William Bridge (c.1600–1670) was a native of Cambridgeshire. He studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, receiving an M.A. in 1626. For a short time in 1631, he was a lecturer at Colchester, put in place by Harbottle Grimstone and Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick; this was very much against the wishes of William Laud, then Bishop of London, who complained of the influence then held by Richard Sibbes and William Gouge, clerical leaders of the Feoffees for Impropriations. From 1637, he lived in Norwich as Rector of St. Peter Hungate and St. George Tombland. He came into conflict with Matthew Wren, bishop of Norwich, for nonconformity. He went into exile in Rotterdam, taking the position left vacant by Hugh Peters. Charles I of England, upon hearing from Archbishop Laud that Reverend Bridge had “gone to Holland”, “…rather than [that] he will conform” replied, “Let him go: we are well rid of him.”
He returned to Great Yarmouth and became a member of the Westminster Assembly. There he was one of the Five Dissenting Brethren, the small group of leading churchmen who emerged at the head of the Independent faction, opposing the Presbyterian majority. In 1643, he preached in front of Charles I of England, making a direct attack on the Queen. He was Minister at the Old Meeting House Norwich for several years right up until his death. [More via Wikipedia]
The Works of William Bridge:
The Works of the Reverend William Bridge, Volume 1. (532 pages)
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Containing the following:
- A Memoir of the Author – pdf, 7 pp.
- The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints’ Comfort and Holiness opened and applied from Christ’s Priestly Office (Four sermons on Hebrews 2:17-18) – indexed, searchable pdf, 84 pp.
- Satan’s Power to Tempt and Christ’s Love to and Care of his People under Temptation (Two sermons on Hebrews 2:18 and three on Luke 22:31-32) – indexed, searchable pdf, 94 pp.
- Grace for Grace (or, The Overflowings of Christ’s Fullness Received by All Saints). Six sermons on John 1:16 – indexed, searchable pdf, 110 pp.
- The Spiritual Life and In-being of Christ in all Believers (Five sermons on Galatians 2:20) – indexed, searchable pdf, 103 pp.
- Scripture Light the Most Sure Light (Three sermons on 2 Peter 1:19) – indexed, searchable pdf, 63 pp.
- The Righteous Man’s Habitation in the Time of Plague and Pestilence (Psalm 91) – searchable pdf, 38 pp.
The Works of the Reverend William Bridge, Volume 2. (486 pages)
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Containing the following:
- A Lifting up for the Downcast (Thirteen sermons on Psalm 42:11) – indexed, searchable pdf, 279 pp. Also available as a Digital Puritan e-Book. Individual sermons are:
- The Good Man’s Peace (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 23 pp.
- True Peace May Be Interrupted (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 19 pp.
- Saints Should Not Be Discouraged, Whatever Their Condition May Be (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 20 pp.
- A Lifting Up in Case of Great Sins (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 21 pp.
- A Lifting Up in Case of Weak Grace (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 19 pp.
- A Lifting Up in Case of Miscarriage of Duties (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 24 pp.
- A Lifting Up in the Want of Assurance (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 44 pp.
- A Lifting Up in Case of Temptation (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 21 pp.
- A Lifting Up in Case of Desertion (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 19 pp.
- A Lifting Up in Case of Affliction (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 20 pp.
- A Lifting Up in Case of Unserviceableness (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 23 pp.
- A Lifting Up in Case of Discouragements Drawn from the Condition Itself (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 27 pp.
- The Cure of Discouragements by Faith in Jesus Christ (Psalm 42:11) – pdf, 25 pp.
- Five Sermons on Faith (Romans 4:19) – indexed searchable pdf, 95 pp.
- The Freeness of the Grace and Love of God to Believers Discovered – indexed searchable pdf, 93 pp.
The Works of the Reverend William Bridge, Volume 3. (468 pages)
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Containing the following:
- Christ and the Covenant, the Work and Way of Meditation, God’s Return to the Soul or Nation, together with his Preventing Mercy – indexed searchable pdf, 196 pp.
- Christ’s Personal Excellencies the Object of Our Love (John 14:28) – pdf, 10 pp.
- Christ Crucified the Object of Our Faith (1 Corinthians 2:2) – pdf, 22 pp.
- The New Covenant of Grace Opened (Hebrews 12:24) – pdf, 20 pp.
- Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant (Hebrews 12:24) – pdf, 19 pp.
- The Way and Spirit of the New Covenant (Hebrews 12:24) – pdf, 25 pp.
- The Blood of Sprinkling (Hebrews 12:24) – pdf, 21 pp.
- The Sweetness and Profitableness of Divine Meditation (Psalm 104:34) – pdf, 20 pp.
- The Work and Way of Meditation (Psalm 104:34) – pdf, 19 pp.
- God’s Return to the Soul or Nation (Psalm 90:13) – pdf, 19 pp.
- Preventing Mercy (Psalm 21:2-3) – pdf, 18 pp.
