Influences of the Life of Grace, Part 4 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Some properties of Influences of grace. 1. That they are invincible and irreſiſtible. 2. Of free grace▪ 3. Done by the Lord with a principality of cauſality. 4. Immediately, both by the immediation of vertue, and of the Lords own preſence.
Influences are conſidered. 1. In the firſt moment of converſion. 2. In perſeverance. 2. God ſeeks not our conſent to our firſt converſion. 3. We are maried to Chriſt before we conſent to the mariage. 4. How the Lord determines free-wil without offering violence to free▪ wil. 5. Gods dominion is equally over free-wil and all natural cauſes. 6. God acts in all, both by the immediate influence of his power, and alſo of his perſon. 7. The Lord moſt particularly leads his own. 8. What is the right miſſing of Influences. 9. We are more our own by the Law, and leſs our own by the Goſpel. 10. Chriſts care, and the members care.
IT is eaſier here to know what is not to be ſaid, as touching the irreſiſtibility and ſtrength of gracious influences above our free-will, then what to ſay.
But Influences are conſidered two wayes. 1. Moral'y, 2. Phyſically.
1. As they are common to all who hear the word in the viſible Church.
2. As influences are peculiar to the elect in the buſineſs of converſion.
Aſſert. 1. Common moral influences that goes along with the word preached may be reſiſted; for the Jewes alwayes reſiſted the holy Ghoſt, ſpeaking in the Prophets, Acts 7. 51, 52. Zech. 7. 11. But they refuſed to hearken, and pulled away the ſhoulder, and ſtopped the ear, that they ſhould not hear. 12. Yea they made their hearts as an adamantſtone, leſt they ſhould hear the Law, and-the words which the Lord of hoſts hath ſent in his Spirit to the former Prophets. Then the reprobate may and doe reſiſt the immediately inſpiring ſpirit in the men of God writing and ſpeaking that word, 1 Pet. 1. 20, 21. and the aſſiſting ſpirit alſo in the Paſtors. It's dreadful in the lower actings of God in the word to deſpiſe the Spirit, and to give him battel in his firſt approaches. I called, and ye refuſed, Prov. 1. 24. Iſa. 65. 1, 2, 3. A contradicting of, and a warring againſt the Spirit at the firſt face is much to be feared. O tremble to ſpeak againſt, or to counter-work the Spirit at all.
2. Influences proper to the Elect, are ſo alſo to be looked on.
1. In the firſt moment of converſion.
2. In the work of perſeverance.
In the firſt moment of converſion the ſinner prevents not Chriſt: none dead in ſins and treſpaſſes ever ſent, or could ſend to heaven for the ſpirit, and the influences of grace. The Lord comes unſent for, and here is found of them who never ſought him, Iſa. 65. 1.
For as touching the Lords firſt love-viſit, when he comes upon the ſinner dying in his blood, in the infuſion of the life of Chriſt, there is no treaty, no communing betwixt the foundling dying in the open field and Chriſt. For
1. Our conſent is not ſought to the firſt Creation, nor yet to the ſecond, the Lord does not (as it were) parly, nor ask the queſtion at the thirſty wilderneſs, Shall I pour water on thee, and flouds of rain? houſe of David, will ye yield your conſent and good will, The Lord ſeek… not our conſent to the firſt infuſion of a new heart.that I pour upon you the ſpirit of grace and of ſupplication? For the formal infuſion of a new heart is not done by moral acting in that point of diſpenſation.
