A29372:43
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.
If you do find again a greater sweetness in the ways of God, then you have found heretofore, certainly you are grown: when we come and look upon a flower, we look at the colour of the flower, and the smell of the flower; but the Bee doth not regard the colour of the flower, or the smell of the flower, but the Bee regards the sweetness of the flower: so at our first coming into the ways of God, then we look at the colour, and how they appear; but afterwards, the more Grace you have, the more sweetness you find; and if you find more sweetness, certainly you are grown more.
Again, If that you are more able to turn from the exercise of one Grace to another, and of one Duty unto another, then you were, this argues you are grown, if you be able to mingle Graces together: a weak Christian is all for one work, humiliation for sin committed, and it's true, we ought to be much humbled: I say, a weak Christian is all for one work, but the stronger you ⟨p. 16⟩grow, the more you will be able to mingle Graces together, and to turn from one to another. As now, if one learn to sing, when one hath but little skill, possibly a man may sing one tune; but the more a man grows in skill, the more he will be able readily to turn from one tune to another. So in Grace, a man may be able to mingle Graces more; and therefore our growth is so described, as you shall hear by and by in that of Peter, Add unto your Faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, &c.
Again, If that you are more able to turn from the exercise of one Grace to another, and of one Duty unto another, then you were, this argues you are grown, if you be able to mingle Graces together: a weak Christian is all for one work, humiliation for sin committed, and it's true, we ought to be much humbled: I say, a weak Christian is all for one work, but the stronger you ⟨p. 16⟩grow, the more you will be able to mingle Graces together, and to turn from one to another. As now, if one learn to sing, when one hath but little skill, possibly a man may sing one tune; but the more a man grows in skill, the more he will be able readily to turn from one tune to another. So in Grace, a man may be able to mingle Graces more; and therefore our growth is so described, as you shall hear by and by in that of Peter, Add unto your Faith vertue, and to vertue knowledge, &c.