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

In the third place, Sometimes when you meet together, §3speak unto one another of the great things that God hath done; ⟨p. 212⟩the great things that God hath promised; the great things that Faith hath done. As words of anger do draw out anger, so experiences do draw out Faith. Only I pray take heed, when ye speak of your experiences, and what God hath done, that ye don't lay, or ground your Faith upon your experience, but upon the promise. 'Tis a good speech that Parisiensis hath, Experience (says he) 'Tis like the crutch, the lame mans crutch, it does uphold the lame man, but it don't cure him: And so, an experience, it stays up thy soul for the present, but experience cannot cure you of your unbelief; 'tis only the promise cures you of your unbelief. 'Tis said in the 106. Psalm, concerning the children of Israel, When they saw the Egyptians lie in the sea before them, then they believed in God, and sang his praise: And the next words that follow, are, They soon forgot his works. I, when as we believe the word only because of experience, no wonder that we soon forget our experiences, and all. Therefore take heed, tell of your experiences, draw out your experiences for to strengthen your Faith, yet lay not your Faith upon your experience, but upon the Word.

In the third place, Sometimes when you meete together, §3speak unto one another of the great things that God hath done; ⟨p. 212⟩the great things that God hath promised; the great things that Faith hath done. As words of anger do draw out anger, so experiences do draw out Faith. Onely I pray take heed, when ye speake of your experiences, and what God hath done, that ye don't lay, or ground your Faith upon your experience, but upon the promise. 'Tis a good speech that Parisiensis hath, Experience (sayes he) 'Tis like the crutch, the lame mans crutch, it does uphold the lame man, but it don't cure him: And so, an experience, it stayes up thy soule for the present, but experience cannot cure you of your unbeliefe; 'tis onely the promise cures you of your unbeliefe. 'Tis said in the 106. Psalme, concerning the children of Israel, When they saw the Egyptians lie in the sea before them, then they beleeved in God, and sang his praise: And the next words that follow, are, They soone forgate his works. I, when as we beleeve the word onely because of experience, no wonder that we soone forget our experiences, and all. Therefore take heed, tell of your experiences, draw out your experiences for to strengthen your Faith, yet lay not your Faith upon your experience, but upon the Word.