignty, how many thousand possible plagues and evils he holds off, such as millions of pests, and diseases of Egypt and evil beasts, Deut. 7. 15. Lev. 26. 6. why the Bones of Christ are not broken; why a Dog stirs not a tongue against Israel; why one only World, not a thousand worlds were created: he appoints how long, what number of minutes, hours, or years, his own shall be in the Furnace; the Lord stands beside as Master of the work, & eyes the melting, what quantity of Honey, or of Gall shall be in the Cup, how many hours ye shall weep, how many days or hours the Candle of the Almighty shall shine on your Tabernacle. Then be humble, when he shines, and submissive at the time and measure of sufferings; the evils that are holden off us before in their causes they be prepared, when we know not, should teach us to adore Sovereignty. A friend that takes our defence when we are absent, and an Advocate who answers for the sick and far distant client, and not knowing that his cause is called and debated; yea for an heir sucking the Breasts, does call for much love and esteem. Christ's care shines for Peter and the winnowed believers, when he prays and intercedes that their faith fail not, when they know not any such thing; for a hid love moves much. The Lord fences us, we not knowing any such thing, from drowning and our children in floods, deep wells, from burning quick, from a Hell of torment in every tooth, finger, bone, sinew, artery, lith, member of the body, of our selves, of father, mother, son, daughter; and from spoiling, captivity, imprisonment, gravels, guts, botches, convulsions palsies,