The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel College in CambridgeThe works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge

When as your heart, and your flesh trembles and quakes under the first rising, and motion of a sin, this is not your own corruption alone, but there is a temptation with it. When the corruptions of ones own heart does work up evil, a mans heart is rather pleased and tickled with it, and consents to it, then any way ones flesh lie trembling, and quaking under it. That temptation is not much to be feared, when a man fears himself for his temptation. He is to be feared most, that does fear least: and he is to be feared least, that does fear most. A godly, gracious, man or woman, is humbled under nothing more than under his temptations; he looks upon his temptations as the greatest afflictions in all the world. As now, take that of Blasphemous Thoughts; Suppose a poor soul troubled with such evil thoughts, such a poor soul says, I do profess it in the sight of God, I never met with such an affliction since I was born: I have lost Children; Oh! but that affliction is not like to this: I have lost friends; Oh! but that affliction is not like to this: I have lost my Estate; Oh! but that affliction is not like to this. Man or woman, if it be thy affliction, 'tis not thy sin. And I appeal to you now, you that say, ye don't doubt of Gods love, ye don't fear your own condition because of temptations only, but because ye are afraid they are the corruptions of your own heart, and not the ⟨p. 257⟩temptations of Satan; I appeal to you that say so; Are ye not afraid in your selves because of your temptations? Don't ye look upon your temptations as your greatest afflictions? Nay, does not thy flesh quake, and tremble sometimes, when a temptation dashes, and beats in upon thy soul? does not thy very outward man, sometimes, lie quaking, and trembling, before a temptation? Certainly, this is not all the corruption of thine own heart, here's the Devils hand, here's a temptation in it, and, poor soul, thou mayest have some comfort yet; notwithstanding the oppression is so great, yet here is comfort, 'tis no other but what may stand with grace.

When as your heart, and your flesh trembles and quakes under the first rising, and motion of a sin, this is not your own corruption alone, but there is a temptation with it. When the corruptions of ones own heart does work up evil, a mans heart is rather pleased and tickled with it, and consents to it, then any way ones flesh lie trembling, and quaking under it. That temptation is not much to be feared, when a man fears himself for his temptation. He is to be feared most, that does fear least: and he is to be feared least, that does fear most. A godly, gracious, man or woman, is humbled under nothing more than under his temptations; he looks upon his temptations as the greatest afflictions in all the world. As now, take that of Blasphemous Thoughts; Suppose a poor soul troubled with such evill thoughts, such a poor soul saies, I do professe it in the sight of God, I never met with such an affliction since I was born: I have lost Children; Oh! but that affliction is not like to this: I have lost friends; Oh! but that affliction is not like to this: I have lost my Estate; Oh! but that affliction is not like to this. Man or woman, if it be thy affliction, 'tis not thy sin. And I appeal to you now, you that say, ye don't doubt of Gods love, ye don't fear your own condition because of temptations only, but because ye are afraid they are the corruptions of your own heart, and not the