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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	great_a	world_n	3,255	5	4.3685	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77355	The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge; now preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth. The first volume. Viz. I. The great Gospel-mysterie of the saints comfort and holinesse, opened and applyed from Christs priestly office. II. Satans power to tempt; and Christs love to, and care of his people under temptation. III. Thankfulnesse required in every condition.	Bridge, William, 1600?-1670.; Yates, John, d. ca. 1660.; Greenhill, William, 1591-1671.; Adderley, William.	1649 (1649)	Wing B4445; Thomason E471_1; ESTC R6919	182,218	262

a prison he rattles chaines in the ears of a poor beleever and so labours to scare him away from his conscience and from his faith and from the Truth and Cause of God and the good waies of Christ How shold we ward off this blow Quest First Answ 1 Before the temptaton comes labour to possesse your heart much with the Mercy and priviledge of suffering for the Cause Truth Name and Way of Christ To you it is given not only to beleeve but to suffer 't is a great Gift A suffering opportunity and a suffering heart is a great Gift from God Is it not a great mercy to be conformable to Jesus Christ our head For this Cause saies Christ came I into the world that I might bear witness unto the truth Is it not a great mercy to be confessed at the last day before all the world Angels and men He that confesses me before men saies Christ Him will I confess before my father c. Is it not a great mercy to live and reigne with Christ a thousand years ye know that Scripture I shall not speak of the meaning of it now but cerainly there is a great deal of glory promised there living and reigning with Christ a thousand years and the promise is made unto those that do acknowledge and own the Cause and Truth of God and Jesus Christ Possesse your heart much with the priviledge and mercy of bearing witness to the Truth the Cause and the good way of Christ before your temptation comes Secondly Answ 2 If you would bear off the blow of this temptation Be sure that you look upon both sides of your suffering or bearing witness to the Truth Cause or way of Christ the Dark side and the Light side let them not be sundered When the Lord cals for any of his people to suffer at any time for him he does give them more strength than before and he does give them more Comfort and Consolation than they had before Now Satan comes and holds forth the suffering he makes mention of the suffering but he hides the Strength and the Consolation Either Satan holds forth the suffering alone or else if he do mention any strength or comfort that a gracious soul shall have in the suffering 't is but the same strength that he hath now he don't speak of the strength he shall have then and the great Consolation that he shall have then when the suffering comes and so these being parted the Suffering and the Consolation being parted now our faith fails When ever therefore this temptation does come upon you answer thus Satan here thou bringest the suffering before me and causest that to come before me but thou doest not tell me of the strength I shall have and of the consolation I shal receive Satan I shall not have the strength I have now nor the consolation I have now but I shall have more strength then when the suffering comes and I shall have more consolation when as the affliction comes than I had before Keep these together don't look only upon the one side of your suffering and witness-bearing but look upon both sides together and thus you shall be able to stand and ride out the storm of this temptation But you will say Quest We have heard of the several blowes that Satan gives unto our faith unto the faith of Reliance unto the faith of Assurance and unto the faith of Acknowledgment how he labours to weaken all these our faiths and how we should bear off al these blows But there may be yet some temptation possibly that does not fall within the compass of these temptations these directions are pointed against these particular temptations but I have other temptations that don't fall within the compass of these whereby Satan labours to weaken my faith and to make my faith to fail What general Rules and Directions may be given by which a man should so walk as that Satan may not make his faith to fail in the time of his temptation First Answ 1 Before your temptation comes while you are upon even ground Study and look much into the Scripture and into every corner and nook thereof as I may so speak laying and treasuring up Promises and Words sutable to every condition Let the Word of the Lord dwell in you richly that so when a temptation comes ye may have a word sutable at hand and this will help ye to bear off the strength of the temptation when it comes Secondly Answ 2 Either a particular Word and Promise