A92141:229
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.
Ans. These practical Propositions are to be considered,1 1. Prop. 1. It is proud nature which saith, God is to be blamed; for whether the Lord give, or withhold more grace; holiness and spotlessness doth essentially convey his Sovereignty. Matth. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do, what I will, with mine own, saith he who is Almighty; For he who is in an unsearchable way, above all law that binds the Creature, can be subject to no blame. Suppose the evil servant say, Matth. 25. 24. Lord, I knew thee, that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed; That is, thou seekest much obedience, and a large harvest, and sowest upon my heart little grace, and gave me but one talent; if thou hadst given me five talents, or two talents, I should have done as well as the servant who received five or two: but ⟨p. 56⟩thou didst not any such thing, therefore blame thy self: and so it is the very complaint of the very malignant servant; as also the rich Gluttons divinity reflects upon the gracious dispensation of God, Luke 16. 30. Nay father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent; Which is, as much, as God is to be blamed, that his five brethren repent not; for he bestows not sufficient helps of salvation on them.
Ans. These practical Propositions are to be considered,1 1. Prop. 1. It is proud nature which saith, God is to be blamed; for whether the Lord give, or withhold more grace; holiness and spotlesness doth essentially convey his Soveraignty. Matth. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to doe, what I will, with mine own, saith he who is Almighty; For he who is in an unsearchable way, above all law that binds the Creature, can be subject to no blame. Suppose the evil servant say,