2. Our Divines on ſtrong grounds, teach that the ſinner is a meer patient habet ſe paſſivè in the formal moment of the Lords infuſing of a new herat, as the wildeneſs is a patient in receiving rain, Iſa. 44. 4, 5. the dead man a patient in receiving influences of life, Eph. 2. 1. And you hath be quickened, who were dead in treſpaſſes and ſins. John 5. 25. The man is a paſſive ſubject under a creating power, 2 Cor. 4. 6. Eph. 2. 10. So Ezek. 36. 26. Ezek. 11. 19. Zech. 12. 10. Yea if adverſaries of grace yield an infuſion of a new grace, and natural and ſupernatural power to believe (be that a remote or farther-off power) in all and every man, member of the Viſible Church, or Indian, or Braſilian. 1. They muſt prove it by Scripture. 2. They muſt ſhew ſome covenant and promiſe like to that Jer. 31. 33. Ezek. 11. 19, 20. betwixt Chriſt and the Americans, and ſhew whether the offer be moral or not, as well as we. Or 3. they muſt ſay with Pelagians, the power of believing was neither broken, nor hurt, nor taken away by the fall. But we may ſee and read free grace here: Chriſt leaves no room to our fencing and digladiation. He ſaid not to the foundling, Wilt thou live? or wilt thou not live? but I ſaid poſitively unto thee, when thou waſt in thy blood, live. And to make it ſure, Yea I ſaid unto thee when thou waſt in thy blood, live. Ezek. 16. 6. Nor ſaid he to the dry bone…, Shall I open your graves, and bring you out loving and believing? John 5. 25. Send me your hand-writ and conſent out of the graves, elſe Ile not enlive you. Nay he did the work firſt, and firſt gave us life, and then ſought and obtained our after-conſent. As a Prince, who by ſtrong hand conquers a people, never treats with them whether he ſhall be their King or not, till he firſt ſubdue them, take their forts and caſtles, diſarm the inhabitants, and then he offers them good conditions, and gains their after-good will that he rule over them. And we are tranſlated and in Chriſt's bounds, and have laid down arms, before ever we yield a ſpiritual, vital, lively, and ſincere amen and cloſing with Chriſt, that he, and none but he onelyonly ſhall reign over us. And it's admirable what branches of freedome are here. As
1. No husbandman can help the clouds; no art of navigators can create fair winds, nor can our ſeeking create influences of ſenſible and feeling finding of him whom the ſoul loves, Cant. 1.
2. No excellency of meanes, were it an Angel, and the man Chriſt preaching, ſo as all bear him witneſs, and are aſtoniſhed at the gracious words that proceed out of his mouth, Luke 4. 22. can create ſaving influences; but by the contrary, influences of hell fill them with wrath, that they would caſt Chriſt over the hill, and break his bones, Luke 4. 28, 29.
3. Fectleſs objects fetch influences from hell: as King Herod and all Jeruſalem with him are quaking for fear, at the birth of a weeping babe in cradle. Can an infant riſe out of his ſwadling cloaths and cut the Kings throat, Matth. 2. 9. and with fire and ſword deſtroy all Jeruſalem? or can a dead corps in the grave riſe and ſlay the ſouldiers? Mat. 28.
4. For the external calling, many are called, and hear 40, 50, 60, 70. yeares, and yet no influences of grace fall on them, as if men (ah if it were not ſo) were the curſed ground and blaſted fig-tree: yea contrary to influences, he blaſts the roſes by withdrawing ſap from them, burnes the earth, and turns hearts into iron, by forbidding the clouds to rain on them.
5. In a moment he ſends flowing ſhowrs upon the thief crucified with Chriſt, and he preacheth Chriſt a King on the croſs.
6. Who knows not the celerity and ſwiftneſs of the love-viſits of Chriſt, coming leaping over the mountaines, and skipping over the hills? When the man is going down to the pit, the influence that a found ranſome it accepted for him, makes him revive ſo that his fleſh ſhall be freſher then a childs, Job 33. 23, 24, 25. and v. 26. He ſhall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him, ſaith Elihu.
6. There is a great difference here betwixt Sun-influences and the influences of grace. The apple on the ſame tree which are neareſt to the Suns ſhining, are moſt cordial and delicious; they are rawer and ſourer, though upon the ſame ſtock, that are long in the morning ere the Sun-influences fall on them, and are ſoon under the afternoon-ſhadow; but the diſciples, ſhined upon by the influences of the glory of the transfiguration near Chriſt, and Moſes, and Elias, ſpake they knew not what, and that carnally, Mark 9. 5, 6. And who can think there is heterodox Divinity ſo near heaven as now the Apoſtles were? So doth John fall dead at the feet of Chriſt when he is in the Spirit, Revel. 1. 10, 13, 17. The well is damned at the head of the fountain.
2.We are maried to Chriſt before we c…ſent to the mariage. Hence the ſecond Property is clear of it ſelf; it's of free grace we are maried here before we ſpiritually yield that Chriſt be our husband. We are created of new to be his holy frame and workmanſhip, and then hardly can we but conſent; nor bought we his love-influences. Yea nor is the Lord obliged to give the Sun-influences for ſhining and moving, nor the fire for caſting out heat: He hath interpoſed his Soveraignty in the contrary when he pleaſed, Joſh. 10. 13. Iſa. 38. 8. Dan. 3. 27. to teach that Heaven and Earth have their Charters and their Writs of both being and working, from the free goodneſs and ſoveraignty of God.
