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

But especially, §2in the second place: A Christian may have some comfortable persuasion, that the Mercy is not dead, but sleepeth By the First-fruits of the promise. When the Jews kept the Feast of the First-fruits; they knew that the Harvest was not far off. And so, when the First-fruits of a Mercy comes, we may know that the Mercy, or blessing is not far off. Beloved, God does use to give the First-fruits of a blessing, before the great blessing comes. It's a good speech of one says he: God does with the same seal, seal divers matters; one Mercy is made a seal to another. God does give one Mercy, as a pledge of another, and as a seal of another. And so our Saviour Christ does, in that 9. Chapter of Matthew, we read of a certain Ruler, that came to him for his Daughter; and he said, (at the 18. verse) My Daughter is ever now dead, but come, and lay thine hand upon her, and she shall live. Here was his unbelief, that he should say: Come and lay thine hand upon her; Christ could have healed her, without coming to her: But Jesus arose, and followed him. And behold a woman (at the 20. verse) which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy ⟨p. 169⟩Faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that same hour: And when Jesus came into the Rulers house, and saw the Minstrels, and the People making a noise: He said unto them, Give place, for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth: And they laughed him to scorn. He did a miracle in the way, as a pledge unto them that he would do this miracle also, that he would raise up his daughter: and by this miracle that he did in the way, he did give them a seal of the miracle following, of the Mercy following. Thus he does many times.

But especially, §2in the second place: A Christian may have some comfortable perswasion, that the Mercy is not dead, but sleepeth By the First-fruits of the promise. When the Jews kept the Feast of the First-fruits; they knew that the Harvest was not farre off. And so, when the First-fruits of a Mercy comes, we may know that the Mercy, or blessing is not farre off. Beloved, God does use to give the First-fruits of a blessing, before the great blessing comes. It's a good speech of one sayes he: God does with the same seale, seale divers matters; one Mercy is made a seale to another. God does give one Mercy, as a pledge of another, and as a seal of another. And so our Saviour Christ does, in that 9. Chapter of Matthew, we reade of a certain Ruler, that came to him for his Daughter; and he said, (at the 18. verse) My Daughter is ever now dead, but come, and lay thine hand upon her, and shee shall live. Here was his unbeliefe, that he should say: Come and lay thine hand upon her; Christ could have healed her, without coming to her: But Jesus arose, and followed him. And behold a woman (at the 20. verse) which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy