The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel College in CambridgeThe works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge

What shalt thou say: Answ. If it be possible, don't stand to treat with Satan, don't stand to parley with him; he will dispute you out of all your comfort if you stand and parley with him. You have half lost the field when ye honour Satan, and you honour him when you follow him into his disputes: if it be possible therefore don't stand and parley, or dispute with Satan, but if you must say something to ⟨p. 259⟩him, and ye must treat, ye must speak; Tell Satan then, That therefore you believe it, because he denies it: therefore you do not believe it, because he affirms it; that you believe the contrary, because he speaks thus. When ye are to deal with a great liar, one that is your Enemy, & he comes and tells you very ill news, you will say, He is a liar, and he is my Enemy, and he does it to scare me, and therefore I believe the contrary. Satan is a great liar, and he is your Enemy, and therefore when he says unto thee, There is no hope for thee, thou hast been a great sinner, a Drunkard for thus many years, a Swearer thus many years, there's no hope for thee: say, Satan, therefore I believe the contrary, there is hope for me, because thou sayest there is none, for thou art a liar, yea, the father of lies.

What shalt thou say: Answ. If it be possible, don't stand to treat with Satan, don't stand to parley with him; he will dispute you out of all your comfort if you stand and parley with him. You have half lost the field when ye honour Satan, and you honour him when you follow him into his disputes: if it be possible therefore don't stand and parley, or dispute with Satan, but if you must say something to ⟨p. 259⟩him, and ye must treat, ye must speak; Tell Satan then, That therefore you beleeve it, because he denies it: therefore you do not beleeve it, because he affirms it; that you beleeve the contrary, because he speaks thus. When ye are to deal with a great lyar, one that is your Enemy, & he comes and tels you very ill news, you will say, He is a lyar, and he is my Enemy, and he does it to scare me, and therefore I beleeve the contrary. Satan is a great lyar, and he is your Enemy, and therefore when he saies unto thee, There is no hope for thee, thou hast been a great sinner, a Drunkard for thus many yeers, a Swearer thus many yeers, there's no hope for thee: say, Satan, therefore I beleeve the contrary, there is hope for me, because thou saiest there is none, for thou art a lyar, yea, the father of lyes.

Again, If ye must speak with Satan; then speak of Christ, of grace, of the infinite love of God in Christ: he cannot stand before words of grace, and before words of love: not a word of grace, or of free love in all his temptations.

Yea, If you must speak with Satan, tell him, Oh! tell him, what ye find in the ways of God, and tell him, that you believe beyond what ye find; thus: Satan, for the present I find nothing but sweetness in the ways of God; thou toldst me that if I would turn godly I should never have merry day again, but I tell thee what I now find, I find of a truth, That the sourest part of godliness, is sweeter than the sweetest part of wickedness. Satan, I find, that all that ever thou toldst me is false; Thou saidst, I should lose all my friends: I have better. Thou saidst, I should lose all my comforts if I turned godly; I have better, Satan. And this I find, Satan; That all that ever Christ spake unto me, is true: Oh! I find infinite sweetness in the ways of God, and I believe beyond what I find: that if the wheels of providence should run never so cross, yet through grace I would believe. Beloved! ye know what the Apostle says, Whom resist, steadfast in the faith: and by faith we quench his fiery darts. Must ye therefore needs speak with Satan; speak ⟨p. 260⟩to him words of faith; not of sense (man) not of reason, but speak words of faith; I charge ye in the Lord, if ye will stand and parley, and speak with Satan, speak words of faith to him, speak words in a way of believing; and 'tis only faith that brings Christ and the soul together in the time of temptation; and when Christ comes in, Satan goes out.

