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

Lastly, §7This, Sorrow, grief, and Repentance; may take ones own heart much, or the heart of God much: ones own heart may be much affected, or the heart of God may be much affected: Beloved! ⟨p. 251⟩we are apt to love our first-borne: and though Legal repentance does not always go before the work of the Gospel; (for what legal work was there in Matthew before he did come to Christ? or what Legal work was there in Zacheus before he came to Christ?) yet often times it does: I say yet often times it does: and this being the first-born of our soul, we go to God with both our Repentances Legal, and Evangelical: and we say, Lord, lay the hand, Oh! lay the right-hand of thy blessing upon my first born, oh! let that inherit: But the Lord deals here, as old Jacob did, when Joseph brought his two Children before him to be blest: Jacob crossed his hands, and for Joseph's sake he laid the blessing upon the younger. So now does God do; you would have me to lay my blessing (says God) upon your first-born, upon your Elder, upon your Legal Repentance. No, says God, I have said, The Elder shall serve the Younger, & I will cross my hands; and for Joseph's sake, because there is more of Christ in this younger, therefore here will I lay the hand of my blessing. Beloved! the heart of a Christian, a gracious man, is never more drawn out in grief than upon the apprehension of love in jured: The greater love, and the greater injury is presented, the greater is the grief: When the Kingdom of Heaven comes unto a poor soul, there is the greatest love presented; sin against that, is the greatest injury: when therefore a man is sensible of his sin under that notion, then is his heart most affected and drawn forth in godly sorrow. Surely therefore, The approaching, and the drawing near of the Kingdom of Heaven, is the greatest motive, & argument under Heaven unto true Repentance.

Lastly, §7This, Sorrow, grief, and Repentance; may take ones own heart much, or the heart of God much: ones own heart may be much affected, or the heart of God may be much affected: Beloved! ⟨p. 251⟩we are apt to love our first-borne: and though Legal repentance does not alwaies go before the work of the Gospel; (for what legal work was there in Matthew before he did come to Christ? or what Legal work was there in Zacheus before he came to Christ?) yet often times it does: I say yet often times it does: and this being the first-born of our soul, we go to God with both our Repentances Legal, and Evangelical: and we say, Lord, lay the hand, Oh! lay the right-hand of thy blessing upon my first born, oh! let that inherite: But the Lord deals here, as old Jacob did, when Joseph brought his two Children before him to be blest: Jacob crost his hands, and for Joseph's sake he laid the blessing upon the younger. So now does God do; you would have me to lay my blessing (saies God) upon your first-born, upon your Elder, upon your Legal Repentance. No, saies God, I have said, The Elder shal serve the Younger, & I wil cross my hands; and for Joseph's sake, because there is more of Christ in this younger, therfore here will I lay the hand of my blessing. Beloved! the heart of a Christian, a gracious man, is never more drawn out in greif than upon the apprension of love in jured: The greater love, and the greater injury is presented, the greater is the greif: When the Kingdom of Heaven comes unto a poor soul, there is the greatest love presented; sin against that, is the greatest injury: when therefore a man is senfible of his sin under that notion, then is his heart most affected and drawn forth in godly sorrow. Surely therefore, The approaching, and the drawing neer of the Kingdom of Heaven, is the greatest motive, & argument under Heaven unto true Repentance.