A92141:402
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.
5. There be divers kinds of striving with the Almighty; such are they who blasphemously oppose the shining and convincing power of the Spirit in Christ casting out devils, Matth. 12. such are they who gnash with the teeth and spit upon the shining beauty of godliness in Steven, Acts 7. and kick against pricks as persecutors do, Acts 9. who if they had the Father and Spirit incarnate, as the Son was, would crucify both, and would, were it in there blasphemous power, crucify the God-head; whereas meek yielding to the actings and flowings of the Spirit in others, says there must be much of the Spirit there; for the Spirit cannot but love the Spirit.
5. There be divers kinds of striving with the Almighty; such are they who blasphemously oppose the shining and convincing power of the Spirit in Christ casting out divels, Matth. 12. such are they who gnash with the teeth and spit upon the shining beauty of godliness in Steven, Acts 7. and kick against pricks as persecutors doe, Acts 9. who if they had the Father and Spirit incarnate, as the Son was, would crucifie both, and would, were it in there blasphemous power, crucifie the God-head; whereas meek yielding to the actings and flowings of the Spirit in others, says there must be much of the Spirit there; for the Spirit cannot but love the Spirit.
6. Despairing stoutly of mercy and the power of grace is of this sort; when Cain, Judas, and others defy Omnipotency and infinite mercy to save them, and spitefully hate the influences of saving grace, and say, mercy cannot save me; the complete ransom of the blood of God cannot buy me from the second death: To this we may reduce a lazy despairing; what if I be never saved, I can, I will do no more? The people are bidden return; nay,