Yea, If you must speak with Satan, tell him, Oh! tell him, what ye find in the waies of God, and tell him, that you beleeve beyond what ye find; thus: Satan, for the present I find nothing but sweetness in the waies of God; thou toldst me that if I would turn godly I should never have merry day again, but I tell thee what I now find, I find of a truth, That the sowrest part of godliness, is sweeter than the sweetest part of wickedness. Satan, I find, that all that ever thou toldst me is false; Thou saidst, I should lose all my friends: I have better. Thou saidst, I should lose all my comforts if I turned godly; I have better, Satan. And this I find, Satan; That all that ever Christ spake unto me, is true: Oh! I find infinite sweetness in the waies of God, and I beleeve beyond what I find: that if the wheels of providence should run never so crosse, yet through grace I would beleeve. Beloved! ye know what the Apostle saies, Whom resist, stedfast in the faith: and by faith we quench his fiery darts. Must ye therefore neds speak with Satan; speak ⟨p. 260⟩to him words of faith; not of sence (man) not of reason, but speak words of faith; I charge ye in the Lord, if ye will stand and parley, and speak with Satan, speak words of faith to him, speak words in a way of beleeving; and 'tis only faith that brings Christ and the soul together in the time of temptation; and when Christ comes in, Satan goes out.

Take heed that ye don't stand playing upon the borders, Answ. 1 or confines of any sin. If you stand upon the brink of a sin, Satan comes behind you and thrusts you into it. Some there are that tempt the tempter, that begin unto Satan, they drink to Satan the first draught, and Satan pledges them, and drinks unto them again. Would you (m• beloved) prevent temptation? Oh! take heed how ye stand playing upon the borders of any sin, the holes of the Asps.

Take heed that ye don't stand playing upon the borders, Answ. 1 or confines of any sin. If you stand upon the brink of a sin, Satan comes behind you and thrusts you into it. Some there are that tempt the tempter, that begin unto Satan, they drink to Satan the first draught, and Satan pledges them, and drinks unto them again. Would you (m• beloved) prevent temptation? Oh! take heed how ye stand playing upon the borders of any sin, the holes of the Aspes.

Again, Answ. 2 If ye would prevent temptation: Then labour to get your hearts mortified unto the objects of love and fear. Satan tempts two ways: As a Serpent: And as a Lyon. When Satan tempts as a Serpent; then he does make a tender, and an offer of some comfortable, profitable, sweet thing: You shall be like God; You shall be as God, says he unto Adam and Eve, when he tempted as a Serpent, came as a Serpent. And so dealing as a Serpent with our Saviour Christ, All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Shows him the glory of the world, and all this will I give thee. So says he unto a poor soul, when he tempts as a Serpent, Come and yield unto this temptation, and all this comfort will I give thee, and all this profit will I give thee, and all this repute and honour will I give thee. Thus as a Serpent. Sometimes he tempts as a Lyon: for he goes up and down as a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devour. And when Satan tempts as a Lyon, then he does roar upon a poor soul, and labours to scare him out ⟨p. 261⟩of his conscience, and out of the good ways of God. And therefore in the book of the Revelation, Satan shall cast some of you into prison. Satan shall do it. And sometimes he does stand and rattle the chains of a prison; Look, do ye hear these? If you will go on in such and such a way, you will lose all your friends; & if you will go on in such a way, I will make it too hot for you, and thus and thus shall you suffer, and it shall cost ye a prison ere I have done with you. Thus now Satan tempts as a Lyon, by holding terrible objects before a man. It is said, That Satan came to our Saviour Christ, and he found nothing in him; so he prevailed not: But Satan comes to us, and he finds a great deal in us, he finds a disposition in us to be moved with objects of love, unto comfortable, and profitable things: He comes to us, and finds in us a disposition to be moved with Fear by terrible objects. Wherefore now (my beloved) do you desire to prevent the mischief of a temptation? Oh! labour more and more to die unto all the objects of your outward Love, and the objects of Fear; Die to the objects of Love, get your heart mortified to these two objects of Love and Fear. And be sure of this, if thou wouldst prevent temptation, that ye labour more and more to walk in the light: Satan is the prince of darkness, and he walks in darkness:

