A20756:122
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.
1Lastly as the flesh is all evil, and all evil in the flesh, so as it is also a fruitful mother of all wickedness, and a filthy sink from such arise the noisome scents of sin, and that poisonous fountain from which do flow the streams of all evil. And this our Saviour noteth whereas he saith, that which cometh out of a man (namely from the inner fountain 2of a fleshly heart) defileth him. So the Apostle James maketh this carnal lust the mother, as the Devil is the father of all sin and wickedness, for receiving the seeds of Satan's tentations (as it were) into a fruitful womb, it 3first conceiveth, and then bringeth forth sin, and so sin when it is finished bringeth forth death. And the Apostle Paul telleth us what cursed fruits do spring from this root of bitterness, namely Adultery, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, 4Heresy, murder and many other horrible abominations. Neither in truth can in otherwise be; for who (as Joh saith) can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Or what 5can we expect from an evil tree but evil fruits? as our Saviour 6hath taught us. And seeing the flesh is a sea of wickedness, and a fountain poisoned in the very head, there can nothing flow from it but corrupted streams. And therefore as the Lord gave nine commandments to dry up (as it were) these streams of wickedness, so he gave the tenth to dam up the well head, for in vain it is to stop the current, if the fountain it self be ever springing.
1Lastly as the flesh is all euill, and all euill in the flesh, so as it is also a fruitfull mother of all wickednesse, and a filthy sinke from such arise the noysome sents of sinne, and that poysonous fountaine from which doe flowe the streames of all euill. And this our Sauiour noteth wheras he saith, that which commeth out of a man (namely from the inner fountaine 2