A29369:418
Bridge's remains, being VIII sermons
Bridge's remains, being VIII sermons ... by that learned and judicious divine, Mr. William Bridge ...
London : Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock Senior and Junior ..., 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Sermons › Sermon 7: Soul-Resignation, Into the hands of God.
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.
First; It is Gods due, And it is our duty; for what is resignation of our souls or selves unto God, but that act of faith, whereby we do put our selves under the power, wisdom, and mercy of God, to be ordered and disposed of according to the good will of God; this is our duty, and it is Gods due. Is it not the duty of an inferior to resign up himself and his will to the hands and will of his superior? Doth not the Wife resign up her will to the will of her Husband? The Servant to the will of his Master? The child to the will of his Father? And is not God much more our Superior? Is not be our Husband, our Lord, our Father, in most transcendent manner? Surely then, this Soul-resignation is both Gods due, & it is our duty.
First; It is Gods due, And it is our duty; for what is resignation of our souls or selves unto God, but that act of faith, whereby we do put our selves under the power, wisdom, and mercy of God, to be ordered and disposed of according to the good will of God; this is our duty, and it is Gods due. Is it not the duty of an inferiour to resign up himself and his will to the hands and will of his superiour? Doth not the Wife resign up her will to the will of her Husband? The Servant to the will of his Master? The child to the will of his Father? And is not God much more our Superiour? Is not be our Husband, our Lord, our Father, in most transcendent manner? Surely then, this Soul-resi•nation is both Gods due, & it is our duty.
Secondly, Yea, and it is a very profitable thing for us to do it, hereby we make a virtue of necessity? & where can we lodge our souls in safer hands? If a man cannot keep a thing himself, but must betrust and deposit it in other hands: Will he not do it in the safest hands that he can find? Now three things there are that are required to a safe hand: Power, Wisdom, and Love; If I deposit a thing in a mans hand to keep, he must be able to keep it for me against violence, else his hand is no safe hand. Secondly though he be able and have power to keep it for me, yet if he be prodigal and lavish, and not ⟨p. 165⟩