do watch for your Souls If you stand fast we live say they and your constancy is our rejoycing You have been constant in seeking â—arthly things which are in their own Nature unconstant Multos annos laborant homines et constantes sunt pro rebus mundi inconstantibus et fugitivis quia inconstantes sumus pro aeterna et constanti gloria and wil ye be constant in seeking unconstant things and not constant in seeking those things that are most constant and durable Riches If you be not constant in good you wil be constant in what is evil if not setled in the Truth you wil be tenacious of Error which is the greatest evil renacity in Error or instability in Truth I say not but seldom any are uâ—stable in good but they are most tenacious in what is evil And the more unsetled you are the more you make the way to Heaven difficult and uneasie you think and say O! Difficile putabis perseverare at difficilius est iterum incipere multo molestius inceptare sepius equi minorem vim faciunt cum continuant iter trahentes currum quam cum repetere volunt postquam steterunt non fugiunt difficultatem qui cessant ab opere nam perseverando facillius â—â—et si potuisti incipere quod difficilius est poteris continuare facilius Euseb Nierem de adorat Lib. 3. Cap. 7. this Work of God is exceeding hard and very difficult and therefore you leave it off then you come to it again and then you leave it off again but by your leaving it off you do make it difficult If an Horse be â—â—dden with an even hand he wil go wel al the day but if somtimes you ride him upon the Spir and then he stand a while and then ride him on the Spir again and then he stand and take cold again he wil sooner tire And what is the reason that many men are so often jaded tire and give in but because they do not keep an even pace in good Now therefore as you do desire that the way to Heaven may be 〈◊〉 easie to you that you may not be tenacious in what is evil that you may not grieve the Ministers of the Gospel Instruments of your Good and Conversion that you may not lie open unto sad and new Temptations and that you may not be a scandal to the good Name of God for what hurt hath the precious Name of God done to you labor to be more setled fixed and established which that you may be think and think much on these Motives And lastly Go to God by Prayer for this Fixation and Establishment of Soul he is apt and ready to pardon your former unevenness and want of Establishment Psal 78.37 it 's said of the Israelites that they were not stedfast in the Covenant Yet God being merciful forgave their Iniquity verse 38. and he it is alone who hangeth weights on the wings of the wind and therefore though your Spirits have been as light as the wind it self yet he wil hang weights upon them therefore go to him For be is the God of all Grace Who having called you to his Eternal Glory after you have suffered a while wil restore strengthen stablish and settle you FINIS TWO SERMONS I. The great Things Faith can Do. II. The great Things Faith can Suffer Preached by VVilliam Bridge somtimes Fellow of Emmanuel Colledg in Cambridg and now Pastor of the Church of Christ in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk 1216. LONDON Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Reader ALthough some of the Notions in these two Sermons may be already published in some former Works of this Author yet the Subject being both useful and seasonable for these times which are calling upon the Saints to Do and Suffer great Things and the publishing of them being much desired by many who heard them I have perus'd them and look upon them as conducing much to thy spiritual good And that the blessing of the Lord may go along with and make them very advantagious to thy soul both in doing and suffering for Christ is the prayer of Thy true Friend William Greenhil June 13. 1656. Reader THe Contents of these twenty five Sermons are now collected by the Printer for thy ease and Benefit THE GREAT THINGS Faith can do Hebrews 11.32 Preached at the Charter-House Decemb. 23. 1655. And what shall I say more for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Sampson and of Jeptha of David also and Samuel and of the Prophets who through Faith subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousness obtained Promises stopped the mouths of Lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edg of the Sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens women received their dead raised to life again c. IN this Eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews you have a little Book of Chronicles wherein the Beleevers of the old Testament do stand upon Record for their great Work of Faith In the former part of the Chapter the Apostle doth instance in several Beleevers at large In the latter part he is more compendious and draws up the Instances into a narrower Room for saith he The time would fail me to â—â—l of Gideon of Barak and of Sampson and of Jeptha c. Now these Beleevers that he doth instance in in the latter part of the Chapter are of two sorts some famous and of good reports for their actions and some for their sufferings some did great things and some suffered great things and both by their Faith Those that suffered great things are mentioned in the following words Others were tortured not accepting of deliverance Those that did great things by their Faith in these Verses their Persons are mentioned and the fruits and effects of their Faith for which they are mentioned in these Verses Their Persons are mentioned in Verse 32. ye have their Names there their State Condition and their Order their Names Gideon and Barak and Sampson and Jeptha and David their State and Condition some were Kings some were Judges some were Prophets Faith runs through al Conditions and Ranks of Men Faith and true Grace is able to make a Plantation upon every Condition of men And as for their order here Gideon is before Barak and Sampson is before Jeptha yet if you look into the Story in the Judges you shal find Barak is before Gideon and Jeptha before Sampson and here Gideon set first and Sampson first why because they excelled in Faith and those are most excellent in Gods eyes who are most eminent in Faith those are most excellent in Gods Eyes who most excel in Faith But now as for the Fruits and Effects of their Faith they are many here are no less than ten mentioned in