3. For the third Conſideration, the Lord is the cauſe of his own influences. Of our actings. 2. The efficacious, domineering, inſuperable cauſe. 3. How the effects are aſcribed to him principally. To prove the firſt I need not goe back to prove the neceſſity of divine influences, and that he works all our works in us. The ſecond is more dubious, but it's ſpoken to before, Chriſt is ſuch a cauſe.
1. His ſtrong decree of Predeſtination muſt carry him to it.
2. The ſame power of God that raiſed Chriſt from the dead acts here. Elſewhere this is proved by famous D. Tuiſſe, by Learned Ameſius, and many of our worthy Divines.
Obj. The Lord determines free-will, and does no violence to it.He who gives an inſuperable influence to a free and contingent effect, muſt render that effect neceſſary, and not free. 2. He who with mans free-will does inſuperably produce the effect, muſt doe violence to mans free-will.
Anſw. He who with mans free-will doth inſuperably produce the effect by his alone and only phyſical and real motion, and no other way, as the Lord cauſeth the Sun to riſe and goe down, and the fire to give heat, …e doth or muſt doe violence to mans free-will. True. But now the Aſſumption is falſe; for the Lord doth not ſo and by ſuch an only phyſical motion inſuperably produce the effect.
He who with mans free-will does inſuperably produce the effect, with both an inſuperable, phyſical, and real motion, and alſo with a moral, perſwaſive, and legal motion, flowing from a command, he muſt doe violence to mans free-will.
This is moſt untrue; for the phyſical and moral influences of God, though both be inſuperable, yet neither the one exceeds the other in degrees of neceſſity, nor doe they both joyntly exceed the neceſſity which free-will will impoſe on itſelf.
If any object, He who inſuperably moves free-wil to act, he doth infer violence to free-wil: But God doth inſuperably move free-will. Therefore
Anſw. The propoſition is falſe. 1. The Lord by caſting an ague of love-ſickneſs in the ſoul, moves the free-wil of the Spouſe, and of the Martyrs to die for Chriſt, rather then deny him, becauſe love of it ſelf conſidered as ſeparated from the Lords phyſical motions on the ſoul, works upon the will more ſtrongly and inſuperably, then many floods upon a fire, and is hard foreign as hell, or the place of the dead, and marriage-love is cruel as the grave, Cant. 8. 6. yet love infers no violence to the will.
2. Commands the Sun and it riſeth not, Job 9. 7. and commandeth the Sun and it riſeth, Pſalm 104. 19, 22. And the Sun cannot but obey him; for all creatures are his ſervants, Pſal. 119. 91. and he moves all natural cauſes to act, and ſo to act inſuperably, and yet he doth no violence to the natures of Sun, fire, and ſecond cauſes, in moving them.
He who contributes an inſuperable influence with free-will. if that influence be contemperated and ſweetly accommodate to the nature, and elective, and rational way of working of free-wil acting out of judgment, as our free-wil acts here.
He is not a cauſe inferring violence to free-will. Should he indeed over-drive and over-act the free inclination, contrary to the reaſon, light, and judgment of the mind, and to the moral and free elective inclination of the will, he ſhould conſtrain and force free-will: But this he does not, but inclines the heart of David to the Lords teſtimonies ſweetly, ſtrongly, inſuperably; and this David prays for, Pſalm 119. Pſalm 5. Pſalm 19. and the Saints in many places; and neither David nor the Saints in ſuch prayers ſuit of God to deſtroy free-will: alſo the Lords command, and not the Lords influence, is our rule of obedience. But ſince we know not the Lords actual denying of his influence, becauſe we are willing he ſhould deny it, our ſinful non-acting is no leſs our guiltineſs, then if we had the dominion and commandment of the Lords influences in our power. A Maſter commands his ſervant to come to ſuch a place where his Maſter uſeth to be, yet neither is the Maſter obliged to be in the place hic & nunc, neither paſſes he any promiſe to be there: if the ſervant come not to that place, and willingly abſent himſelf, and willingly conſent that the Maſter be not in the place, the ſervants not coming is a manifeſt contravening of his Maſters command. So the Lord commanding me to pray, though he concur not by his Spirit interceding to help me as he uſeth to doe, my not praying is a contravening of his command, who calls to me, pray hic & nunc under this trouble: For,
1. The Spirits helping, or not helping me to pray is not my rule, but the commandement is my rule.
2. The Spirit is not obliged hic & nunc.
3. I pray not.
4.We are inexcuſable in not doing our duty, though the Lord deny his neceſſary influence. My willing not praying is a ſinful virtual conſent to want the help of the Spirit.
