A92141:300
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.
To the Objector 1. If the Lord had given me the same grace that he gave David,1 I should run as David. 1. It is of much concernment, who moves the Objection, whether a Convert, or a non-convert: it is commendable in neither; but in an unhumbled non-convert, it is senseless. If the sense be, had the Lord bestowed on me the grace habitual and actual, such as he bestowed on David, I should be a man according to the Lord's heart, as well as David. No thanks, no praise or glory to David, that he is a man according to God's heart; True; and therefore no guilt is upon the Objector, nor is any punishment due to him that he remains in cursed nature; this follows not.
- 1The objection of many, if God would give me influences of grace as he did to David, Moses, &c. I would be as holy as any, discussed.
2. The sense is;1 had I grace I should be a gracious man: what is this but I would have been a convert, if God had made me a convert.
- 1The non-sense of this had I more grace, I should be more gracious.
But 1. The Objector says no more, then the fallen Angels, had the Lord made us Devils to be elect Angels, and confirmed us in grace, then should we have been elect Angels; So might Judas have said, had grace made me the beloved Disciple that leaned on Christ's bosom, I should have been a sound believer; this is a mere speculation, no preaching of heart-love, to the man Christ; all the Reprobate may say, had the Lord made us all holy and sinless men in a personal union with Christ, we should all have been Christ's; Cursed Libertines and Quakers so call themselves; have they any more of the outlettings and flowings of free grace for that? not a whit.