Death that is the Devil and again Col. 2.15 And having spoiled Principalities and Powers Dicitur Diabolus duas habuisse manus unam attrahentem qua trahebat omnes ad infetos quae amputata est et ei quantum ad bonos per passionem Christi et manum flagellantem quae debilitata est quae vexat tamen bonos ad exercitium Altissiod Lib 3. Tract 1 cap. 8. he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it that is the Cross So that when Christ died on the Cross he did then break and rout the Forces of Satan insomuch as al the Forces that he can draw up together against the Seed of Christ are but some rallied Troops then was his Field-Army broken and Christ triumphed over them al upon the Cross Surely therefore this breaking of the Power and Force of Satan is another Fruit and immediate Effect of the Death of Christ Sixtly As Christ did break the power of Satan by the power of his Death so he did thereby also sanctifie al things to his Seed insomuch as when they should come of Age al things should be then clean unto them For as the First Adam by his Sin and Disobedience did defile al things insomuch as al things were to be unclean and accursed to his Posterity so the Second Adam did by his Death and Obedience sprinkle clense and sanctifie al things to his Seed for saith the Apostle Heb. 9.19 When Moses had spoken every Precept to the People he took the blood of Calves and Goats and sprinkled both the Book and all the People Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the Tabernacle and al the Vessels of the Ministry and almost al things are by the Law purged with blood but the Heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifices than these verse 21 23. that is with Christs own Blood And if you ask why the Law Non quod prophanum in se quicquam haberet faedus sed quod nihil taÌ„ sanctum est quod non homines sua immunditiâ— prophanent nisi Deus ipse facta omnium innovatione occurrent omnes cultus vitiosi sunt ac impuri nisi Christus sanguinis sui aspersione eoâ— mundet Ubi Christus cum sanguine non apparet nihil nobis esse cum Deo sic neque Doctrina ipsa nobis ac in nostrum usum efficaverit nisi sanguine dedicata Calvin Heb. 9.20 21. Tabernacle and the Vessels of the Ministry which were holy should be thus sprinkled with Blood Calvin gives Two Reasons namely Because though these things were in themselves holy yet being used by man in regard of that pollution that is in him they might be prophaned and though the Book and Word of the Lord be holy yet it wil not it cannot be efficacious and profitable to us Nisi Sanguine Christi dedicata unless it be sprinkled by the Blood of Christ Now this sprinkling of the Vessels Book and al things was performed when the Sacrifice was offered and when the Testament was dedicated but the new Testament was confirmed by the Death of Christ his Blood being the Blood of the New Testament and he was sacrificed on the Cross and therefore though his Seed are sanctified with inherent Holiness when they do beleeve yet there was a sprinkling of al things Ordinances Afflictions Dispensations and al Conditions to them by the Death of Christ so that this Sanctification or sprinkling of al things in reference to his Seed was another Fruit and immediate Effect of the Death of Christ Seventhly As Christ did sanctifie al things to his Seed so by his Death he did confirm the Covenant of Grace For as the first Adam did break the old Covenant by his Sin and Disobedience so the Second Adam by his Death and Obedience did confirm the new For saith the Apostle Heb. 9.16 Where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the Death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at al whilst the Testator liveth verse 17. And again Gal. 3.15 Brethren I speak after the manner of men though it be but a mans Covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereto and this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ c. ver 17. So that the Covenant of Grace was confirmed by Christ in his Death Quest Qui vero sanguis aut mors Christi nobis voluntatem Dei confirmavit Resp Duplici ratione primum quod nos manifeste de ingenti in nos Del charitate certus reddiderit idque adeo quod Deus volit nobis id donare quod in N. Foedere promittat unde sanguis novi Faederis est dictus et ipse Christus testis verus et fidelis Cateches Racoviae de Prophetico Christi munere cap. 8. Socinus de Christo servatore pars prima de justif Synops 2. Volkillius de vera Religione Lib. 3. Cap. 18. Crellius ad Librum Hug. Grot. respons ad cap. 1. partic 26. Only the Question is How this Covenant was confirmed by the death of Christ The Socinians say That Christs death did confirm the Covenant by way of Testimony or Declaration of the Truth of the Gospel the Lord say they hath promised in the Gospel that al those who repent and beleeve shal be justified and saved Now Christ preaching this Truth and dying in it hath confirmed this Truth and the Gospel and therefore say they Christ is called the true and the faithful Witness 1. But though Christ by his death did bear his Testimony to the Truth of the Gospel yet where do we find in Scripture that his death did confirm the Covenant by way of Testimony 2. Where doth it appear that the Covenant which he confirmed by his death was this If you repent and beleeve you shal be saved and justified The thing is true and a Gospel Truth but the Covenant which Christ confirmed ye read of in Heb. 8. where the Lord doth promise both Faith and Repentance also 3. If the death of Christ did confirm the Covenant by way of Testimony testifying the Truth of the Gospel then the death of the Martyrs should confirm the Covenant more than the death of Christ for the Socinians deny the Deity of Christ and if Christ were only Man then the death of thousands some dying more painful deaths than Christ did should give a greater Testimony to the Truth of the Gospel and so confirm the Covenant more than the death of Christ but where do we find in al the Scripture that the death of the Martyrs is said to confirm the New Covenant Vide Essenii Triumph Crucis pag. 353. Lib. 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 1. Sib. Lubbert de Jesu Christo servatore contra F. Socinum Lib. 1. Cap. 3. Nicol. Aâ—nold de morte Christi Cap. 8. The death of none but of the Testator can confirm the Testament but Christ only and not the Martyrs is the