Obj. Then ſhould the Suns not moving, but ſtanding ſtill in the firmament, be a contravening of the command of God given in the Creation, when he gave to the Sun a power to move.
Anſw. No ropes of Logick can draw the concluſion and antecedent together: The Lords command to the Sun is not moral, but natural.
2. It's not abſolute. The power of moving in the Sun is not to be acted, but according to the ſoveraignty of God, concurring or not concurring with the Sun, ſo as the Sun is under onelyonly (to ſpeak ſo) a phyſical mandate of omnipotency, not under an Ethical, Moral, Legal, or obediential commandement, to move, or to ſhine, under peril of ſin and puniſhment, as man is, by the holy moral mandate and commandement of God.
Obj. A free cauſe hath more liberty not to act, or to act, then the Sunne hath to give light, and the fire to give heat: Therefore the Lord muſt have given to free-will a power of nilling and willing, and muſt tie his influences to await and be ready, concur or not concur, as free-will ſhall think fit.
Anſw. The free will of Angels or men hath no more freedome and exemption from the dominion of providence, then the Sun or the fire hath, but all cauſes natural or free, are equally under the Lords dominion.
2. Free will hath no more a dominion over the Lords dominion and his influences, that are given out, or withdrawn according to this ſoveraign dominion, then the Sun or the piſmire. Yea free-wil is under his dominion, and alſo Prov. 21. 1. all the free actings of the creature, as well as the neceſſary actings of Sun and fire, as is proved. Free-will hath indeed a more dominion over its own acts, being a rational and free agent, then the Sun over its acts.
3. This is conſiderably comfortable, that the Lord is chief Maſter of work: Not ye, but your Fathers Spirit ſpeaketh in you, Matth. 10. 19. Not I, but the grace of God in me, 1 Cor. 15. 10. I live not, but Chriſt lives in me, Gal. 2. 20. And yet Paul lives, Paul labours, but let God reign in us.
4. The actings of God in all created effects, eſpecially his influences of grace are letten out immediately,God acts in all both by the immediate influence of his power, and of his pe…ſon. both immediatione virtutis, & immediatione ſuppoſiti, by immeate concurring of his power and vertue, and by the perſonal (as it were) concurrence of himſelf, ſo the Lord works not in us to will and to doe by a Deputy or Lieutenant, as a King rules and governs another Kingdome, not by himſelf in perſon, but by a Deputy, who repreſents his perſon; and Princes being far diſtant, the ſea intervening, tranſact matters of peace and warre with other Princes and States, by their Ambaſſadors and Legates whom they ſend.
For God is ſaid to be with Moſes mouth, not onelyonly giving him eloquence, and a tongue, but the Lord ſpoke in him to Pharaoh, Exod. 4. 15. I will be with thy mouth, and with Aarons mouth, and teach you what to doe. Gen. 46. 4. Fear not, Jacob, to goe down to Egypt, I will go down with thee into Egypt: And I will ſurely bring thee up again; my power ſhall be with thee to protect thee, my wiſedome to lead thee (this had been much) but he meets with Jacobs fear, ah, I goedown to Egypt, God is not in that Idolatrous Land. Fear not (ſaith he) I the Lord in perſon ſhall go with thee, to bleſs thee, to act in thee. Jer. 1. 19. They ſhall fight againſt thee, but they ſhall not prevail againſt thee. Why? For I am with thee to deliver thee. Immediatione ſuppoſiti. God was Jeremiah's immediate deliverer; for v. 18. he had promiſed before to be with Jeremiah by the immediation of his power and grace: For behold I have made thee this day a defenced city, an iron pillar, and brazen walls againſt the whole Land, &c. The Lord is preſent by the gracious mettal of zeal, faith, invincible courage he put in his Prophet. So Chriſt, Luke 24. 49. Behold I ſend the promiſe of my Father unto you. What, will he be away himſelf then? No: for he ſaith Matth. 28. 29. to the ſame diſciples, Loe, foreign I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
2. The Spirit acts in his own, John 14. 17. He dwels with you, and ſhall be in you. v. 26. He ſhall teach you all things. John 16. 13. He will guide you in all truth.
3. Pſal. 73. 24. Thou wilt guide me with thy counſel. He may doe that though abſent, by infuſing into the Prophet the habit of wiſedome: nay he is nearer hand, v. 2. Nevertheleſs I am continually with thee, thou haſt holden me by my right hand. That is more then power.