Again, Answ. 2 If ye would prevent temptation: Then labour to get your hearts mortified unto the objects of love and fear. Satan tempts two waies: As a Serpent: And as a Lyon. When Satan tempts as a Serpent; then he does make a tender, and an offer of some comfortable, profitable, sweet thing: You shall be like God; You shall be as God, saies he unto Adam and Eve, when he tempted as a Serpent, came as a Serpent. And so dealing as a Serpent with our Saviour Christ, All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Shews him the glory of the world, and all this will I give thee. So saies he unto a poor soul, when he tempts as a Serpent, Come and yeeld unto this temptation, and all this comfort will I give thee, and all this profit will I give thee, and all this repute and honor will I give thee. Thus as a Serpent. Sometimes he tempts as a Lyon: for he goes up and down as a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devour. And when Satan tempts as a Lyon, then he does roare upon a poor soul, and labours to scare him out ⟨p. 261⟩of his conscience, and out of the good waies of God. And therefore in the book of the Revelation, Satan shall cast some of you into prison. Satan shall do it. And sometimes he does stand and rattle the chaines of a prison; Look, do ye hear these? If you will go on in such and such a way, you wil lose al your friends; & if you will go on in such a way, I wil make it too hot for you, and thus and thus shall you suffer, and it shall cost ye a prison ere I have done with you. Thus now Satan tempts as a Lyon, by holding terrible objects before a man. It is said, That Satan came to our Saviour Christ, and he found nothing in him; so he prevailed not: But Satan comes to us, and he finds a great deal in us, he finds a disposition in us to be moved with objects of love, unto comfortable, and profitable things: He comes to us, and finds in us a disposition to be moved with Fear by terrible objects. Wherefore now (my beloved) do you desire to prevent the mischief of a temptation? Oh! labour more and more to die unto all the objects of your outward Love, and the objects of Fear; Die to the objects of Love, get your heart mortified to these two objects of Love and Fear. And be sure of this, if thou wouldst prevent temptation, that ye labour more and more to walk in the light: Satan is the prince of darkness, and he walks in darkness:

and he tempts in darkness. When night comes the beasts go forth to their prey, says the Psalmist, And when Satan sees a poor ignorant soul, that walks in the dark, says he, Here's a fit prey for me. Oh! therefore, you that are ignorant, and have sate ignorant under the Ordinances; for the Lords sake, labour to get more light, and more knowledge, get your heart opened unto every truth of God, labour to acquaint your selves more with Gospel light, and set your bosoms open unto every truth of the Lord.

and he tempts in darkness. When night comes the beasts go forth to their prey, saies the Psalmist, And when Satan sees a poor ignorant soul, that walks in the dark, saies he, Here's a fit prey for me. Oh! therefore, you that are ignorant, and have sate ignorant under the Ordinances; for the Lords sake, labour to get more light, and more knowledge, get your heart opened unto every truth of God, labour to acquaint your selves more with Gospellight, and set your bosomes open unto every truth of the Lord.

And, beloved! whether you would overcome, or whether you would prevent temptation; what ever means you use; be sure of this, That you take your temptation and dip it in the blood of Christ. Take a candle, that is lighted, and ⟨p. 262⟩only blow out the candle, the candle is easily lighted again: but when the candle is out, take it and put it into the water, and then 'tis not so easily lighted again: So now a temptation comes, and you blow it out with a Resolution, and you won't yield to it, alas, 'tis easily lighted again: but now, take this candle, take this temptation, and come and dip it in the blood of Jesus Christ, and it will not be so easily lighted again; so you shall be able to prevent temptation for the time to come: Never rest alone in resolving, but, Oh! take your temptation and dip it in the blood of Jesus Christ.

And, beloved! whether you would overcome, or whather you would prevent temptation; what ever means you use; be sure of this, That you take your temptation and dip it in the blood of Christ. Take a candle, that is lighted, and ⟨p. 262⟩only blow out the candle, the candle is easily lighted again: but when the candle is out, take it and put it into the water, and then 'tis not so easily lighted again: So now a temptation comes, and you blow it out with a Resolution, and you won't yeeld to it, alas, 'tis easily lighted again: but now, take this candle, take this temptation, and come and dip it in the blood of Jesus Christ, and it will not be so easily lighted again; so you shall be able to prevent temptation for the time to come: Never rest alone in resolving, but, Oh! take your temptation and dip it in the blood of Jesus Christ.

And if that you do overcome your temptation at any time; be thankful to God: if ye have more than flesh and blood against you, ye shall have more then flesh and blood with you. And therefore, have you overcome temptation? go away and be very thankful, and say, Oh! though flesh and blood be against me, yet I have more than flesh and blood with me, praise the Lord much: And if you have been overcome with temptation, yet be not discouraged; for ye hear the Doctrine, God doth suffer his own dear children to be tempted, to be buffeted, to be exposed to Satan's temptings, and to Satan's winnowings. But though ye be tempted, and it be a temptation of Satan, yet ye hear withal, That 'tis the property, and disposition of Gods own people to grieve, and mourn under their temptation as if it were all their own, and nothing of Satans. Wherefore now (my beloved) having heard these things, think on them, and the Lord bless them to you every day more and more.

