A20756:120
The conflict between the flesh and the spirit. Or the last part of The…The conflict betvveene the flesh and the spirit. Or the last part of The…
The conflict between the flesh and the spirit. Or the last part of The Christian warfare wherein is described the nature of these combatants, the malice and power of the flesh and fleshly lusts, with the means whereby we may subdue and overcome them. By John Downame Bachelor in Divinity, and preacher of Gods Word.The conflict betvveene the flesh and the spirit. Or the last part of The Christian warfare wherein is described the nature of these combatants, the malice and power of the flesh and fleshly lusts, with the meanes whereby we may subdue and ouercome them. By Iohn Dovvname Batchelar in Diuinitie, and preacher of Gods Word.
London: printed by William Jones, 1618London: printed by William Iones, 1618
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
1Secondly, as the flesh is wholly evil, so all manner of evil is in the flesh. For it is the common sewer in which all filth and loathsome poison of sin meeteth: and in a full source runneth together; it is the devils storehouse of wickedness, and his armoury in which he layeth up all the weapons of impiety; It is the sea of sin from which all wickedness floweth, and into which it floweth back again. In a word it is the fruitful womb into which the devil casting the seeds and spawns of his hellish temptations, they receive warmth, nourishment, groweth, and in the end life and the perfect shape of all kinds of sin. For there is not any sin whatsoever though never so monstrous and abominable, but hath it being in this wicked flesh; if not appearing, yet at least secretly lurking in this filthy dungeon, if not in the full growth, yet at least in their seeds and chief principles. There lieth hid impious Atheism, filthy profaneness, abominable idolatry, palpable ignorance, cursed infidelity, damnable hypocrisy, hateful pride, bold presumption, fearful desperation, wicked treasons, horrible murders, beastly incests, adulteries, thefts, covetousness, ambition, cruelty, falsehood, deceit, with a huge swarm of innumerable other sinful abominations. And though these vices and corruptions do not always burst out into the sores of outward actions; yet (like dangerous impostumes) they lye hidden within the body of this flesh; though they are not always exercised in their functions and operations, they being subdued with Gods sanctifying spirit in the faithful, and with his restraining grace in the unregenerate, yet these cursed habits and hidden faculties do still remain, even in the regenerate in some degree, although in part mortified and weakened, and in their full strength in wicked men. And as the egg hath in it potentially all the parts of the bird, and only needeth to have the dam to ⟨p. 60⟩sit and hover over it, until by her warmth it may be hatched; so the flesh containeth in it all manner of wickedness, and if the filthy spirit, like an ugly toad, hover over it, and (as it were) warm it with the heat of his hellish temptations, there will be hatched the killing cockatrices of all sin, if the spirit of God do not crush them in the shell.
1Secondly, as the flesh is wholly euill, so all maner of euill is in the flesh. For it is the common sewer in which all filth and loathsome poyson of sinne meeteth: and in a full source runneth together; it is the diuels storehouse of wickednesse, and his armory in which he layeth vp all the weapons of impietie; It is the sea of sinne from which all wickednes floweth, and into which it floweth backe againe. In a word it is the fruitfull wombe into which the diuell casting the seedes and spawnes of his hellish temptations, they receiue warmth, nourishment, groweth, and in the ende life and the perfect shape of all kinds of sinne. For there is not any sinne whatsoeuer though neuer so monstrous and abhommable, but hath it beeing in this wicked flesh; if not appearing, yet at least secretly lurking in this filthy dungeon, if not in the full growth, yet at least in their seedes and chiefe principles. There lyeth hid impious Atheisme, filthy prophanenesse, abhominable idolatry, palpable ignorance, cursed infidelity, damnable hypocrisie, hatefull pride, bould presumption, fearefull desperation, wicked treasons, horrible murthers, beastly incests, adulteries, thefts, couetousnesse, ambition, crueltie, falsehood, deceit, with a huge swarme of innumerable other sinfull abhominations. And though these vices and corruptions doe not alwayes burst out into the sores of outward actions; yet (like dangerous impostumes) they lye hidden within the body of this flesh; though they are not alwayes exercised in their functions and operations, they being subdued with Gods sanctifying spirit in the faithfull, and with his restrayning grace in the vnregenerate, yet these cursed habites and hidden faculties doe still remaine, euen in the regenerate in some degree, although in part mortified and weakened, and in their full strength in wicked men. And as the egge hath in it potentially all the parts of the bird, and onely needeth to haue the damme to