4. The action of leading that is aſcribed to God, is his only action. Deut. 32. 12. So the Lord alone led Jacob, and there was no ſtrange God with him. Now the eyes, legs, wiſedome and will of the guide and leader are the travellers: It's true,The Lord particularly leads his own. he led them by right hand of Moſes, but who then ſhall lead Moſes? for Moſes needed a guide as they, Iſa. 63. 12. Yea but he was leader in perſon himſelf. He led them through the deep as an horſe in the wilderneſs, that they ſhould not …umble. Now a horſe is not led, by giving him power to guide himſelf, but the leader holds the bridle, and directs the way to the horſe. So the Lords Chriſt's gentle driving of the ewes with lamb, and Chriſt's carrying the lambs in his boſome, Iſa. 40. 11. is an action immediate of Chriſt and his Spirit. The warmneſs of life that comes from Chriſt's own boſom, and from the Spirit ſpreading warm love abroad in the heart, ſpeaks the perſonal acting of the Son and Spirit. So drawing, John 6. 44. Cant. 1. 4. ſpeaks the nearneſs of the Father of Chriſt, and of Chriſt in his acting.
5. This is to be conſidered. There are two ſorts of cauſes:Two ſorts of cauſes, one in fieri, for the producing of, and giving being to a thing, another in facto eſſe, for the preſerving of the ſame thing in being. God is both wayes the cauſe of gracious actings. on in fieri, another in facto eſſe. The Creator in a manner is but half a cauſe: the father begets a ſon: the carpenter builds a ſhip: the Maſon raiſes up the frame of a goodly houſe: But the ſon lives when the father is dead; the ſhip ſailes thouſands of miles; and the houſe ſtands hundreds of years, when the carpenter and the maſon are far from them: for they are cauſes in fieri, onelyonly the making of houſes and ſhips.
But there are ſome cauſes doe more. The ſoul is a cauſe of the living man; and when the ſoul is removed, the man dies: the face looking on the glaſs is the cauſe of the image, both in its production and conſervation: remove the face, and the image vaniſheth away: the Sunne is the cauſe of day-light, which is transfuſed through the aire, from the Eaſt to the Weſt. When the Sun goes down to another Horizon, day-light vaniſheth away, becauſe the Sun not by a deputy, and by vertue communicated to another, is the cauſe of the aires enlightning, but is the cauſe of day-light, both as touching the creating of it in fieri, and as touching the preſerving of it, or in conſervari & facto eſſe. So is God the cauſe of all creatures, both as touching being, and continuation being; the Lord made all things, and when they are made, the houſe of heaven and earth ſhould return to nothing, if the Lord ſhould withdraw his cauſative influence. But in a ſpecial manner the Lord is every wa… the cauſe of grace, of our ſpiritual life, and of all our actings of grace. The new life ſhould turn to nothing, if Chriſt withdraw his gracious influence, and it is that our poor little image and ſpiritual breaths are in his hand, both touching production and conſervation by his graces breathing. Hence if the Angel of his preſence goe with us, his hand in our right hand, Pſal. 73. 23. let us ſay, 1. As Moſes after the Lord had promiſed, Exod. 33. 15. If thy preſence goe not (with me) carry me not hence. Ah, who refuſe a journey except God goe with him, and be at his right hand, and fixes the mind on this, I will not goe to the pulpit as a Miniſter, nor to the bench as a Judge, nor to the field as a ſouldier, except the Lord lead me, and hold me by his right hand? Doe ye miſſe influences of grace, and the leading of the Spirit in a ſpiritual way of eating,The right miſſing of influences is to miſs influences ſpecial. ſleeping, waking, buying, journeying? It is good.
Obj. I cannot ſtir without God and his influences, that I know.
Anſw. The ſparrow and the raven, the lyon and the wolf, cannot ſtir without Gods influences of nature. Ah, that is poor and hungry. Many have no more help of God to be lead in eating and drinking for God, then the raven and the lyon.
Obj. I cannot pray nor hear without the influences of God.
Anſw. Ah, you miſs influences of God, as concurring with a gift; but ye miſs not his gracious and ſaving influence to pray and hear in faith and feeling to concur with the Spirit of grace.
2. Judas the traitor cannot preach and caſt out devils, without a common influence of a God with his gift; and that is all your miſſing. The renewed man miſſes that which (in a manner is his due) as a renewed man; and that is the preſence of the ſpirit of grace in his acting. If a horſe want a leg, he ſhall ſoon miſs it when he comes to running,; for four legs are due to him by nature, but the horſe in running miſſeth not the wings of an eagle; for wings are not due to him. Gracious influences are not due to a Judas, nor ſuch a guide as the Spirit to any reprobate man; therefore they cannot miſſe ſuch a gracious guide.
