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

First, The way to Jesus Christ is clogged with many difficulties, or natural discouragements. No sooner does a man begin to look after Christ, but difficulties, and natural discouragements do arise; and they are pressed by Satan with much violence. When the children of Israel began to make out of Egypt, Pharaoh doubles their task, and labours to make their way grievous, and troublous. And so soon as a soul begins to look after Christ; Satan, and the world labours to make his way troublous. The Devil is the great hunter of Souls: So long as the Game goes well with the hunter, and he is going into his snare, he makes no noise; but if once the Hare, or the Game begin to decline the snare, and go another way, then he hoops, and he hollows, and he makes a noise, that he may scare it into the snare again. And so, as long as men are going into the Devils snare, he makes no noise; but if once they begin to turn aside from his snare, then he raises Town & Country, and a great noise is made to scare the soul in again He knows that a candle may be easily blown into light, when 'tis new put out. Paul met with no buffetings of Satan, till he had been taken up into the third heavens ⟨p. 194⟩and seen the glory there. So long as Paul went on in his Pharisaical way, he met with no opposition: and so long as a man goes on in the way of the world, or in some Pharisaical Devotional-way, that is not the way of the Gospel, he meets with no opposition: but when once the Lord takes him (as it were) into the third heavens, and shows him the glory of Christ, then Satan begins to buffer him. Nature within us, that stands and says, Will you go to Christ? 'tis impossible that ever you should get him. And the world without: Will you go to Christ? you will lose all your friends: Will you become a fool too? What with the world, and what with the flesh, and what with the Devil, the way to Jesus Christ is clogged with many difficulties.

First, The way to Jesus Christ is clogged with many difficulties, or naturall discouragements. No sooner does a man begin to looke after Christ, but difficulties, and naturall discouragements do arise; and they are prest by Satan with much violence. When the children of Israel began to make out of Egypt, Pharoah doubles their taske, and labours to make their way grievous, and troublous. And so soone as a soule begins to look after Christ; Satan, and the world labours to make his way troublous. The Devill is the great hunter of Soules: So long as the Game goes well with the hunter, and he is going into his snare, he makes no noise; but if once the Hare, or the Game begin to decline the snare, and go another way, then he hoopes, and he hollowes, and he makes a noise, that he may scare it into the snare againe. And so, as long as men are going into the Devils snare, he makes no noise; but if once they begin to turne aside from his snare, then he raises Town & Country, and a great noise is made to scare the soule in againe He knowes that a candle may be easily blown into light, when 'tis new put out. Paul met with no buffetings of Satan, till he had been taken up into the third heavens