who heard them Preached raised them from that Death Mine own Notes were not legible enough for the Press In answer therefore to their desires I have corrected these some things I have altered some things added and some Repetitions fit enough for the Pulpit I have filed off what is wanting let thy goodness supply I have also joyned with them some other Sermons of more doctrinal concernment these being mostly practical that so thy mind and Heart may be at once exercised wherein I have rather applyed my self to the Jnstructive part of Preaching than to Scholastical disputation For I know the Universities have able and faithful Men more fit for that work Neither have I undertaken any English Adversary and if I have troaden upon any Mans Toes I hope he wil excuse me for I can say truly Sir I saw you not And if any Man shal say to me as Davids Brother Eliab spake to him 1 Sam. 17.29 I know thy pride and Malice of thine heart that thou art come down to see the battle I might answer as David did Is there not a Cause When strange Opinions and Errors are dayly Published is there not a Cause that every man who loves the truth should bear his Testimony for it In performance therefore of mine own Duty and for thine Establishment I have spoaken somthing to many truths which are now questioned Hold fast what thou hast lest another take thy Crown And the Lord Jesus Christ and our God even the Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting Consolation and good Hope through Grace Comfort thine heart and Stablish thee in every word and good work Thine in the Service of the Gospel WILLIAM BRIDGE The Names of several Books Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall London and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-press in Corn-hil neer the Exchange Nineteen several Books of Mr. William Bridge Collected into two Volumns Viz. 1 The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office 2 Satans Power to Tempt and Christs Love to and Care of His People under Temptation 3 Thankfulness required in every Condition 4 Grace for Grace or the Overflowing of Christs Fulness received by all Saints 5 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities 6 Evangelical Repentance 7 The Spiritual Life and In-being of Christ in all Beleevers 8 The Woman of Canaan 9 The Saints Hiding-place in time of Gods Anger 10 Christs Coming is at our Midnight 11 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances 12 Grace and Love beyond Gifts 13 Scripture Light the most sure Light compared with 1. Revelations and Visions 2. Natural and Supernatural Dreams 3. Impressions with and without Word 4. Light and Law within 5. Divine Providence 6. Christian Experience 7 Humane Reason 8. Judicial Astrology Delivered in Sermons on 2 Pet. 1.19 14 Christ in Travel Wherein 1 The Travel of his soul 2. The first and after effects of his Death 3. His Assurance of Issue 4. And His satisfaction therein Are opened and cleered in three Sermons on Esay 53.11 15 A Lifting up for the Cast-down in case of 1. Great sin 2. Weakness of Grace 3. Miscarriage of Duties 4. Want of Assurance 5. Affliction 6. Temptation 7. Dissertion Unserviceableness 9. Discouragements from the Condition it self Delivered in thirteen Sermons on Psalm 42.11 His Four Sermons concerning 16 Sin against the Holy Ghost 17 Sins of Infirmities 18 The False Apostle tried and Discovered 19 The Good and means of Establishment Eleven Books of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs lately published also the Texts of Scripture upon which they are grounded 1 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment on Phil. 4.11 Wherein is shewed 1 What Contentment is 2 It is an Holy Art and Mystery 3 The Excellencies of it 4 The Evil of the contrary sin of Murmuring and the Aggravations of it 2 Gospel Worship on Levit. 10.3 Wherein is shewed 1 The right manner of the Worship of God in general and particularly In Hearing the Word Receiving the Lords Supper and Prayer 3 Gospel Conversation on Phil. 1.17 Wherein is shewed 1 That the Conversations of Beleevers must be above what could be by the Light of Nature 2 Beyond those that lived under the Law 3 And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth To which is added The Misery of those men that have their Portion in this Life only on Psal 17.14 4 A Treatise of Earthly Mindedness Wherein is shewed 1 What Earthly mindedness is 2 The great Evil thereof on Phil. 3. part of the 19. Verse Also to the same Book is joyned A Treatise of Heavenly Mindedness and Walking with God on Gen. 5.24 and on Phil. 3.20 5 An Exposition on the fourth fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of the Prophesie of Hosea 6 An Exposition on the eighth ninth and tenth Chapters of Hosea 7 An Exposition on the eleventh twelfth and thirteenth Chapters of Hosea being now compleat 8 The Evil of Evils or the exceeding Sinfulness of Sin on Job 36.21 9 Precious Faith on 2 Pet. 1.1 10 Of Hope on 1 John 3.3 11 Of Walking by Faith on 2 Cor. 5.7 Ten several Books by Nich. Culpeper Gent. Student in Physick and Astrology 1 The Practice of Physick containing seventeen several Books Wherein is plainly set forth The Nature Cause Differences and Several Sorts of Signs Together wtth the Cure of all Diseases in the Body of Man Being chiefly a Translation of The Works of that Learned and Renowned Doctor Lazarus Riverius Now living Councellor and Physitian to the present King of France Above fifteen thousand of the said Books in Latin have been Sold in a very few Yeers having been eight times printed though all the former Impressions wanted the Nature Causes Signs and Differences of the Diseases and had only the Medicines for the Cure of them as plainly appears by the Authors Epistle 2 The Anatomy of the Body of Man Wherein is exactly described the several parts of the Body of Man illustrated with very many larger Brass Plates than ever was in English before 3 A Translation of the New Dispensatory made by the Colledg of Physitians of London Whereunto is added The Key to Galen 's Method of Physick 4 The English Physitian Enlarged being an Astrologo-Physical Discourse of the vulgar Herbs of this Nation wherein is shewed how to cure a mans self of most Diseases incident to Mans Body with such things as grow in England and for three pence charge Also in the same Book is shewed 1 The time of gathering all Herbs both Vulgarly and Astrologically 2 The way of drying and keeping them and their Juyces 3 The way of making and keeping al manner of useful Compounds made of those Herbs The way of mixing the Medicines according to the Cause and Mixture of the Disease and the part of the Body afflicted 5 A Directory for Midwives or a Guide for Women Newly enlarged by the Author in every sheet and Illustrated with
