A77358:281
The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, now preacher…The vvorks of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, now preacher…
The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, now preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth. The third volume. [sic] Viz. 1. The spiritual life, and in-being of Christ in all believers. 2. The woman of Canaan.The vvorks of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, now preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth. The third volumn. [sic] Viz. 1. The spiritual life, and in-being of Christ in all believers. 2. The woman of Canaan.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1649
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.
Duty 1 First. If Christ be in you of a truth; Then why should the World be in you in its strength and power? I say, If Christ be in you of a truth, Why should you meddle, either in regard of your soul or body, with any thing that may be unsavoury, or distasteful to Jesus Christ? If a man have a Guest in his house that he prizes highly; will he bring Swine into his chamber? this were as much as to bid him be gone. And if Christ be in you, and in you of a truth, Will ye bring Swine unto him? will ye bring Lusts? will ye bring the World? You are the Temples of the holy Ghost; therefore, why should ye not take heed of defiling these Temples? What manner of men and women should we be in all holy conversation, if Christ be in us of a truth?
Duty 1 First. If Christ be in you of a truth; Then why should the World be in you in its strength and power? I say, If Christ be in you of a truth, Why should you meddle, either in regard of your soul or body, with any thing that may be unsavoury, or distastful to Jesus Christ? If a man have a Guest in his house that he prizes highly; will he bring Swine into his chamber? this were as much as to bid him be gone. And if Christ be in you, and in you of a truth, Wil ye bring Swine unto him? wil ye bring Lusts? wil ye bring the World? You are the Temples of the holy Ghost; therefore, why should ye not take heed of defiling these Temples? What manner of men and women should we be in all holy conversation, if Christ be in us of a truth?
Duty. 2 2ly If Christ be in you of a truth, Why then should ye not be Contented with your Condition what ever it be, yea, thankful for it, yea in some Proportion thankful? I say, Contented, Thankful, & thankful in Proportion. I know, a man that is made partaker of this great mercy, this Inbeing of Christ in the Soul, can never be Thankful in Proportion unto the mercy received; but he may be thankful in Proportion unto other mercies. You will be thankful to a man that gives you an hundred pound; you will be more thankful to him that gives you a thousand pound; you will be more thankful to him that gives you a thousand pound a year: It may be you will say to him that gives you a thousand pound, I can never be thankful enough to you; but yet you will be more thankful to him that gives you a thousand pound a year. So here, you can never be thankful enough in proportion to the mercy received, but you may be thankful in proportion to other mercies received. If the Lord had given you the whole world for your portion, you would have been thankful: now in that he hath given you his Son, and that Jesus Christ is really united to you by his Spirit, and Christ really in your soul; he hath done more for you, than if he had given you all the whole world. And will ye be thankful for these outward things? and not for this In-being of