- Christ in Travail – indexed searchable pdf, 79 pp.
- Seasonable Truths in Evil Times – indexed searchable pdf, 180 pp.
- Of Grace Growing and Increasing (1 Thessalonians 4:1) – pdf, 20 pp.
- The First and Last in Suffering Work (Matthew 19:30) – pdf, 21 pp.
- The Way to Obtain a Sure and Great Reward (Matthew 19:28) – pdf, 24 pp.
- The Two Witnesses, Their Testimony (Revelation 11:3) – pdf, 22 pp.
- The Uncertainty of the World Should Take Off Our Hearts From The Love of It (1 Corinthians 7:30) – pdf, 23 pp.
- Men’s Wrath Against God’s People Shall Turn to God’s Praise (Psalm 76:10) – pdf, 20 pp.
- Comfort to Mourners For the Loss of Solemn Assemblies (Zephaniah 3:18) – pdf, 20 pp.
- The Evil of Unbelief in Departing From God (Hebrews 3:12) – pdf, 17 pp.
- A Warning to Apostates (Luke 17:32) – pdf, 16 pp.
The Works of the Reverend William Bridge, Volume 4. (482 pages)
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Containing the following:
- Seventeen sermons on various subjects and occasions – indexed searchable pdf, 424 pp.
- The True Soldier’s Convoy (Numbers 10:35) – pdf, 20 pp.
- Of Courage (2 Samuel 10:12) – pdf, 17 pp.
- The Diseases That Make a Stoppage to England’s Mercies Discovered (John 7:4) – pdf, 24 pp.
- Directions for Suffering Times (Lamentations 5:2) – pdf, 20 pp.
- Thankfulness Required in Every Condition (1 Thessalonians 5:18) – pdf, 18 pp.
- The Woman of Canaan (Matthew 15:21-28) – pdf, 26 pp.
- A Vindication of Ordinances (Deuteronomy 18:15) – pdf, 34 pp.
- Grace and Love Beyond Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31) – pdf, 25 pp.
- Of the Sin Against the Holy Ghost (Matthew 12:31-32) – pdf, 25 pp.
- Of the Sin of Infirmity (Matthew 26:43) – pdf, 28 pp.
- The False Apostle Tried and Cast (Revelation 2:2) – pdf, 20 pp.
- The Good and Means of Establishment (1 Peter 5:10) – pdf, 30 pp.
- Babylon’s Downfall (Revelation 14:8) – pdf, 24 pp.
- A Sermon on Zechariah 1:18-2:1 – pdf, 32 pp.
- The Saints’ Hiding Place in the Time of God’s Anger (Zephaniah 2:3) – pdf, 26 pp.
- England Saved With a Notwithstanding (Psalm 106:8) – pdf, 32 pp.
- Christ’s Coming is at Our Midnight (Matthew 25:6) – pdf, 21 pp.
- Evangelical Repentance (two sermons on Matthew 3:2) – pdf, 40 pp.
The Works of the Reverend William Bridge, Volume 5. (452 pages)
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Containing the following:
- The Sinfulness of Sin and the Fullness of Christ, in Two Sermons – pdf, 39 pp.
- Remains – indexed searchable pdf, 135 pp.
- Man’s Blessedness (Psalm 4:6) – pdf, 16 pp.
- Affections Rightly Placed (Colossians 3:2) – pdf, 15 pp.
- How to Walk With God in Our Callings (1 Corinthians 7:20) – pdf, 16 pp.
- Of Good and Bad Company: How to Avoid the One, and Improve the Other (Psalm 119:63) – pdf, 28 pp.
- The Carnality of Professors (1 Corinthians 3:3) – pdf, 16 pp.
- What Our Work Is, And How to Be Done (Ecclesiastes 9:10) – pdf, 18 pp.
- Soul-Resignation Into the Hands of God (Luke 23:46) – pdf, 15 pp.
- The Dignity and Duty of God’s Called Ones (1 Thessalonians 2:12) – pdf, 13 pp.
- A Word to the Aged – pdf, 17 pp.
- The Wounded Conscience Cured, the Weak One Strengthened, and the Doubting Satisfied – pdf, 57 pp.
- The Truth of the Times Vindicated – pdf, 63 pp.
- The Loyal Convert, According to the Oxford Copy, with Annotations Thereon – pdf, 42 pp.
- The Doctrine of Justification by Faith Opened and Applied (Romans 3:24-25) – pdf, 39 pp.
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On a monument in the Old Meeting House in Norwich The book of Sports is referred to accompanying Rev.William Bridge eulogy .
What is this please.
“The Book of Sports” was a government-issued pamphlet that endorsed family and leisure activities on Sunday. It was used as a litmus test of sorts to test the conformity of pastors to the government’s mandates for the Church of England. Puritan pastors were reluctant to endorse it, because although time with family is good, the purpose of the Sabbath was for worship.