A29368:41
The freeness of the grace and love of God to believers discovered in reference…
The freeness of the grace and love of God to believers discovered in reference to 1. their services and suffering, 2. their consolations, and 3. their salvation and eternal glory : together with the excellency of the fear of God, the goodness and pleasantness of brotherly love, the wisdom of hearing the voice of the rod, repentance the only way to prevent judgements / delivered in several sermons by the late reverend and faithful minister of Christ, Mr. William Bridge ...The freeness of the grace and love of God to believers discovered in reference to 1. their services and suffering, 2. their consolations, and 3. their salvation and eternal glory : together with the excellency of the fear of God, the goodness and pleasantness of brotherly love, the wisdom of hearing the voice of the rod, repentance the only way to prevent judgements / delivered in several sermons by the late reverend and faithful minister of Christ, Mr. William Bridg ...
London: printed for Nath. Crouch, 1671
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.
But wherein doth the grace of God appear as to our sufferings? for the great thing is to stand our ground: To this I answer;
First, Is it not a great mercy, that the great God of Heaven and Earth should call us worms to bear witness to his Name, his great Name, yea, to suffer for it.
Secondly, Is it not a great mercy and favour, that God will take notice of all the injuries that are done unto them that suffer for him, as done unto himself? I know thy works (saith God) do men jeer ⟨p. 14⟩thee and reproach thee for the sake of Christ? then happy art thou. What wrong is done unto them that suffer for God, he takes it as done unto himself: So that I say, it is a great mercy and favour, that the God of Heaven should take those injuries as done unto himself, that are done unto us. Nay, (saith God) I will give you a mouth, and tell you what you shall speak when you come before men. Take no thought for what you shall speak, for it shall be given you.
Thirdly, Is it not a great mercy, that your hearts shall be filled with joy in the midst of sufferings? They went away rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer.