A77355:12
The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel College in CambridgeThe works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge
The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel College in Cambridge; now preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth. The first volume. Viz. I. The great Gospel-mystery of the saints comfort and holiness, opened and applied from Christs priestly office. II. Satan's power to tempt; and Christs love to, and care of his people under temptation. III. Thankfulness required in every condition.The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge; now preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth. The first volume. Viz. I. The great Gospel-mysterie of the saints comfort and holinesse, opened and applyed from Christs priestly office. II. Satans power to tempt; and Christs love to, and care of his people under temptation. III. Thankfulnesse required in every condition.
London: printed for Peter Cole, 1649
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.
Reader, Let us be thine, to beseech thee by the mercies of God, (as thou tenderest the peace and welfare of all within thy own tabernacle) immediately to put in practise the holy Contents of this Experimental Book. For if thou art one of the LORDS-Simons, Behold Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as wheat. Oh therefore make provision for thy soul with all speed, before the hour of temptation draweth on. It is not true valour, but desperate fool-madness, to adjourn this Every-days business of everlasting concernment: Because in this, as in oversights of War, there is no room for a second retractation, the first error being unrecoverable.
Reader, Let us be thine, to beseech thee by the mercies of God, (as thou tenderest the peace and welfare of all within thy own tabernacle) immediately to put in practise the holy Contents of this Experimentall Book. For if thou art one of the LORDS-Simons, Behold Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as wheat. Oh therefore make provision for thy soule with all speed, before the houre of temptation draweth on. It is not true valour, but desperate fool-madnesse, to adjourne this Every-dayes businesse of everlasting concernment: Because in this, as in oversights of War, there is no room for a second retractation, the first error being unrecoverable.
This is all we have to advertise thee touching these choice useful Lectures. For the Author of them (whom we very much love and honour) we must bear witness, that when he first preached them from the bosom of Jesus Christ (his Master) to many tempted bleeding hearts in and about this populous City, he had not then the least thought to suffer them in Print to serve the Public. But afterwards, eyeing the voice of God in the multiplied desires and greedy expectations both of friends and strangers, his constant Auditors (though of different judgements) in their private speeches and Letters; and to prevent a further inconvenience, [sc. the publishing them by some who had imperfect Notes in their hands] was necessitated to depute us [in his absence at Yarmouth) to hand out into the world this his Copy,1 which was exactly penned from his tongue,