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

Then also comes in the power of all Relations; And the power of all Engagements: And the power of all former Customs; And the power of an Evil Nature: Nay, if you will go this way to work, then farewell all Friends; and farewell all your former Pleasures, and farewell all Preferment. Was it not a great matter for Job to be upright in the Land of Uz? why? Because there was much opposition in it. Is it not a great matter, for a little poor Barque, or Vessel to live at Sea in the time of a storm? for a little spark of fire to live in much water? for a little light to live in a great wind? You look upon such a poor gracious soul, and you do not consider the wind that blows upon it, the storms that beat upon it; and you say, 'Tis not much Grace he hath, or much good he does: Oh! but consider, if you would consider the great Opposition that the soul meets withal, then you will say, Oh! 'tis much indeed, there is Abundance of Grace there.

Then also comes in the power of all Relations; And the power of all Engagements: And the power of all former Customs; And the power of an Evil Nature: Nay, if you will go this way to work, then farewel all Friends; and farewell all your former Pleasures, and farewel all Preferment. Was it not a great matter for Job to be upright in the Land of Ʋz? why? Because there was much opposition in it. Is it not a great matter, for a little poor Barque, or Vessel to live at Sea in the time of a storm? for a little spark of fire to live in much water? for a little light to live in a great wind? You look upon such a poor gracious soul, and you do not consider the wind that blows upon it, the storms that beat upon it; and you say, 'Tis not much Grace he hath, or much good he does: Oh! but consider, if you would consider the great Opposition that the soul meets withal, then you will say, Oh! 'tis much indeed, there is Abundance of Grace there.

Secondly. Consider the Retinue of Grace: §2Grace hath a great Retinue, Though it be very mean, it hath rich Retinue. If a man hath but a poor Cottage, an Acre of Land, an half-Acre of Land, a Rood: Yet if it be an Earnest of a great Inheritance, 'tis much: Look upon the little Cottage in it self, or the Rood of Land in it self, 'tis not much; but consider it as an Earnest of a great Inheritance; so 'tis much. Beloved! whatsoever Grace the Saints have, they have it but as an Earnest. Ye read of the Testimony of the Spirit, of the Earnest of the Spirit: all the Grace that the Saints have on this side Heaven, 'tis all but the Earnest of what they shall have. And the Apostle, he blesses God for this, as ye read in the 1. of the Colossians 12. Giving thanks unto the Father, which bath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light: (Mark,) Here are Three things especially considerable in these words: All the Children of God have an Inheritance. You have but one Heir to your Estate, all are not Heirs; but all