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…

¹And thus the flesh hindereth us from the performance of all good duties. In the performance of them it dealeth also no less deceitfully, and that either to interrupt and distract us, that we may do them only formally and to no purpose, or else so to corrupt and poison our best graces and most virtuous actions, that they may become unprofitable, yea hurtful unto us. For the former when we endeavour to seek the Lord in his holy ordinances, and set our selves to perform the pious duties of his service, if it cannot by the former deceits wholly hinder us from doing of them, it will (like Davids false friend) accompany us to the house of God, as though it likewise were delighted in these holy exercises; but to no other end, but that it may frustrate and defeat our holy desires. For when we labour to hear Gods word, to call upon his name, or singe his praises, this sin that hangeth on us and presseth us down, doeth either make us dull and drowsy, lumpish and heavy, so that we cannot attend these holy exercises with any cheerfulness and alacrity of spirit, but offer unto God dead and carrion-like sacrifices, which having no heart nor life in them are loathsome unto him: or else it worketh our minds to some carnal prejudice or dislike of our teachers, or of some passages in his Sermon, whereby we are affected with choler and spleen towards him; or to think meanly and basely of him in respect of some natural infirmities or defects; or else because of the mediocrity of his gifts; or it hangeth so heavily on us that it maketh us weary of these holy exercises before they be half ended. Or if non of ⟨p. 151⟩these, yet it will never fail to distract our minds with worldly cogitations and wandering thoughts, so as we cannot intend these religious duties, but perform them with the lips, ears, and outward man, but not with the heart, in show and ceremony, but not in spirit and trueth. And thus the flesh like Judas waiteth upon us that it may betray us, it goeth with us into Gods market, that it may hinder us from buying any spiritual merchandise, it thrusteth in with us into Gods armoury, when as we go to furnish our selves with spiritual weapons, that it may make us neglect them and leave them behind us, or else so weaken us that we cannot carry them with us;

¹ANd thus the flesh hindereth vs from the performance of all good duties. In the performance of them it dealeth also no lesse deceiptfully, and that either to inturrupt and distract vs, that wee may doe them onely formally and to no purpose, or else so to corrupt and poyson our best graces and most vertuous actions, that they may become vnprofitable, yea hurtfull vnto vs. For the former when we endeauour to seeke the Lord in his holy ordinances, and set our selues to performe the pious duties of his seruice, if it cannot by the former deceipts wholly hinder vs from doing of them, it will (like Dauids false friend) accompany vs to the house of God, as though it likewise were delighted in these holy exercises; but to no other ende, but that it may frustrate and defeate our holy desires. For when we labour to heare Gods word, to call vpon his name, or singe his praises, this sinne that hangeth on vs and presseth vs downe, doeth either make vs dull and drowsie, lumpish and heauy, so that we cannot attend these holy exercises with any chearefulnesse and alacritie of spirit, but offer vnto God dead and carrion-like sacrifices, which hauing no heart nor life in them are loathsome vnto him: or else it worketh our minds to some carnall proiudice or dislike of our teachers, or of some passages in his Sermon, whereby we are affected with choller and spleene towards him; or to thinke meanely and basely of him in respect of some naturall infirmities or defects; or else because of the mediocritie of his guifts; or it hangeth so heauily on vs that it maketh vs weary of these holy exercises before they be halfe ended. Or if non of