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

It may be thou hast a barley loaf-means, but thou hast not Chicken-means; and because thou hast not means to supply thine appetite, and to supply thy lust, thou sayest thou hast no means, and all means fail: Oh! this is very ordinary among some people; because they have not means to satisfy their mind and their lust, therefore they say, that all means fail. I beseech you Beloved, consider whether there be not this great mistake, when you say, that all means ⟨p. 186⟩fail; only a failing of means to supply your appetite and your lust, but not a failing of barley loaf-means; whether there be not always that means left by God.

It may be thou hast a barley loafe-meanes, but thou hast not Chicken-meanes; and because thou hast not meanes to supply thine appetite, and to supply thy lust, thou sayest thou hast no meanes, and all meanes faile: Oh! this is very ordinary among some people; because they have not meanes to satisfy their mind and their lust, therefore they say, that all meanes faile. I beseech you Beloved, consider whether there be not this great mistake, when you say, that all meanes ⟨p. 186⟩faile; onely a failing of meanes to supply your appetite and your lust, but not a failing of barley loave-meanes; whether there be not alwayes that meanes left by God.

In the third place, §3But suppose that all means fail indeed, and lie dead before you; now Faith is a means to a means: (mark) now Faith is a means to Faith, Faith hath a commission from God to put life into that means that lies dead before you; Faith hath a power from God to make that a means which was none before. Poor Soul, thou standest quaking and shaking at a distance & sayest, Oh! there's no means but contrary means: Come up to that contrary means, come up to it in a way of believing, and thy very coming up to that which thou lookest upon as contrary, through thy faith will be made a means to thee. When the Apostle Peter was in prison, the Angel comes to him, strikes off his chains, and bids him go out presently; Peter does not say thus, what should I stir for? Lord, Sir, there is an iron gate to go through, there are so many guards of Soldiers to pass through; Peter does not say so, but rises in a way of believing, comes to the iron gate in Faith, and when he comes at it, the iron gate doth open: And so it will be with you; indeed if you come unto that which seems a contrary means, in a natural way, the iron gate still continues shut; but Oh! if you would use your Faith, come up unto that which you look upon as the most contrary, in the way of believing, faith hath such a power from God, to put life into that means that lies dead before you.