A77355:499
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.
First, For the faith of Reliance: Satan does sometimes strike at the faith of Reliance in the Saints, by hiding from them their former Experiences of Gods gracious dealing with them. So long as a man hath the sight, and view of his Experiences of Gods gracious dealing with him before, he does rely on God, and he says, I will for ever rest upon God, and rely upon God in Christ, for thus and thus he hath dealt wth me heretofore. Now therefore, Satan does labour in the time of temptation, to hide the Experiences of the Saints from them, and so does strike at their faith, and labours to make their faith fail.
First, For the faith of Reliance: Satan does sometimes strike at the faith of Reliance in the Saints, by hiding from them their former Experiences of Gods gracious dealing with them. So long as a man hath the sight, and view of his Experiences of Gods gracious dealing with him before, he does relye on God, and he saies, I will for ever rest upon God, and relye upon God in Christ, for thus and thus he hath dealt wth me heretofore. Now therfore, Satan does labour in the time of temptation, to hide the Experiences of the Saints from them, and so does strike at their faith, and labours to make their faith faile.
But then, How should we bare off this blow? Quest.
Thus, Take heed that ye never rest upon the promise barely, Answ. 1 or only because of your Experience; but rather deal with your Experience because of the promise. It is a good thing for a man to come up to the Promise by the ladder of Experience: but it's better for a man to go down to the promise by his Experience. And if ye look into the 106. Psalm, ye shall find, that when a man does rest upon the Promise, barely by reason of his Experience, his faith will soon fail. The waters covered their enemies (at the 11. verse, 'tis spoken of the Israelites when they came through the red sea) there was not one of them left. Verse the 12. Then believed they his words. (Mark) now because of their Experience, now they believed Gods word, now they believed his promise by reason of their Experience; Then believed they his words, they sang his praise. But what became of this? Read the next words: They soon forgot his works, they waited not for his counsel. So that I say, take heed that ye don't rest upon the promise barely, and only because of your Experience, for if your