illusiones atque Revelationes ipsas visionuâ— voces aut imagines quodam intimo sapore discernunt ut scient vel quid à bono spiritu percipiant vel quid ab illusore patiantur nam si erga haec mens caura non fuerit per deceptorem spiritum multis se vanitatibus immergit qui nonnunquam solet multa predicere ut ad extremum valeat animam ex una falsitate laqueare Gregor Dialo Lib. 4. or a wonder and the sign or wonder come to pass saying Let us go serve other Gods which thou hast not known Verse 2. Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God God may suffer a Revelation to come to pass and yet it may not be from the Lord but to prove you whether you love him and wil cleave unto him Or wil ye know a true Revelation from a Delusion by your Tast per saporem which is said to be the way whereby they did know that thing was of God Then what an uncertainty wil here be that your whol Salvation shal hang upon and be ruled by your own Tast But now the written Word of the Lord is certain sure and stedfast Heaven and Earth shall pass but not one tittle of the Word shall pass the least apex and tittle of it is more established than the Mountains There is no danger in tending upon and taking heed to this Scripture-Light 1. But if men do attend to Revelations and Visions how easily may they be drawn to despise the Scripture and such as do wait thereon There were a Generation of men in Luthers daies that pretended unto great Discoveries and Revelations men of great Parts and of high Language insomuch as Bucholcerus saies of them Swenckfeldiani sunt ter miseri nec se nec alios intelligunt non se que non intelligunt se dicere pugnantia non alios idque non tam naturali sua tarditate ingeniorum quam eo quod tenentur irretiti suis quibusdam enthusiasticis laqueis unde se extricari summam putant impietatem dementabant multos magnifecis istis verbis quae semper illis in ore Illuminatio Revelatio Deificatio hominis interiotis et spiritualis c. Scultet Anual an 1525. pag. 269 270. That they neither understood themselves nor others nor others them but wâ—re alwaies speaking of Revelations Visions Deifications c. As for other men that kept close to the Scripture they called them Vocabulists Literalists Grammatists and Creaturists And so now it wil be also if men once do attend and take heed unto Visions they wil easily despise the Scriptures and such as do take heed thereto Yea 2. And if men do attend to these Visions and Revelations how easily may they be drawn into Popery and Superstition How did Mahomet set up his Alcoran but by perswading the People to attend unto Revelation And how did the Papists so much prevail upon the Nations of the World but by their Visions and Revelations Search the Stories and you shal find that both the Turkish Alcoran and the Popish Religion had their Foundations here And if Luther had hearkened to Revelations and Visions and not kept close to the Scripture what had become of his Reformation Nay but saies he Pactum feci cum Domino Deo meo c. I have made a Covenant with the Lord my God that he may not send me Visions or Dreams or Angels Contentus enim sum hoc dono quod habeam Scripturam I am content with this Gift That I have the Scripture which doth abundantly teach and supply al those things that are necessary for this Life and for the future Yea 3. If a man do once come to attend and take heed unto Visions and Revelations how easily may he slide and depart into Atheism for what difference is there between an Atheist or a Pagan Infidel and a Christian but only this That the Christian is for the Scripture and doth adhere to that the other not Take away the Scripture from me and there wil be little difference between me and an Infidel But now the more a man doth attend unto Visions the more his heart and hands wil be loosed from the Scripture Surely therefore there is a danger in this but Scripture-Light is a sure and a safe Light Why but you wil say may not God speak by extraordinary Visions and Revelations in these daies of ours Quest Answ Yes without al doubt he may God is not to be limited he may speak in what way he please If God wil he may say to a man as he said to Abraham Go and offer up thy Son Isaac to me but is not that Commandement Thou shalt not kill a more sure and câ—rtain Rule for me to walk by God may if he wil say to a man as he once said to Hosea Go and take thee a Wise of Fornications But is not that Commandement Thou shalt not commit Adultery a more sure and certain Word and Rule for me to walk by What God may do I wil not dispute he may thus speak to men if it please him yea and if we may give credit unto known Histories the Lord hath spoken in this way somtimes to some of his Servants since the Apostles Time Cyprian tels us of Four Revelations which the Lord gave him before that Persecution did come upon them Mr. Fox in the Book of Martyrs tels us of many Visions which one Gallus a French Martyr had and of one which Mr. Philpot had Scultetus also and Sleiden tels us that God did reveal it to Luther That there should be no War in Germany whilst he lived Yet there is a great deal of difference between Faith in the Promise and a Vision or Râ—velation Possibly then the Lord may speak in such a way as this is to some of his Servants But now that you may have a Loundary in this Matter Though God may thus speak to some of his Servants yet if I have an itching desire after Visions and Revelations it 's ill The Lord may work a Miracle and being wrought I am bound to receive it but I may not put God upon the working of a Miracle So here if God wil speak in this way to me he may but I may not put him on it without Tempting of him yea I am to be so far from desiring God to speak in this way of a Vision as I am bound rather to be backward to it Revela iones caute recipiendas Aluarez de vita spirituali de discretione spirituum Lib. 5. Cap. 4. For as Alvarez observes wel If a Master be abroad in the night and the Servant be backward to open the door unto him and to let him in lest some Thief should counterfeit his Voyce the Master wil not take it il at the Servants hands that he made him stay so long before he did open the door but will rather commend