And if that you do overcome your temptation at any time; be thankful to God: if ye have more than flesh and blood against you, ye shall have more then flesh and blood with you. And therefore, have you overcome temptation? go away and be very thankful, and say, Oh! though flesh and blood be against me, yet I have more than flesh and blood with me, praise the Lord much: And if you have been overcome with temptation, yet be not discouraged; for ye hear the Doctrine, God doth suffer his own dear children to be tempted, to be buffeted, to be exposed to Satans temptings, and to Satans winnowings. But though ye be tempted, and it be a temptation of Satan, yet ye hear withall, That 'tis the property, and disposition of Gods own people to grieve, and mourn under their temptation as if it were all their own, and nothing of Satans. Wherefore now (my beloved) having heard these things, think on them, and the Lord blesse them to you every day more and more.

SERMON IV. Of TEMPTATION.

LUKE 22.31, 32. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold,¹ Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.

1. 1Preached at Stepney Oct. 17 1647.

YE find that these words hold forth the relation of a great storm of temptation coming down upon Christ's Disciples: The Danger of it. And the Remedy against it. Of the Danger somewhat ye heard from the 31. verse. And now I am to speak unto the 32. verse. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.

YE find that these words hold forth the relation of a great storme of temptation coming down upon Christ's Disciples: The Danger of it. And the Remedy against it. Of the Danger somewhat ye heard from the 31. verse. And now I am to speak unto the 32. verse. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.

Here is somewhat Implied; and somewhat Expressed: Implied, Satan's Design, and his great Design upon their faith. Expressed, Christs love and care, his special love and care over them, and towards them in this temptation. As if he should say thus, Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to tempt you; not only thee, but all my Disciples: the temptation is great, and in this temptation, his great design is upon your faith: but I have spoken unto my Father, and your Father, that your faith may not fail. So that hence you may observe thus much: That in the time of temptation, Doct. Satan's great Design is upon the faith of the Saints, to make their faith fail.

Here is somewhat Implied; and somwhat Exprest: Implied, Satans Design, and his great Design upon their faith. Exprest, Christs love and care, his special love and care over them, and towards them in this temptation. As if he should say thus, Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to tempt you; not only thee, but all my Disciples: the temptation is great, and in this temptation, his great design is upon your faith: but I have spoken unto my Father, and your Father, that your faith may not fail. So that hence you may observe thus much: That in the time of temptation, Doct. Satans great Design is upon the faith of the Saints, to make their faith fail.

He doth not say, But I have prayed for thee, that thy Prayer fail not, or that thy Patience fail not, or that thy Love fail not; but I have prayed that thy Faith fail not. So that Satan's great design in all his temptations is upon the faith of the Saints, that he may make their faith to fail them.

He doth not say, But I have prayed for thee, that thy Prayer faile not, or that thy Patience fail not, or that thy Love fail not; but I have prayed that thy Faith fail not. So that Satans great design in all his temptations is upon the faith of the Saints, that he may make their faith to faile them.

For the further clearing, and opening of these words, and of this Truth; I shall labour to show you.

For the further clearing, and opening of these words, and of this Truth; I shall labour to shew you.

First, What it is for to fail in our faith: and how far the Saints may fail in their faith in time of temptation. Secondly, What an evil thing it is for the Saints to fail in their faith in time of temptation. Thirdly, That Satan's great design in all his temptations, is upon our faith. Fourthly, How Satan labours to weaken our faith in the time of temptation: what strokes he gives unto our faith, and how we shall be able to bare off those blows in the time of temptation that so our faith fail not?

First, What it is for to fail in our faith: and how far the Saints may fail in their faith in time of temptation. Secondly, What an evilthing it is for the Saints to faile in their faith in time of temptation. Thirdly, That Satans great design in all his temptations, is upon our faith. Fourthly, How Satan labours to weaken our faith in the time of temptation: what strokes he gives unto our faith, and how we shall be able to bare off those blows in the time of temptation that so our faith fail not?