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…

Of all lives, this Spiritual life (that now I am speaking of) is the most Pleasant life. In the 36. Psalm, says the Psalmist concerning the godly, (at the 8. verse) They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house: and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. Now, as Austin doth well observe upon that place, The River hath many waves, one following upon another: & so are the pleasures of the Saints, the Spiritual pleasures; one wave, one pleasure following upon another; and it is a deep river. Oh! but a River may be dry. Nay, it cannot be dry if it be maintained with a Fountain, and with Springs. Now see what follows, (at the 9. verse) They shall satisfy themselves of the river of thy pleasures: Why? for with thee is the Fountain of life. So that, if a man do but enjoy God in Christ, and be united unto Christ by the Spirit, he hath this life, which shall be as a river of pleasures maintained with a Fountain. Yea, this life it shall know no end. Your lives now, they run into death: but this life, this Spiritual life, it shall know no end. The Apostle argues unto the Romans, that they should die no more, because they had communion with Christ in his death:¹ And therefore (says he) In that he died once, he shall die no more. And so, you having communion with Christ in his death, you shall die no more: once alive spiritually, and ye shall die no more. Who can go to Heaven and pull Christ out of Heaven? In the 2. Chapter ⟨p. 13⟩of Paul unto the Ephesians, the 5. ver. says the Apostle there, Even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, hath he quickened us together with Christ: and he hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Here's sitting together in heavenly places with Jesus Christ; and we are raised up in Christ. So then, if once ye have this Spiritual life in Christ, ye shall never die again Spiritually.

Of all lives, this Spiritual life (that now I am speaking of) is the most Pleasant life. In the 36. Psalm, saies the Psalmist concerning the godly, (at the 8. verse) They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house: and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. Now, as Austin doth well observe upon that place, The River hath many waves, one following upon another: & so are the pleasures of the Saints, the Spiritual pleasures; one wave, one pleasure following upon another; and it is a deep river. Oh! but a River may be dry. Nay, it cannot be dry if it be maintain'd with a Fountain, and with Springs. Now see what follows, (at the 9. verse) They shall satisfie themselves of the river of thy pleasures: Why? for with thee is the Fountain of life. So that, if a man do but enjoy God in Christ, and be united unto Christ by the Spirit, he hath this life, which shall be as a river of pleasures maintained with a Fountain. Yea, this life it shall know no end. Your lives now, they run into death: but this life, this Spiritual life, it shall know no end. The Apostle argues unto the Romans, that they should die no more, because they had cōmunion with Christ in his death: