A77357:649
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.
THESE Words are part of that Sermon which John the Baptist preached, when he first began for to preach the Gospel. They contain, ye see, at the first view, An Exhortation to Repentance, with a motive, or encouragement thereunto: For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
THESE Words are part of that Sermon which John the Baptist preached, when he first began for to preach the Gospel. They contain, ye see, at the first view, An Exhortation to Repentance, with a motive, or encouragment thereunto: For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
I take it for granted, that ye understand what is the notion of Repentance. And my design is not to fall into the common place of Repentance; but only to speak to it so far as it hath relation to this motive.
Some there are that think these words are to be understood of a Legal Repentance; as if John the Baptist's Ministry were a legal Ministry; and in that sense he himself a fore-runner to Jesus Christ. This (me thinks) is to lowen the Ministry of John the Baptist. And if you look into the 1. Chap. of Luke, you will find, that John's Ministry was not a Legal Ministry, but a Gospel-Ministry: (the 76, and the 77. verses) Thou Child shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways: To give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins. And if ye look into the following ⟨p. 240⟩verse to the Text, ye shall find the interpretation of this Repentance: Repent ye: for this is he that was spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. So that preparing the way of the Lord, and making his paths straight; is all one with that which is going before. Now is any one able to make his paths straight before he do come to Christ? why then do we come to Christ if we be able to make our paths straight before we do come unto him?