A29368:468
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.
Secondly, For the proof of it: it is said, God will not always strive with the Children of men, neither will he always wait, and expect fruit from a fruitless and barren people, Read the parable of the figtree Luke 13.7. A certain man had a figtree &c. and he said unto the dresser of his Vineyard, behold these three years I come, seeking fruit on this figtree, and find none, cut it down why cumbreth it the ground. Now though this parable doth concern the Jews, and it concerns us also, wherein we may see there are three times, which go over the heads of all those that sit under the Gospel.
Secondly, For the proof of it: it is said, God will not alwayes strive with the Children of men, neither will he alwayes wait, and expect fruit from a fruitles and barren people, Read the parable of the figtree Luke 13.7. A certain man had a figtree &c. and he said unto the dresser of his Ʋineyard, behold these three years I come, seeking fruit on this figtree, and find none, cut it down why cumbreth it the ground. Now though this parable doth concern the Jews, and it concerns us also, wherein we may see there are three times, which go over the heads of all those that sit under the Gospel.
A time of soul mercy. A time of Gods forbearance, and A time of Judgement or cutting down.
There is time of forbearance and striving, a time when God seems to be at a stand, but then if men will not come unto him, he will resolve to go forth against them. Rom. 2.4, 5. verses. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance; But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds. So I say that, though God seem to be at a stand as to his dispensations, yet if men do not come in unto him, he will then resolve to go forth against them in his wrath.