does come unt ye or it does not in the time of your temptation If it do come unto ye Take heed that ye dont ' measure your selves or your condition by the warmth and life and inlargment of your heart which ye have at the coming in of the word And if a particular word or Scripture and promise do not come unto you in the time of your temptation don't measure your selves and your condition by the straightness and deadnesse of your heart which you have at that time when a particular word does not come Thirdly If temptaion come Answ 3 Look much unto the infirmities of Jesus Christ not the sinful infirmities for so he had none but he had many other infirmities And ye know what the Spouse in the time of Desertion saies in the book of the Canticles His left hand is under my head and with his right hand he does imbrace me The right hand is a hand of power and the left hand is a hand of weaknesse and in the time of Desertion and Temptation it 's a great relief to a poor soul to consider the infirmities of Jesus Christ his left hand is under our head then As when a man is inlarged in heart 't is good to consider of Christs Example that so he may be humbled under his inlargement So when a man is in Desertion or Temptation it 's good for to think of Christs Infirmities that so he may not be overwhelmed or cast down too much Fourthly If temptation do come be sure of this Answ 4 That ye don't conclude it is no temptation Satan tempts and then he tempts a man to think it is no temptation So long as a poor soul thinks it is but a temptation his heart is borne up with comfort and he saies It is but a temptation and it will be over shortly and the Lord Jesus Christ will pity me for 't is but a temptation and so his heart is borne up with comfort waiting upon God But if the Devil can get a man so far as to make him think it is no temptation but worse than a temptation then his heart fails and his faith failes Therefore I beseech ye If a temptation come don't conclude it is no temptation but say Oh! it may be 't is a temptation and therefore I will wait on God Fifthly If temptation come Answ 5 Remember thine own soul of the waies of God with thee Gods waies ye know

Chapter of the Hebrews the 24. verse Christ is not entred into the holy place made with hands but into Heaven now to appear in the presence of God for us He does not in an ordinary way and manner appear for us in Heaven but with an Emphasis he does openly and publickly before all the Saints and Angels appear for us in the presence of God the Father It is a comfort unto a man sometimes to have a good friend at Court at the Kings elbow that may own him and appear for him but though a man have a friend at Court sometimes if there be any danger he will not appear and own a man it may be he will own him and countenance his Cause as long as there is no danger but no longer But now here we have a friend in Heaven that will appear for us and own our Causes and our souls and in all conditions appear for us That is the First Secondly Answ 2 He doth not only appear for us but by vertue of his Priestly Office he does carry the power merit and vertue of his blood into the presence of God the Father in Heaven and sprinkles the Mercy-Seat with it seven times Seven is a note of Perfection Those that Christ suffered for he does Intercede for He takes all their bonds and he carries them in unto God the Father and he saies Father I have paid these bonds I have paid this debt I have satisfied thy Justice for these poor sinners and now my desire is that they may be acquitted from these bonds and from these debts This also is remarkable in that 9. Chapter of the Hebrews 11 12. verses Thirdly Answ 3 He doth not only carry the power and vertue of his blood and present it to God the Father for our discharge but he does also plead our Cause in Heaven answering unto all those accusations that are brought against us And therefore we may reade what the Apostle saies in the 8. of the Rom. 33. ver Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifies who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that he is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Upon this ground the Apostle speaks thus Who shall condemn them Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God the Father to take off all accusations that shall be brought against them Let the World condemn let Moses condemn let Satan condemn Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God the Father to take off all accusations that shall be raised against them Concerning this there is a clear and full instance in that notable Scripture the 3. Chapter of Zachariah and the 1. verse We find Satan standing at the right hand of Joshua to resist him He shewed me Joshua the High-Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right band to resist him It was the custome of the Accuser to stand at the right hand of the accused Psalme 109. ver 6. Set thou a wicked man over him and let Satan stand at