A29372:39
Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London
Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London by William Bridge, late preacher of the word of God at Yarmouth.Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London by Willam Bridge, late preacher of the word of God at Yarmouth.
London: printed for Nath. Crouch, 1668
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 again, whereas thou sayest it is not now with thee as it was before; I say to thee, poor doubting heart, wherever thou art or standest, I say unto thee from the Lord, Thou hast more now then thou hadst before; as thus: for suppose a child that heretofore served his father for wages, and doth now serve out of love, and not for wages, it may be he doth not do so much work as he did before, yet I say to you, If he doth but hal• so much out of love, he doth more then he did before when he wrought for wages; now the work is more out of love to God: heretofore you were much grieved and troubled for sin committed, and you were therefore grieved, that your sin might be pardoned; I but now you grieve for your sin because it is pardoned: I tell you, One tear from you of these Gospel-tears, are more then a bottle-full of all those legal tears that you had before, man or woman, and therefore there is no reason why thou shouldst be dejected, and say thus, I am declined, and I have lost my first love, and I do not grow in grace, and therefore I never had any truth of grace at all.
But again, whereas thou sayst it is not now with thee as it was before; I say to thee, poor doubting heart, wherever thou art or standest, I say unto thee from the Lord, Thou hast more now then thou hadst before; as thus: for suppose a childe that heretofore served his father for wages, and doth now serve out of love, and not for wages, it may be he doth not do so much work as he did before, yet I say to you, If he doth but hal• so much out of love, he doth more then he did before when he wrought for wages; now the work is more out of love to God: heretofore you were much grieved and troubled for sin committed, and you were therefore grieved, that your sin might be pardoned; I but now you grieve for your sin because it is pardoned: I tell you, One tear from you of these Gospel-tears, are more then a bottle-full of all those legal tears that you had before, man or woman, and therefore there is no reason why thou shouldst be dejected, and say thus, I am declin'd, and I have lost my first love, and I do not grow in grace, and therefore I never had any truth of grace at all.