The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, now preacher…The vvorks of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, now preacher…

But yet again, (that we may rightly understand things) Though every Believer is to deny himself in spiritual things, and so to depress himself; yet notwithstanding, he is not to speak evil of the grace of God within him. For, there are Two things in every Duty, or Service. There is something of Gods; & something of a mans own: something of the Spirit of God, something of a mans own. Now ⟨p. 52⟩though a man may trample upon all his Duties, and upon all his Graces, as to the point of Justification; yet as to the point of Sanctification, he may not mis-call the Graces of God in him, and his Duties, saying, These are nothing but the fruits of Hypocrisy; for then he should speak evil of the Spirit, whose works they are. A man tramples, and treads upon the Dirt; but he will not trample upon Money, upon Gold and Silver; why? because that is a precious metal, or hath the stamp, or the image of the Prince upon it. Now, our own Duties, our own Righteousness, and Holiness, as to the matter of Justification, they are nothing worth, and so we trample upon all: but as to the matter of Sanctification, they have the image of Christ upon them, they are precious metal; and therefore, for a man to say, This is Hypocrisy, and all is nothing but Hypocrisy; this is not Self-Denial: properly, Self-Denial in Spiritual things is; as to the matter of Justification, to renounce all; and as to the matter of Sanctification, to attribute the strength, the power, and the glory of all, unto Jesus Christ, and to ones self nothing: and when a man does attribute all the strength, the power, the glory of all to Jesus Christ, and to himself nothing; then he is said to deny himself in Spiritual things. This by way of Explication.

But yet again, (that we may rightly understand things) Though every Beleever is to deny himself in spiritual things, and so to depress himself; yet notwithstanding, he is not to speak evil of the grace of God within him. For, there are Two things in every Duty, or Service. There is something of Gods; & something of a mans own: something of the Spirit of God, somthing of a mans own. Now ⟨p. 52⟩though a man may trample upon all his Duties, and upon all his Graces, as to the point of Justification; yet as to the point of Sanctification, he may not mis-cal the Graces of God in him, and his Duties, saying, These are nothing but the fruits of Hypocrisy; for then he should speak evil of the Spirit, whose works they are. A man tramples, and treads upon the Dirt; but he will not trample upon Money, upon Gold and Silver; why? because that is a precious mettal, or hath the stamp, or the image of the Prince upon it. Now, our own Duties, our own Righteousness, and Holiness, as to the matter of Justification, they are nothing worth, and so we trample upon all: but as to the matter of Sanctification, they have the image of Christ upon them, they are precious mettal; and therefore, for a man to say, This is Hypocrisie, and all is nothing but Hypocrisie; this is not Self-Denial: properly, Self-Denial in Spiritual things is; as to the matter of Justification, to renounce all; and as to the matter of Sanctification, to attribute the strength, the power, and the glory of all, unto Jesus Christ, and to ones self nothing: and when a man does attribute all the strength, the power, the glory of all to Jesus Christ, and to himself nothing; then he is said to deny himself in Spiritual things. This by way of Explication.