A29372:678
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.
2. What if God have some great design and work to bring to pass, which in an ordinary way he ⟨p. 193⟩cannot bring to pass, but through the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly? Suppose that the Lord be intended for to scatter and disperse the Truth, and the Gospel; how will he do this but by scattering his people that are of the Solemn Assembly? The Church was scattered in the 8th. of the Acts: What then? they went up and down preaching every where, they came to Antioch, and a great number believed, and turned to the Lord, and Paul and Barnabas stayed there a whole year preaching, and there those that believed were first called Christians: By their scattering, Truth and the Gospel scattered.
But then, Thirdly, what if God will try his enemies and his friends, both at once? Sometimes he will try his enemies, whether they will dare to break open his House, to trample his holy City under foot: Whether they will behave themselves proudly: Sometimes he will try them. Sometimes he will try his own Children, how they will carry it in such a day, whether they will lament after God, how they will be affected for the want of the public Assembly; God will try sometimes his own Children, and where doth God try his Children but in that thing, wherein they are much delighted? what's that? One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will for ever desire, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord: here's their delight, here's their desire, here God will try them.
But then, Thirdly, what if God will try his enemies and his friends, both at once? Sometimes he will try his enemies, whether they will dare to break open his House, to trample his holy City under foot: Whether they will behave themselves proudly: Sometimes he will try them. Sometimes he will try his own Children, how they will ca•ry it in such a day, whether they will lament after God, how they will be affected for the want of the publick Assembly; God will try sometimes his own Children, and where doth God try his Children but in that thing, wherein they are much delighted? what's that? One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will for ever desire, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord: here's their delight, here's their desire, here God will try them.