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…

Secondly. Do ye not find, that ye are less subject to be offended now than heretofore ye were? When a man is in the state of Nature, and in Spiritual death, then he is apt to be offended against all actions, against the good way of God, and the people of God; This is your Godliness, these are your Professors, and they are all so: very apt to be offended. When a man is converted, and turned to God; while he is weak in grace, he is apt to stumble, and to be offended; but the stronger he grows in grace, the less he will be offended.

Secondly. Do ye not find, that ye are lesse subject to be offended now than heretofore ye were? When a man is in the state of Nature, and in Spiritual death, then he is apt to be offended against all actions, against the good way of God, and the people of God; This is your Godliness, these are your Professors, and they are all so: very apt to be offended. When a man is converted, and turn'd to God; while he is weak in grace, he is apt to stumble, and to be offended; but the stronger he grows in grace, the lesse he will be offended.

Thirdly. Whether do ye not grow more off from the youthful things that godly men do look unto? I say, the things that the youthfulness of godliness is taken much with? Ye know, that Youth is taken with many things that the state of man is not. A child, a little child is taken with Babies, and with Rattles, and with Gays; and when it grows bigger to eight, nine, or ten years old, 'tis taken with other things; and as the child grows into a man, so he grows off from those childish, and youthful things. There are some things, that the youth of godliness is taken withal; as, taken much with expressions in Prayer, and Duty, and Hearing the Word; and taken much with the Sense & feeling of Gods love; (this is good) & they cannot live without it. But when a man grows into more strength of grace, then he grows off from these things that the youth of godliness is taken withal, and he is more able to live without them; heretofore he could not live without such an expression in Duty, and he could not live by faith alone: but now, when once he grows to a man in grace, he is more grown off from that which the youth of godliness is taken withal. Now upon all these things, I appeal to ye, who ever ye are that makes this Objection, and say, Ye cannot grow in grace, and therefore afraid that ye are but the painted child of God, and not the living child of God: Whether do ye not find, that ye are more grown off from those