hers say they was of God But others think rather that it was from Satan who would have hundred the death of Christ and so the great Work of Mans Redemption But if ye look into Job 7. ye shal find that he saith to God Thou skarest me with Dreams yet it was Satan that did it for as before when Satan by his Instruments took all from Job he saith The Lord hath taken away so here when Satan vexed and skared him with Dreams he saith to God acknowledging his Providence Thou skarest me with Dreams and yet I say it was Satan for he was put into Satans hand and whatever affliction he met with it was from Satan and his Instruments So that the trouble and suffering of the Dream doth not argue that it is from God It is a very hard thing to know whether it be of God or from Satan And in case that the Dream be of God yet it is an hard thing to know the meaning and Interpretation of it for Pharaoh had a Dream but al his Magitians could not interpret it that was a work for Joseph And so though Nebuchadnezzar had a Dream and that might be oâ— God yet neither he nor his wise men could tel the Interpretation thereof that was a work for Daniel the work of a Prophet A wicked man may have a Dream from God but it requires the Spirit of no less than a Prophet to give the Interpretation thereof But now Are we at such Uncertainties in reading the Word Can none but a Prophet understand the Scripture The Priests and Levites gave the Sence of the Word to the People ordinarily yet they were no Prophets The Word of the Lord is a Light and Lanthorn unto al our feet plain and easie to be understood in al those things that are absolutely necessary unto our Salvation Quest But may not God speak unto us by a Dream now if he will Answ Wiâ—hout doubt he may if he please God is free But where do we find in Scripture that Dreams are an Ordinance of God now wherein he hath commanded us to wait upon him for the expectance of any Mercy And if God should speak to me by a Dream yet if I make that a sign of mine own Godliness or of Gods Love to me then am I under a delusion for even wicked men have had their Dâ—â—â—ms from God Balaam and Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar and others Do I therefore dream a strange Dream and conclude that therefore I am in Gods Love because he thus speaks to me then am I deceived What wise man is there in the World that wil or dare lay and venture his Soul and Salvation upon a Dream or the Interpretation of it But you may and must say and venture your Souls and Salvation upon the Scripture Surely therfore the light of Dreams is not to be compared therewith Quest But suppose that I have an immediate Voyce is not that to be compared with the Scripture Answ An immediate Voyce say you Either that immediate Voyce is from Hel or from Heaven If it come from Hel to report and certifie you of the Torments thereof that you may repent of your Sins then hear what our Savior saith of that in compare with the Scripture Luke 16.31 they have Moses and the Prophets And if they hear not Moses anâ— the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead And if that Voyce which you have do come from Heaven then either it is the voyce of an Angel or of God himself If it be the Voyce of an Angel then see what the Apostle saith of that in compare with the Word and Scripture Gal. 1.8 Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto â—ou let him be accursed And this is thâ—â— Gospel which we have now written in this Book of the Galaâ—ians And if the Voyce which you have do come from God himsâ—lâ— then see what the Apostle saith here of that in compare with the Scripture verse 17. There came a Voyce to Christ from thâ— excellent Glory saying This is my beloved Son and this â—â—yce which came from Heaven we heard verse 19. And we have also a more sure Word of Prophesie which is the written Woâ—â— for saith he no Prophesie of Scripture c. So that ye see this written Word of God or the Scripture is beyond al Dreams and immediate Voyces It may be some wil say But may not God â—peak by an immediate Voyce to a Soul now To which I answer What God may do is one thing and what he doth in the way of a setled Ordinance wherein we are to wait on him and expect from him is another thing ye read in Heb. 1.1 2. thus God who at sundry times and in dâ—vers manners spake in time past by the Prophets hath in these last daies spokâ—n by his Son In time past he spake by Visions Dreams and Voyces If there be such an Ordinance stil wherein we are stil to wait on God why doth the Apostle make this difference between times past and the present time of the Son Nay saies Luther but there is such a sufficiency in the Scripture That thâ—ugh some men should have Visions Dreams and Voyces yet the Scripture is so ful that nec curo nec desidero I neither care for nor desire them I read of a certain Woman a Religious Lady of the Emperesses â—ed-Chamber whose Name was Gregoria that being much troubled about her Salvation did write to Gregory that she would never cease importuning him til he had sent her word that he had received a Revelation from Heaven that she should be saved To whom he returned this Answer Rem difficilem postulas et inutilem Thou desirest an hard matter and unprofitable hard for me to obtain and unprofitable for thy self to have And so say I If any should come to me desiring to implore God for such a Voyce or Dream or Revelation I must answer Man or Woman thou desirest an hard work for me to do and a thing unprofitable for thy selâ— to have Thou hast the Scriptures go search the Scriptures wait thou upon God therein for in them are the words of Eternal Life they are a sure and a safe Light more sure safe and certain than al Revelations Visions Dreams or immediate Voyces And thus I have done with the Second Instance Instance 3 As for Impressions made upon the Soul whether by a particular Word or without it the Scripture or the written Word of God is more sure than those and the Light thereof the best and most excellent Light in compare with the Light of Impressions For First Impressions though good are not our dayly food Aqua vitae or strong Water is good in a quothing fainting fit but it is not good to make it our dayly Drink So here In case the Soul be in a fainting fit it 's good to have the Impression of
