A92141:849
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.
While he spake. The third particular, who works burning of heart in these men, speaking Jesus Christ; when Christ takes the bellows and the fan and stirs up the fire, it must need• burn boldly; and when Christ casts in a coal in the soul▪ it must make heart-flamings. John 4. I am he that speaks to thee, that made a fire in the woman's heart, then she leaves well and water-pot and runs to the City. So Matth. 9. 9. Matth. 4. 20, 21, 22. with a word he kindles a fire in the breasts of fisher-men, who knew nothing of him before, and hath an inward work upon the heart. Cant. 5. He put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him; that was fire in the bowels; and what did Christ here but speak words?1 and this is the fourth difference, with little pain, but a word speaking he makes a fire.2 There is a huge deal of violence in Esau's running, sweating, hunting; Jacob stirred not after works, but staid at home and believed, and faith made him blessed: the spirit drives not, but by the words leading and persuading. But is there no violence in the natural and literal heat? Yea, for Balls priests to cut and bleed themselves with knives, and cry till noon, and to shout to a deaf God, must have in it much violence; and its a very unnatural fire, and its a most unnatural wild-fire heat to slay their young children to Molech. A man who forces a sigh when a sigh forces not him is a sufferer; but what violence is in the constraining Gospel-promise? what compulsion is there in love or love-sickness, when Christ makes love a key that opens all doors? how strongly and how sweetly doth the word of promise carried on by the spirit of Christ, force thy soul? there is a huge deal of force and violence in fair•heed sickness, as when a man makes and counterfeits distraction and madness, and runs naked.