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

Well, Answ. I must yet say again to you: Hast thou sinned more than this Peter did, when he denied his Lord and Master? Yet Christ prayed for him, and his prayer took and prevailed. Have you sinned more than Jerusalem did? Oh! Jerusalem, thou that stonest the Prophets, (says Christ when they put him to death.) And yet if you look into the 1. of the Acts, you shall find, that Christ after his Resurrection, bids his Disciples for to stay and wait at Jerusalem, and not stir from thence; and preach the Gospel, and mercy, and free-grace in Jerusalem. Hast thou (man or woman, that makest this objection) sinned more than those that did put Christ to death? that run him into his body with a spear? that nailed him upon the cross? hast thou sinned more than these? Ye know our Lord and Saviour when he was upon the cross, he prayed for them; Oh! Father forgive them, they know not what they do. But, (Lord) these are thine opposers, these are persecutors, and they persecute thee to death. Well, be it so, (says Christ) I know what I do, and I know whom I pray for: Father forgive them, they know not what they do. Oh! what grace, and mercy, and love is here! Comfort, yea, Comfort unto all the Disciples of Jesus Christ: when ye are in temptation, the Lord Christ is at prayer for you. And remember the Doctrine; Never is his love and mercy more at work for ye, than when Satan is most busy about ye, to tempt ye most. What comfort is here! This was that (in part) that comforted the Martyrs in the Primitive times, ye read of very great comforts that the Martyrs had in the Primitive times, those times next after Christ: I have desired to consider, what it was especially, that bore up their hearts under all those persecutions. And Tertullian, pitches upon this as one thing: We consider (says he) the case of Peter; ⟨p. 301⟩Satan desired to winnow him; Christ prayed for him. Here were (says Tertullian) two requests before God the Father: One was the request of Satan: and another was the request of Christ. Now the Son having more credit with God the Father than Satan, his request must needs prevail: So (says he) Satan hath desired for to tempt, and to winnow us, and persecute us; but the Lord Jesus Christ hath requested for us: There are two requests before God the Father; There's Satan's request to winnow us; and there's the Sons request praying for us:

Well, Answ. I must yet say again to you: Hast thou sinned more than this Peter did, when he denied his Lord and Master? Yet Christ prayed for him, and his prayer took and prevailed. Have you sinned more than Jerusalem did? Oh! Jerusalem, thou that stonest the Prophets, (saies Christ when they put him to death.) And yet if you look into the 1. of the Acts, you shall find, that Christ after his Resurrection, bids his Disciples for to stay and wait at Jerusalem, and not stir from thence; and preach the Gospel, and mercy, and free-grace in Jerusalem. Hast thou (man or woman, that makest this objection) sinned more than those that did put Christ to death? that run him into his body with a spear? that nailed him upon the crosse? hast thou sinned more than these? Ye know our Lord and Saviour when he was upon the crosse, he prayed for them; Oh! Father forgive them, they know not what they do. But, (Lord) these are thine opposers, these are persecutors, and they persecute thee to death. Well, be it so, (saies Christ) I know what I do, and I know whom I pray for: Father forgive them, they know not what they do. Oh! what grace, and mercy, and love is here! Comfort, yea, Comfort unto all the Disciples of Jesus Christ: when ye are in temptation, the Lord Christ is at prayer for you. And remember the Doctrine; Never is his love and mercy more at work for ye, than when Satan is most busie about ye, to tempt ye most. What comfort is here! This was that (in part) that comforted the Martyrs in the Primitive times, ye reade of very great comforts that the Martyrs had in the Primitive times, those times next after Christ: I have desired to consider, what it was especially, that bore up their hearts under all those persecutions. And Turtullian, pitches upon this as one thing: We consider (saies he) the case of Peter;