A20756:130
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.
1Finally, as the flesh is the cause of all sin, so also of all punishment; and therefore (because it were infinite to stand upon the particular evils and mischiefs which this malicious enemy causes unto us,) look how many plagues and punishments are inflicted upon mankind, either in state or name, soul or body, and impute them all to the flesh, as the fountain of these bitter waters from which they spring and flow. And yet all these being put together are not comparable to those fearful punishments which it causeth to carnal men in the life to come. For it excludeth them out of Gods kingdom and cutteth off all hope of having any part in the heavenly inheritance. For they that are in the flesh, are unregenerate and unsanctified, and without holiness they can never see God; and out of this heavenly city are excluded, dogs and sorcerers, and whore mongers, and 2murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye. And more plainly, the Apostle having reckoned up 3the fruits of the flesh, directly affirmeth, that they who do 4such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And lastly the maliciousness of this wicked enemy and the sinful lusts thereof herein appeareth, in that nothing will satisfy them but our death and destruction. For they are those mortal weapons which kill and murder us, and the edge and ⟨p. 76⟩point of them is not only directed against the body, but against our souls, which are much more precious. And this argument the Apostle useth to persuade us to shun and avoid them; Dearly beloved (saith he) I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. The end of which war is not only to get 5the victory, and to keep us in subjection, but to cast all that are conquered into the prison of hell, and to plunge them into everlasting condemnation of body and soul. So the Apostle saith, that when we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth 6