Scripture is not literally but mystically to be understood then let him shew you where the same Truth is set down literally in another place else you may not beleeve him and if you walk by this Rule and Rules you shal walk safely here and in some good measure be helped to the true sense and meanng of the Scripture in this case Obj. But suppose that a Scripture lie under Controversie One laies claim to it for his Opinion and another laies claim to it for his Opinion how shall I be able to understand the true sense and meaning of it Or suppose I be in the dark in a dark estate and condition how shall I so take heed unto the Scripture that I may know and understand the same Answ Somthing you must do by way of Observation somthing by way of Practice As for Observation in case you be able you must consult the Original For as old Mr. Dod once answered to a yong man enquiring of him what was the best Commentary upon the Scripture The Original the Hebrew and the Greek Text said he is the best Commentary So say I the very Text in the Original doth conâ—â—iâ—es put an end to the Controversie As for Example the Apostle saith of Women They shal be saved by Child-bearing which some Books read thus They shall be saved by bearing of Children whereupon a Controversie arises whether those following words if they continue in the Faith do relate to Children or to Women whereas if men looked into the Original they should find that the word is but one in the singular according to our Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. â—er filiorum gâ—â—â—ratio◠〈…〉 they shall be saved by Child-bearing and therefore the following words must relate unto Women Therefore it is good to consult with the Original and though you cannot understand Hebrew or Greek yet you may consult with the Original and not pin your Faith upon anothers Learning for iâ— you ask three or four how such or such a verse should be â—â—anslated and they do al agree in their Translation for the substance you know that so it is in the Original not because such a man doth say so but because of their agreement which could not be if it were not so in â—â—â—th If you would understand the true sense and meaning of a controverted â—cripture then look wel into the Coherence the Scope and the Context thereof For as the Heâ—â—ew Rabbin saies wel Nulla est Objectio in lege quae non habet solutionem in latere Turpe est de lege judicate tota legeâ—â—â—dum nspecta Qâ—is sâ—â—pus impâ—â—lens sedes tempusque locusque Et 〈◊〉 haec septem Scriptuâ—â—e attendâ—â—â— Lector Vâ—â— Exp icat in Glâ—ss Philog Sâ—cr Lib. 2. P. 2. de Scriptuâ—â—â— senâ—u emendo pag. 503. There is no Objection can arise upon t e Text but there is an Answer in the sides thereoâ— For example the Papists urge that place oâ— James 2. for justification by Works whereas if we look diligently iâ—to the Coherence the scope therâ—of we shal find that the Apostle â—peaks of the work of Faiâ—h in oppoâ—ition to the Profession of Faith for saies he ver 14. Wâ—â—t wil it profit my brethren if a man say he have fai h and have 〈…〉 will it save him If a brother or sister be naked and in want verse 15. and one of you say depart in peace and be warmed and filled if you give him not what is good for the Body what doth it profit Even so faith if it have not works is dead A man may say he hath Faith but the Devils say and beleeve there is one God Was not Abraham justified by Works when he offered Isaac that Faith that justified Abraham was not a bare profession of Faith but 't was a working Faith the profession of Faith alone doth not justifie but it is a Faith which consists in a Work it is a working Faith this is the scope of the place then as appears by the Coherence If a Scripture therefore do lie under Contâ—â—versie take you the Bible and look wel unto the Scope and the Coherence of the Text controverted If you would understand the Scripture rightly then compare one Scripture with another for saies the Apostle No Scripture is of private Interpretation or rather thus No Scripture is of our own Exposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But holy men of God wrote it as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost Is the Scripture therefore doubtful in one place then compare it with another stand not upon your own apprehenâ—ion for it is nâ—t of our own Exposition it came not by the wil of man but divers holy mâ—n wrote it as they were inspired with the Holy Ghost And tâ—eâ—efore if one place be doubtful it is to be compared with another And be sure that you swerve not from the proportion of Fâ—â—th for saies the Apostle Rom. 12. Or if any man prophesie let it be according to the proportion or analogy of Faith And what is that but the Sum and Grounds of Religion or the Body of Divinity which is delivered to us in the form of sound words whereunto we are delivered Thus in case thâ— Scripture liâ— under any Controversie it wil be good for you to observe these Rulâ—s But Secondly and more practically If you would so understand the Scripture that you may take heed thereunto as to a Light shining in your dark state then First You must go to God for the Spirit for without it ye cannot understand the Mind of God in the Scripture Quo spiritu Scripturae factae sunt eo spiritu legendae nunquam ingredieris in sensum Pauli nisi spiritum Pauli imbiberis Omnia dona a Deo Patre luminum Christi munus est aperire Scripturas Luc. 24. Spiritus sanctus author simul et Explicator Scripturae John 16. No man knows the Mind of Paul but by the Spirit of Paul nor the Mind of Peter but by the Spirit of Peter no man knows the Mind of Christ but by the Spirit of Christ stand therefore under Gospel Dispensations where the Spirit breaths So saies the Apostle Received ye the Spirit by the Law or by the heaâ—ing of Faith And seeing God hath promised to give this Spirit unto them that ask it go unto God for the same Secondly Take heed of a worldly fleshly mind fleshly sins do exceedingly blind the mind from the things of God Perfectio intellectualis operationis in homine consistit in quadam abstractione à sensibilium phantasmatibus et ideo quando intellectus hominis magis fuerit liber ab Eujusmodi phantasmat tanto potius considerare intelligibilia poterit Ergo. Hebitudo sensus circa intelligentiam oritur ex gula caecitas mentiâ—â—ex luxuria Aquin. 22. Q. 15. A. 3. Cum non faciunt quae intelligunt non intelligent quae faciunt and a worldly mind cannot savor them Ye see how it is in the Eclipse