his right hand take the wall of him in his accusation condemning of him Now here Satan-standing at Joshua's right hand notes his accusing of him Well what was the matter that he accused him of Ye shall find that there was matter verse the 3. Now Joshua was cloathed with filthy garments and stood before the Angel Satan came and accused him that he had filthy garments and so he had for the Priests had defiled themselves in Babylon in marrying of strange wives as Joshua and his children are charged in the 10. Chapter of Ezra and the 18. verse Give me leave a little to open this charge of Satan that we may see Satan had matter of Charge and accusation against Joshua And among the sons of the Priests there were found that had taken strange wives namely of the sons of Joshua He was High-Priest So that now Joshua had defiled his garments thre was then matter of accusation for Satan to work upon But now our Lord Jesus Christ our great High-Priest steps in and takes off this accusation The Lord said at the 3. of Zachariah 2. verse unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee The word used by the Septuagint is the same that is used for Excommunication And it is here twice repeated The Lord rebuke thee even the Lord rebuke thee not only to show the fulnesse of Satans rebuke but to show the fulnesse of the intercession of Jesus Christ Now would we see the fulnesse of Christs apology for Joshua Saies the Lord unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee even the Lord rebuke thee And saies he at the latter end of the 2. verse Is not this a brand pluck't out of the fire Thus it is true Lord that Joshua hath filthy garments but yet notwithstanding Joshua is but as a brand pluck't newly out of the burning Take a brand and pull it newly out of the fire and there will be dust ashes and dirt about it Lord saies he Joshua is but newly puld out of the burning and therefore Lord he must needs have some ashes and some dirt and some filth about him O Lord saies Christ although that Joshua be clothed with filthy garments I will take away those filthy garments verse the 4. He answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying Take away the filthy garments from him and unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I will clothe thee with change of raiment This can be none but Christ Thus Christ takes off the accusation that was brought against Joshua by Satan for his filthy garments And so does the Lord Christ now If a poor soul fall into any sin defile his garments Satan he comes in and takes the right hand of him stands at the right hand and accuses by reason of this filthy garment but our Lord Jesus Christ our great High-Priest he being at the right hand of the Father takes up the cause and answers to the accusation True Lord this poor soul indeed hath filthy garments but he is but as a fire-brand pluck't newly out of the burning He was in his natural and sinful condition the other day in his burning and he is but newly changed and therefore he must needs have some dirt and some filth upon him as a fire-brand pluck't out of the burning and therefore consider him in that respect and though he have filthy garments now upon him yet I will give him change of raiments and take away his filthy garments Thus the Lord Christ steps in to God the Father and answers to all those accusations that are brought against him to God the Father This is the Third thing that he does by way of his Intercession Again Answ 4 He doth not only plead our Cause and take off accusations that are

there of the Disciples That they should wait for the promise of the Father Christ commaded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father What is that We know what it was and is that which befel afterward it was the giving out of the holy Ghost the holy Ghost fell upon them this is called THE promise of the Father That as in the times of the Old Testament the promise was the giving of the Son and coming of the Second Person So after Christ came the great promise was the coming of the Third Person and the giving of the holy Ghost When I am gone saith Christ I 'le send ye another Comforter He that beleeveth out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This he spake concerning the Spirit which was not yet given in those extraordinary emanations of gists and graces because he was not yet glorisied So then the great Blessing that was to be given unto the children of men the great Gospel-blessing was the giving out of the holy Ghost this is a Gospel-blessing indeed Well Ques But what doth Christ do when he doth Bless It 's observable Answ 1 that when any Superiour did Blesse a father did blesse his child or the like he did observe what was the choice mercy and good in those times and he did wish that unto his child or unto his inferiour And so in Isaac and Jacobs time the choice good it was The dew of Heaven and when they did blesse their children they wish't unto them the dew of Heaven So now