A29369:435
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.
Secondly, As this work is not to be done slightly and overly; So neither is it to be done forcedly and lastly, but freely and firstly. The first thing I do, I must commit my self, and cause, and will unto God. If a City or Town be besieged, it yields and resigns at the last, because it can hold out no longer: But this Resignation is a forced work; the Resignation of our selves and wills unto God is not such. When Pharaoh could stand out no longer, then he resigned up the Israelites: And so when men can hold out no longer, then they say, Well, it is the will of God that this thing should be; wherefore now the will of the Lord be done. When they can do no other, Then they resign up the thing and themselves unto God. But this true Resignation is done freely and firstly, not forcedly, and at last.
Secondly, As this work is not to be done sleightly and overly; So neither is it to be done forcedly and lastly, but freely and firstly. The first thing I do, I must commit my self, and cause, and will unto God. If a City or Town be besieged, it yields and resigns at the last, because it can hold out no longer: But this Resignation is a forced work; the Resignation of our selves and wills unto God is not such. VVhen Pharaoh could stand out no longer, then he resigned up the Israelites: And so when men can hold out no longer, then they say, Well, it is the will of God that this thing should be; wherefore now the will of the Lord be done. VVhen they can do no other, Then they resign up the thing and themselves unto God. But this true Resignation is done freely and firstly, not forcedly, and at last.
Thirdly, As it is not to be done lastly and forcedly, So it is not to be done partially, and by halves, but fully and totally. I am thine, saith David to God, Oh save me. Ps. 119.94. When a man comes to God for mercy, he pleads not for part, but all. He doth not say, O save my body, and not my soul; but Oh save me: Nor doth he say, Oh save my soul, and not my body; But I am thine, Oh save me. When a man desires pardon of sin, he desires not the pardon of some, but of all. When God gives himself unto us, he gives himself wholly. This Resignation of our selves unto God, is a great Sacrifice, a great Offering, and it must be of all, an Holocaust. God cannot, will not take less then all. He that resigns himself unto God, with a reservation of a part, doth like Ananias and Sapphira; He pretends the whole, and gives but part, and so he doth lye nto God.