Rom. 12.1 Which is your reasonable Service So also Revel 2.19 I know thy work Charity and Service This latter Service is the saving Service that Service whereby in special manner we are called Gods Servants and in that respect we may be serviceable to God though not in the former Secondly As for the Service of special Employment that is also various Somtimes God doth cal a man to one kind of Service somtimes to another He hath several waies of employment he employed Moses one way in giving out the Law and hâ— employed Ezra another way in restoring of the Law Both were employed but their Employments were very different In 1 Sam. 30. we read that when David fought against the Amalekâ—tes to recover his Wives and substance some of his men stayed and tarriâ—d by the Stuff to preserve that and saith David verse 24. As his part is that goeth down to the Battel so shall his part be that tarryeth by the Stuff they shall part alike Now it may be you are one of those that stay by Christs Stuff being employed in some lower and meaner Service Christ hath a care of you and though you stay at home yet you even you shall have part in the Spoyl as well as those whose work and employment is more honorable Thirdly Yea though God do lay me by for the present yet he may use me afterward God did make use of Joseph but he first laid him by God did make use of Moses but he first laid him by God did make use of David but did he not first lay him by Quidam eundem putant Emman Sa. Alp. Salmeron in Acts 1. Vide Transl Syriac in Acts 15.22 And if Barnabas the Companion of Paul were the same person with Barsabas as some do verily beleeve though the Syriack Translation is plainly against it because the Name of boâ—h was Joses or Joseph as appears by comparing Acts 1.23 with Acts 4.36 And because this Joses was not called Barnabas from the beginning but named Barnabas by the Apostles Acts 4.46 If I say Barnabas were the same with Barsabas then it appears plainly that God doth not alwaies lay a man by to use him no more for what abundance of service Barnabas did the Book of the Acts doth declare yet he was first laid by in the choyce that was between him and Matthew for the lot fell on Matthew yet Barnabas is sent out afterwards by the Church Acts 11.22 and by God himself Acts 13.2 and much Service he did do for God So that though God do lay me by for the present yet he may use me afterwards Fourthly And if a man may be employed for God in some special Service yet may go to Hell when all is done and a man may not be employed and yet go to Heaven afterward then why should you be discouraged because you are not so employed Now what think ye of those which ye read of in Matth. 7. they say at the last day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name cast out Devils in thy Name and done many wonderful works in thy Name Works and great works and many and wonderful they did and all in the Name of Christ yet he wil say to them Depart from me for I never knew you or I know you not Yea did not our Savior Christ say concerning Judas I have chosen twelve and one of you is a Devil A Devil yet an Apostle what greater Work Service or Employment than the Work of an Apostle yet possibly a man may be an Apostle in regard of Employment and a very Devil in regard of Life On the other side how many good and gracious men are there in the world who were never used or called forth unto any special Service such as are now in Heaven and shal be so unto al Eternity What then though you be not employed or used as others are yet surely you have no just cause or reason to be discouraged in this respect Fiftly And if it be the property of a good man to rejoyce in the Service of others then why should you be discouraged because others are employed and you not A Godly man doth mourn for anothers sin as wel as for his own because he mourns for sin as sin and as a dishonor unto God So he rejoyces in the Service of another as wel as in his own becau e he rejoyces in the work it self and â—ecâ—use God is honored You would have Gods Cart to be driven through your Gate Why is it not because you may have some Toll thereby Paul said However Christ is preached and therefore I rejoyce and if Christs work be done whose hands â—oever the work comes through why should you not rejoyce And if it be our Duty to rejoyce then surely you have no Scripture ground and reason for your Discouragement in this regard Object 2 But I am not discouraged because I do want Employment or Service I have more work lies upon my Shop-board than I can turn my hand unto but I have a great deal of work to do and I have no skil to do it O! I want Abilities I want Sufficiencies I do want Endowments therefore I am thus discouraged and have I not cause and reason now Answ 1 No For Gods greatest Works are not alwaies done by the greatest Parts and most choyce Abilities Gâ—deon did a great Work for God in his Generation yet saith he Judg. 6.15 O my Lord wherewith shall I save Israel behold my Family is poor in Manasseth and I am least in my Fathers House As if he should say if this great work be done it must be done by some strong and potent Family or Pâ—rson but as for me I am the least in my Fathers House and my Fathers House is the least in Manasseh yet saith the Lord to him I will be with thee and thou shalt smite Midian as one man I have read in Scripture that the People have been too many and the means too strong for God to work by but I never read that it was too smal or weak for God to work by God saith Who hath despised the day of smal things And if he wil not have us to despise the day of his smal things surely he wil not despise the day of our smal things Did not the weakness of the Apostles overcome the strength of al the world Who doth not see what weighty Buildings God hath somtimes laid upon our Laths He is able to make as great a hole with his Needle as with our Bodkin Answ 2 Our best Abilities for Gods Work are from the breathings of the Spirit of God Water is weak in it self but when the Wind blows upon it how strong is it So if the Spirit of God breath upon us we are strong though in our selves as weak as water Not by might nor by strength but by the Spirit of the Lord saith Zachariah And if ye look upon that great Service of the re-building of the
