A77355:428
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.
It is something for a man to have all the world against him, to have all man-kind against him: if all man-kind should be against one man, you would say, there were a great strength; but behold more than that, here is something more than flesh and blood that every man does wrestle against: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood: all man-kind is but flesh and blood, and so there's a weakness; but we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, for Authority; and against power, for Strength; and against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. Oh! what a mighty power then hath Satan to infest, molest, and to tempt the children of men.
It is something for a man to have all the world against him, to have all man-kind against him: if all man-kind should be aginst one man, you would say, there were a great strength; but behold more than that, here is something more than flesh and blood that every man does wrestle against: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood: all man-kind is but flesh and blood, and so ther's a weakness; but we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, for Authority; and against power, for Strength; and against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. Oh! what a mighty power then hath Satan to infest, molest, and to tempt the children of men.
Whether does Satan put forth this power, Quest. 2 and exercise this his tempting power upon the Saints and Children of God?
Yes, Answ. for they are the Saints that the Apostle speaks of here, in that to the Ephesians; For we wrestle not against flesh and blood. You that are Ephesians, and you that are Saints We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. Properly, ye don't wrestle with a man that is down; ye wrestle with a man for to throw him down; but he must be a standing man that ye wrestle withal: ye don't wrestle with one that does run away but one that stands to it. Now all wicked men, they are down, but the Saints they stand, and they labour to throw Satan down, and Satan labours to lay them all along in unbelief: but they properly do wrestle with Satan, for they stand, the other are fallen already.