when our Iord Jesus our great High-Priest doth blesse any man observing that the choice mercy of the Gospel is the injoyment of God in Christ the favour and love of God and the giving out of the holy Ghost into a mans heart he doth wis all this good unto him and he saies unto God the Father Lord let this poor soul have thy favour Oh! cause thy face to shine upon this poor soul and give out the holy Ghost unto it that it may walk after the spirit In the Second place It 's observable That when the Priests did Blesse the people they did not barely wish good unto them but they did Authoratatively pronounce them blessed Numb 6.27 They shall put my name upon them saith the Lord when they bless So when the Lord Christ our great High-Priest doth Blesse a man he does not barely wish him good The Lord cause his face for to shine upon that soul in a way of wishing but the Lord Christ being a High-Priest when he blesseth he doth authoratatively pronounce such a soul to be Blessed Thirdly When the Priest Blessed he did not only pronounce the people Blessed but in the Blessing of the Priest there was a kind of Binding-power it had the power force and efficacy of an Absolution And therefore as Christ saies unto his Disciples Go and whosoever sins ye remit they shall be remitted I 'le stand by you in it So saith the Lord in that same place the 6. of Numbers On this wise shall ye bless the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord blesse thee and keep thee and at the 27. verse They shall put my Name upon the children of Israel and I will blessethem I 'le stand by them in this So when the Lord Jesus Christ our great High-Priest doth Blesse he doth not only pronounce a man to be Blessed but he doth Absolve him from all his sins saith he by authority that is given to me from my father the Keyes that are put into my hand I do Bind this blessing upon this poor soul Further The Priest when he blessed indeed he could wish well and he could pronounce a man blessed and he might Absolve but he could go no further he could not confer the Blessing he could not bestow the Blessing But our Lord Christ being an High-Priest beyond all the High-Priests that ever were before him in this respect too where he doth Blesse he bestoweth the Blessing being God and man he bestoweth the Blessing In the Fifth place This our great High-Priest being God and Man look how God Blesseth so doth he Blesse In the Scripture ye shall find That when God the Father Blessed he said unto those things that he blest Increase and Multiply still when he blest Increase and Multiply So the Lord Jesus Christ our High-Preist when he comes to blesse he doth not barely wish good unto a poor soul or pronounce him blessed or beslow a good thing upon him but saith he O soul Multiply in this good the Lord increase thy Graces and thy Gifts and thy Comforts poor soul Increase and Multiply herein This the Lord Christ our great High-Priest doth Thus it 's cleer what the Blssing of the Gospel is wherein it consists and what our High-Priest doth when he doth blesse the people But Secondly Quest 2 Does this Blessing properly or specially belong unto Jesus Christ Yes Answ For he was made a curse for sin he and none else made a curse for sin and therefore it belongs unto him above all the world for to blesse For look what evil Jesus Christ endured the contrary good he merited for the children of men a power to bestow that good Now he above all was cursed hung upon the Crosse and died a cursed death he was made a curse therefore it belongs unto him above all for to give the blessing for to blesse poor sinners Primum in quolibet genere c. The first in every kind is the cause of the rest The Sun is the cause of all the light we have here below and 't is the first light body And the Lord Jesus Christ he is the first blessing Therefore hath they God blest thee for ever There are Three that we reade of in Scripture especially that did blesse The Father the King and the Priest The Father did blesse his Children the King blest his Subjects and the Priest blest the People Now the Lord Jesus Christ He is our Father The Everlasting Father He is our King I will set my King upon my holy hill And he is our great High-Priest and therefore all these relations meeting in him it belongs unto him above all for to blesse the people But is the Lord Jesus Christ Willing for to Blesse poor sinners Quest 3 and inclin'd unto it Yes Answ He is very Willing this blessing of the people it is a work whereunto he is much inclin'd and wherein he is most delighted Ye shall observe therefore what abundance of blessings Christ scattered among the people when he was here upon the earth Ye don't reade that ever he cursed any man formally cursed him Once indeed he pronounced a Curse but it fell upon a barren fig-tree not upon a man But take your Bibles and turne over from leaf to leaf and see how frequent he was in blessing and consider whether you do reade in al the Bible of any Preacher or Prophet