yet more practically First Go to God for Wisdom and the Spirit of Discerning it is Christ alone that doth see mens fruit under al their Leaves beg this Discerning Spirit therefore at the hands of Christ Secondly Take heed that you do not lie in any Sin or Error for al Sin and Error blinds How shal you see the Error of another if you be blinded with your own Sin and Error Thirdly In case any thing doth arise which hath difficulty in it consult with others for ye are not alone And saith David I will enquire in thine holy Temple Fourthly Be sure that you keep to the Scripture and take heed that you do not judg of Doctrines by impressions Let the Light within you be your Principle enabling you unto what is good but let it not be your Rule to judg of Doctrines that is the Word alone Fiftly Take heed that you have not too great a charity towards and Opinion of those that are suspected to be false Teachers Ye shal know them by their Fruits saith Christ And lest you should think that they may be good Plerique enim hominum ita impostorum liberalitate sascinantur ut quicquid proponunt monstruosae Doctrinae tamen pro bonis habeant Quibus Christus respondet non modo hujusmodi homines bonos non esse sed ne esse quidem posse Cartw. Harm p. 271. I tel you nay saies Christ in the next words for a corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit No man â—thers Grapes off Thorns or Figs off Thistles 〈◊〉 evil men and Seducers saies the Apostle If â—ducers you are to look upon them as evil me◠〈◊〉 wel as on Drunkards Swearers and Prophane â—sons which because some have not done they 〈◊〉 been deceived instead of making this Discovery 〈◊〉 Sixtly And if you would be sure to make 〈◊〉 right Judgment in this great Discovery then 〈◊〉 your time Si quis ex foliis et floribus judicium formare velit non expectata fructuum maturitate plane hallucinetur sic etiam qui de initiis quibusdam judicium sibi fingant c. tandem enim eorum amentia omnibus innotescet 2 Tim. 3. Cartw. Harm p. 270. and wait long before you close wiâ—â—â—ny of their Opinions for saith Christ Ye 〈◊〉 know them by their Fruit. Now the Fruit of a 〈◊〉 is not presently seen an ill Tree in Winter may seem to be as good as the best Stay therefore your time and you shal know them by their Fruit and so be able to make this Discovery which is so pleasing to and commendable in the Eyes of Jesus Christ Attendite a falsis Prophetis diligenter cavete non dixit aspicite sed attendite quod aspicere est ad illud quod palam videtur attendere autem est cum sollicitudine inquitere Abulens in Mat. 7. p. 2â—â— It may be some wil think and say This doth not concern or reach my Condition I am troubled with and labor under such or such a Temptation and in al this nothing hath been spoken unto that Temptation But remember that our Lord and Savior Christ hath not said to some but to al Beware of false Prophets not Behold but Beware we behold what is open and beware of what is hidden and both Christ and his Apostles tel us That in the last daies there shal arise false Christs false Prophets false Apostles and false Brethren insomuch as if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect and is this nothing then unto your Condition It may be it is your Temptation that you do not take heed and beware enough I date boldly say he is under a Temptation that thinks these things do not reach him or concern his Condition And what is the reason that many poor souls are so mis-led in these daies of ours but because they have not been prepared and underlaid with Knowledg for to make resistance al their work and business hath been about some particular Temptation striving against some Temptation if they have heard any thing about that wel if not then they think the matter concerns not them and so not being grounded in the Faith when Deceivers come they are taken Captive by them But I know you al desire to be commended by Christ at that great Day when he shal say Well done good and faithful Servant And this discovery of false Teachers is a matter of great Commendation in his Eyes now and what he commends now he wil commend then wherefore up and be doing It may be this may be some pains and labor to you but Christ saith I know thy Works and thy Labor It may be it may cost you much trouble and sorrow but he saith also I know thy Labor and thy Patience It may be some may think you are too busie and severe in the Work of this Discovery but he hath said I know thy Works and thy Labor and thy Patience and that thou canst not bear them which are evil and hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Lyars Wherefore let us comfort and encourage one another with these words THE GOOD AND MEANS OF ESTABLISHMENT Wherein is shewed besides other things I. That it is a great Mercy for a Nation and State to be setled II. A Mercy and great Blessing for a Church to be setled III. A great Blessing and Mercy for a Particular Soul to be setled in the Good Waies of God By William Bridge Preacher of the Gospel at Yarmouth LONDON Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. THE Good and Means OF ESTABLISHMENT 1 PET. 5.10 Preached At Stepney January 6. 1655. But the God of all Grace who hath called us unto his eternal Glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you SOme think these words are spoken in the way of a Promise from God Promissionem ad ungit Apostolus Salmeron Grotius Gerardus Vicinus Tho. Aquinus Ad precationem se convertir Apostolus Calvin Beza Piscator H. Illicitus Estius Gomarus Aretius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others think they are spoken in the way of a desire Prayer to God They are a Promise say some because they are brought in to comfort and relieve these dispersed Saints against the Temptations of Satan and opposition of the World which the Apostle had mentioned in the former Verses 8 9. as also becauâ—e those words Perfect stablish strengthen settle you are found in some Books in the Future Tense of the Indicative Mood to be read thus Shal perfect stablish strengthen and settle you But I find the Copies ordinarily to give them in the Optative Beza tels us Omnes nostri codices tribus tamen exceptis Scripta haec habent optandi modo Beza in loc In nonnullis quidem exemplaribus Graecis verba