Assorted Thoughts from William Bridge

Somehow political matters and mere lists of books I’ve read have dominated this blog for a while.  They’ve always been central topics I’ve covered, but I think there hasn’t been enough variation lately. Well, there’s one book I’ve read that I’ve been meaning to post from it for a while. And I thought now was a good time, just to keep it a bit more eclectic, returning again to a bit of a Puritan slant! 

I’ve been reading the Puritan William Bridge and I thought I would share a few good, conscience, and very deep thoughts from him. They are all from A Lifting up for the Downcast from Banner of Truth:

“A praying man can never be very miserable, whatever his condition be, for he has the ear of God, the Spirit within to indite, a friend in heaven present, and God Himself to receive his desires as a Father. It is a mercy to pray, even though I never receive the mercy prayed for.”

(p.55)

“As speech is common to all men, so is prayer unto all Christians. God has none of His children born dumb”

(p.55)

“Christ cures, per modum divertentia, by way of divertency (ie. by turning the thoughts elsewhere)”

(p.45)

“Are all your comforts gone, and would you fain have them restored? Then read and read the Scriptures much. If you cannot read them yourself, get some others to read them to you. When a man’s mind is empty, as in temptation and want of comfort, it is empty of Christ, and full of fear. Then it grinds itself, as in a quern or mill when empty of corn, one stone grinds another. The more full a man’s mind is, the more free from temptations and fears. Now Scripture matter is the most filling matter.”

(p.43)

“Yea, the Lord not only gives encouragement in time of discouragement, and proportions His encouragements unto our discouragements, but He turns our discouragements into encouragements and comforts.”

(p.53)