A20756:231
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.
1The third and last kind of policies which the flesh useth ⟨p. 153⟩are those, whereby it seeketh to alienate our hearts and affections from embracing and practising of holy virtues and Christian actions. And first of all, if it cannot persuade us wholly to forsake them, & at once to desist from the exercise of them; then it will allure us to abate our fervour and zeal in piety, to intermit all virtuous actions for a little while, and not to fall altogether, but in some degrees from our former sincerity, either pretending that if we go more slowly, we shall go more surely or that we are more zealous then needs, seeing with fair less strictness in our courses we may attain unto happiness; or else though upon some occasions we slacken our pace in the ways of godliness for a while, we may hereafter make more speed and easily recover and redeem our lost time, by our future diligence. With which deceit that we may not be overtaken let us consider that there is no standing still in the Christian course, seeing he who doth not daily go forward in it will questionless go backward; and what then can become of them who are in the way of declination and backsliding? That if we give way to our spiritual enemies for a time, and be persuaded to lay aside our Christian armour, they will give unto us deadly wounds before we shall be able to put it on again, and that we may much more easily keep them out of the gates of our city, then drive them back when they are once entered. Let us know that if we slacken our hold, we shall hardly recover it in our fall; and that we may be as desperately endangered by a lingering consumption of grace and goodness, as by a fever of Apostasy. Let us remember that if our heat come once to lukewarmness, it will within a while turn to key-coldness, and that if the Devil and our own corruption can but a little while disacquaint our hearts from God and his ways, they will not leave till they have made them mere strangers, if they have a little loosened them from him they will with much more ease pull them quite asunder.
1The third and last kinde of policies which the flesh vseth ⟨p. 153⟩are those, whereby it seeketh to alienate our hearts and affections from imbracing and practising of holy vertues and Christian actions. And first of all, if it cannot perswade vs wholly to forsake them, & at once to desist from the exercise of them; then it will allure vs to abate our feruour and zeale in piety, to intermit all vertuous actions for a little while, and not to fall altogether, but in some degrees from our former sinceritie, either pretending that if we goe more slowly, we shall goe more surely or that we are more zealous then needs, seeing with faire lesse strictnesse in our courses wee may attaine vnto happinesse; or else though vpon some occasions we slacken our pace in the waies of godlinesse for a while, we may hereafter make more speed and easily recouer and redeeme our lost time, by our future diligence. With which deceipt that we may not be ouertaken let vs consider that there is no standing still in the Christian course, seeing he who doth not dayly goe forward in it will questionlesse goe backward; and what then can become of them who are in the way of declination and backsliding? That if we giue way to our spirituall enemies for a time, and be perswaded to lay aside our Christian armour, they will giue vnto vs deadly wounds before we shall be able to put it on againe, and that we may much more easily keepe them out of the gates of our city, then driue them backe when they are once entred. