A92141:681
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.
Assert. 5. The same sun, the same air and heaven, send the same influences on the true and natural olive, and on the wild olive; the same clouds and rain act upon the vine-tree and the thorn-tree, upon the rose, and the briar, and the nettle; and so the same word comes to the ears of both elect and reprobate, but not the same quickening influences of grace upon both.1 Saul governs, and leads the Armies of the Lord by a gift; and David governs, feeds, and leads the Armies of the Lord by the grace of God, and the same word of command lays an obligation upon both; false Apostles preach Christ from a gift, and labour by a gift, but Paul labours not as Paul, but the grace of God in him.2 The virgins are drawn and run, Cant. 1. and John is drawn and runneth; but the same lively influences act not upon the one and other: it is a deluding conclusion, we have eaten and drunken where Christ was present, and his Saints present, therefore the Lord should open to us; and Christ hath preached and his faithful Prophets in our hearing, in our streets, therefore should we be admitted into the Bridegrooms chamber, Luke 13. 25. What can then be builded on this? I was at the Lords Supper, where undoubtedly Christ was in his influences of life; I did swear a covenant to God, I preached the Gospel, I heard ordinarily such a Preacher in whom undeniably the Spirit of God spoke, and was intimately acquainted with him, and loved him dearly, and shall that man be saved, and I thrust in hell? The great error is, men try not their ways, principles, motives, and ends.
Assert. 5. The same sun, the same air and heaven, send the same influences on the true and natural olive, and on the wild olive; the same clouds and rain act upon the vine-tree and the thorn-tree, upon the rose, and the briar, and the nettle; and so the same word comes to the ears of both elect and reprobate, but not the same quickning influences of grace upon both.1 Saul governes, and leads the Armies of the Lord by a gift; and David governes, feeds, and leads the Armies of the Lord by the grace of God, and the same word of command layes an obligation upon both; false Apostles preach Christ from a gift, and labour by a gift, but Paul labours not as Paul, but the grace of God in him.