A77357:187
The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel College in CambridgeThe vvorks of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge
The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel College in Cambridge: now preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth. The second volume. [sic] Viz. 1. Grace for grace; or, The overflowing of Christs fullness received by all saints. II. The spiritual actings of faith through natural impossibilities. III. Evangelical repentance.The vvorks of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge: now preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth. The second volumn. [sic] Viz. 1. Grace for grace; or, The overflowing of Christs fulness received by all saints. II. The spiritual actings of faith through natural impossibilities. III. Evangelical repentance.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1649
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
And so, if wood be to be burnt; first it must be dried, there is preparing the wood to be burnt, because the thing is to be done by degrees. But in the conversion of a poor sinner, ⟨p. 54⟩the work is done in a moment, it is no natural work, God infuses Grace there; and therefore there needs no preparation there. And therefore Bradwardine, he reasons the case very well thus, If (says he) a man can prepare himself, then the preparation either helps forward, or causes the following grace; if it does not help forward, nor cause the following grace, then it does not prepare, that which does not help, does not prepare: & if it does help forward the following grace, or cause it, that God must give a following grace as a reward of this preparation; then surely, this preparation makes a man pleasing in the eyes of God: for, will God reward a man for a work that does not make him pleasing in the eyes of God? But how can a man be pleasing in the eyes of God,1 without Faith? Without Faith it is impossible to please God. So that a man cannot prepare himself to what is good. Put all these together: A man cannot naturally overcome a sin, a temptation, though never so small: He cannot rise when he is fallen: he cannot stand though he should rise: yea, he is unable to any good work, simply in it self: and he is not able to prepare himself unto what is good. Surely therefore, all is in a way of Receiving: what ever grace one hath, he hath it in a way of Receiving. This is the first Argument.
And so, if wood be to be burnt; first it must be dried, there is preparing the wood to be burnt, because the thing is to be done by degrees. But in the conversion of a poor sinner, ⟨p. 54⟩the work is done in a moment, it is no natural work, God infuses Grace there; and therefore there needs no prepararation there. And therefore Bradwardine, he reasons the case very well thus, If (saies he) a man can prepare himself, then the preparation either helps forward, or causes the following grace; if it does not help forward, nor cause the following grace, then it does not prepare, that which does not help, does not prepare: & if it does help forward the following grace, or cause it, that God must give a following grace as a reward of this preparation; then surely, this preparation makes a man pleasing in the eyes of God: for, will God reward a man for a work that does not make him pleasing in the eyes of God? But how can a man be pleasing in the eyes of God,