2. It teaches us to be willing to be led as to 1. Deny our will and wiſedome; as the blind man ſhould not contend with his leader and guide, as if he did ſee better then his guide. Slack your high-bended will, and deny it, and cavil not with the Spirit, this way I muſt goe whether my guide will or not: Let your will be as dead, and no will at all; and let the Spirit in his will and wiſedome reign in you.
2.The giving of the heart to God. Spread out the ſails and give them to the wind; reſign the heart to the Spirit: obey that, My ſon, give me thy heart. Give Chriſt your loves, as Cant. 7. 12. Keep none of your heart or love to your ſelf, but quit fully both to the leading Spirit of Jeſus. Your love and your heart, according to the Goſpel-diſpenſation, is not your own, or at your diſpoſing, whatever property naturall by law you have over your ſelf;We are more our own by law, and leſſe our own by the Goſpel. for the law buyes you not. We are leſs our own, and more Chriſts by the Goſpel, and more our own by the Law.
Many profeſs themſelves ſons, and ſo to be led by the Spirit, yet they have not given eyes, wiſedome, will and love to the Spirit: they keep a great piece of their heart and their love to themſelves, and have an inward reluctancy and wreſtling againſt the wayes of the Spirit, as yet remaining debtors to the fleſh, to pay the debt of ſervice to the fleſh, Rom. 8. 12, 13, 14.
5. This is comfortable, that Chriſt makes it the travail of his ſoul, Iſa. 53. 11. and his ſoul-ſatisfaction to ſee his ſeed, and to bring many children to glory, Heb. 2. 10. So his ſoules work is upon keeping ſuch as are given to him, and guiding on his flock, John 10. 3, 4. in going before his own ſheep, in calling them by name, and in leading them.
2. He keeps ſuch as come, and raiſeth them up at the laſt day, John 6. 37, 40.
3. He guides them with prayers, John 14. 16. intercedes for them, to reduce them when they goe out of the way, Heb. 5. 1, 2. and all this with ſoul-ſatisfaction and delight, to get all his off-ſpring and children which the Lord hath given to him, fairly landed, and ſet in the other ſide of the ſea, beyond temptations and hazards, beyond ſin and death, as he hath a fellow-feeling and compaſſion, his bowels being moved, even now, in heaven with our infirmities, Heb. 4. 14, 15. ſo far as is ſuitable to his glorified ſtate, as our great High-Prieſt, which hath paſſed into the heavens. So his other affections of deſire, as our head, and natural and kindly care to have all his members guided ſafe in at the gates of heaven: and he muſt have much ſoul delight and ſatisfaction, that his own be led with his holy arm, and gathered in, Iſa. 40. 10, 11.
We have a looſe faith, the head ſhall care and watch for us, though we ſleep; that is, Chriſt is graciouſly careful to give influences, whether we ſleep or wake, pray or pray not:Chriſt cares more for his own body, then the members care for themſelves. our care can adde nothing to his care; if he will fail in his truſt, and ſleep, and let us periſh, let him ſee to his own glory; two cares, one in the head, and another in the members, are needleſs: nay, but his love and care, as head, ſends down influences of godly fear and trembling to the members, that they may work with him, Jer. 32. 40.
2. Our weakneſs of faith errs in the other extremity. Ah, can my deadneſs and hardneſs be ever ſubdued! If Chriſt once ſighed for the hardneſs of ſinners hearts,Chriſts care is now rather more when he is glorified, then leſs. and wept over the ſlain of Jeruſalem, and counted it meat and drink to bring in the Samaritans to the Goſpel, John 4. 34. Now when Chriſt is glorified, and the affections of love, compaſſion, care, are perfected in glory not deſtroyed, ſhould our unbelief ſay he now cares not for the hard heart and obſtinacy of his redeemed ones? If thy unbelief muſt take all the care off Chriſt, and our unbelieving care muſt doe all, let Chriſt ſleep.
3. There is a proportion betwixt head and members, the ſoul-travel of the head in heaven, and the ſoul-travel of the members on earth in the uſe of all meanes, hearing, pra…ing, praiſing, goe together. Awaking head and ſleeping members are unſutable. He watches prays, and watch ye with him, and pray.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Rutherford, Influences of the Life of Grace (1659)