A20756:165
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.
Book 1 › Chapter 12: Of the fleshes policies respecting our estates.
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.
1The second argument which the flesh useth to persuade carnal worldlings that they are in an happy condition and in the love of God is, because they abound in earthly prosperity and with many temporal blessings, which they esteem as so many testimonies of Gods love and signs of their own salvation. And surely it cannot be denied but that these things are good in their own nature, as being the gifts of our good God, which he giveth as rewards of virtue and the temporary wages to those who serve him; but yet they are not absolutely and simply good, but in respect of their use of an indifferent nature, good to the good, and evil to those who abuse them unto evil. And therefore as the children of God who have a right use of these temporal blessings, when they use them as instruments of their bounty and beneficence, to the glory of God and the good of their fellow servants, may esteem them as pledges of Gods love and earnest-pennies of their salvation; so carnal worldlings who abuse them to pride, forgetfulness of God, profaneness, wantonness, oppression, cruelty and all manner of sin, have just cause to think, that they are gifts given them in Gods wrath, that they may be snare• to entangle them to their deeper condemnation, according to that of the Psalmist let their table become a snare before them, 2and that which should have been for their welfare let it become a trap. Again the Scriptures teach us that we cannot by these outward things judge either of Gods love or hatred towards 3us, seeing all these things come alike to all, and there is 4one event, to the righteous and to the wicked, or if there be any difference it is commonly in this, that the wicked flourish in all worldly jollity, when as the godly are afflicted with ⟨p. 100⟩many miseries; as it is notably observed and at full described both by Job, David and Jeremiah. Thus we see Abel 5murdered, and Cain waxing great and building cities, Pharaoh and the Egyptians reigning as Lords and tyrants, and the poor Israelites making brick, beaten and misused; Nebuchadnezzar like a great monarch ruling over nations, and the people of God subdued and led into miserable captivity.