A92141:97
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.
For 1. We suppose that Christ is the head of the elect Angels: God having purposed to save man of grace, he gave this mighty separating influence distinguishing the Standing and Elect Angels from the falling and reprobate Angels, else it cannot be said they are Elect Angels, as 1 Tim. 5. 21. nor can their standing be of free grace (for they could not stand, except the Lord had chosen them to stand as the means; as he chose them to glory as to the end) except the Lord had joined his predeterminating acting to cause them to stand, and reconciled them Colos. 1. 20. to himself, giving to them medicinal confirming grace that they never should be sick. Now the Elect Angels are the special Messengers, and New Covenant Officers, ministering Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation, Heb. 1. 14. And the Angels Ezek. 1. are acted in all their motions by that Jehovah, whose glory Isaiah saw, Isa. 6. 1, 2, 3. John 12. 37. of which Jehovah also Ezekiel 1. v. 28. as v. 12. And the four living creatures went, every one straight forward: whither the Spirit was to go they went, and they turned not when they went. And also verse 20. They are then rightly called the Angels of the Lord Jesus, 2 Thes. 1. 7. for they cover their faces (it is no• blushing for sin) and their feet with wings, Isa. 6. while they stand before and see the face of their Sovereign and high Master; and so its clear that the actings of special and supernatural providence toward and about the redeemed Church come from Christ, as head of Angels, and as the heir of all things, who makes all things new, Heb. 1. 2, 3