A77358:313
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.
Reas. To give you one Reason for it. If a Believer had a greater hand and stroke in his Spiritual actions, then the Spirit of Christ; then had he wherein to boast: for he might say thus: I have now been at Duty; I confess I have had some help from Christ, and from the Spirit, but I had the greatest ⟨p. 107⟩hand and stroke therein my self, and therefore why should I not boast? I have been now at Prayer, and though I have had some help from the Spirit in Prayer, yet I had the greatest hand and stroke therein my self, therefore why should I not boast? But (saith the Apostle) boasting is excluded: Surely therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ doth so live in a Christian, as that he hath a greater hand and stroke, in all the actions of his spiritual life, than a Christian, or a Believer hath himself; so that he may say truly, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.
Reas. To give you one Reason for it. If a Beleever had a greater hand and stroke in his Spiritual actions, then the Spirit of Christ; then had he wherein to boast: for he might say thus: I have now been at Duty; I confess I have had some help from Christ, and from the Spirit, but I had the greatest ⟨p. 107⟩hand and stroke therein my self, and therefore why should I not boast? I have been now at Prayer, and though I have had some help from the Spirit in Prayer, yet I had the greatest hand and stroke therein my self, therefore why should I not boast? But (saith the Apostle) boasting is excluded: Surely therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ doth so live in a Christian, as that he hath a greater hand and stroke, in all the actions of his spiritual life, than a Christian, or a Beleever hath himself; so that he may say truly, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.
Object. If this be true; surely there are few Believers in the world; how few are there in whom Christ lives thus? I fear upon this account (will some poor soul say) that I have no faith in jesus Christ: I thought once that I had faith in Christ, and that I was a Believer, but I do not find Christ living in me thus, that the Lord Jesus hath a greater hand and stroke, in all my Duties than my self, and therefore I fear that I never yet had faith: are there not few Believers in the world upon this account?