A lifting up for the downcast - Bridge - XIII - Sermon 13

Required reading
A lifting up for the downcast by William Bridge (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Sermon XIII (The cure of discouragements...).

My summary
Today we read Bridges' thirteenth and final sermon on Psalm 42:11.

The sermon tells us the cure of discouragements through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Firstly we are shown what it is to hope, trust in God or to wait on him: '...to hope in God, is to expect help from God ; to trust in God, is to rely or rest upon God for help ; and to wait on him, is to continue and abide in this expectation or reliance.'

Secondly Bridges teaches us that faith doth quiet one's heart in the times of discouragements.

Thirdly we observe that it is the duty of all the saints and people of God, when discouragements do arise, then, and then especially to trust in God and to exercise their faith.

Fourthly Bridges tells us that faith has the power to suppress and allay discouragements by giving a man the true prospect of things, past, present and to come, and of things as they are.

What grabbed me
I loved this description of the work of faith: 'It is (to speak more briefly) the proper work of faith to resign and give up our wills unto God ; for by the resignation of the will unto God, we do trust God with ourselves and conditions.'

Lord, increase our faith!

One sentence final verdict
Bridges' collection of sermons will tell you again and again that a Christian has no reason for discouragement - question is, are you willing to listen?

Next week's reading
Commence Charity and its fruits by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) by reading Lecture I (Charity, or love, the sum of all virtue).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.