A09473:179
Two treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat…Tvvo treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat…
Two treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat of the flesh and spirit.Tvvo treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat of the flesh and spirit.
Cambridge: printed by John Legate printer to the University of Cambridge. 1593., 1593Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legate printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge. 1593., 1593
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
To come to the second point: the regenerate man cannot do the good which he would: because he cannot do it perfectly & soundly according to Gods will as he would. Paul saith, To will is 1present with me, but I find no means ([Greek or Hebrew]) perfectly to do that which I would. In this point the godly man is like a prisoner that is gotten forth of the gayle, & that he might escape the hand of the keeper, desires & strives with all his heart to run an 100 miles in a day: but because he hath strait and weighty bolts on his legs, cannot for his life creep past a mile or twain, & that with chafing his flesh & tormenting himself. So the servants of God do heartily desire, & endeavour to obey God in all his commandments: as it is said of king Josiah, That he turned to God with all his heart, with 2all his soul, with all his might, according to all the laws of Moses, &c. yet because they are clogged with the bolts of the flesh, they perform obedience both slowly and weakly, with divers slips & falls.
To come to the secōd point: the regenerate mā cannot do the good which he would: because he cannot do it perfitly & soundly according to Gods will as he would. Paul saith, To will is 1present with me, but I find no means (〈non-Latin alphabet〉) perfitly to do that which I would. In this point the godly man is like a prisoner that is gotten forth of the gayle, & that he might escape the hand of the keeper, desires & striues with all his heart to run an 100 miles in a day: but because he hath strait and weighty boults on his legs, cannot for his life creep past a mile or twain, & that with chafing his flesh & tormenting himselfe. So the servants of God do hartily desire, & indeavour to obey God in all his commādements: as it is said of king Iosias, That he turned to God with all his heart, with 2all his soule, with all his might, according to all the lawes of Moses, &c. yet because they are clogged with the boltes of the flesh, they perfourme obedience both slowly and weakely, with divers slips & falles.