A92141:302
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.
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.
But 1. The Objector says no more, then the fallen Angels, had the Lord made us Divels 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 bosome, I should have been a sound believer; this is a meer 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.
2. If God would give me the grace which he bestowed on ⟨p. 79⟩David,1 I should be a man according to God's heart; True; but what is this to one who still dwells in nature; should the sleeper say, had I laboured more, and slumbered and lain in my bed less, I should have been richer; but that supposition, will neither be bread to feed him, nor a web to clothe him; there is nothing here, but only idle wishing. O, if I had bread, and such empty desires cannot feed an hungry man, who is both idle and hungry. Were the Objector a Seeker, and did he search for wisdom as silver, and dig for her as for hid treasures, it were real or rational hunger; but there is not a right esteem of bread, there is no wise life-hunger, such as is in living men.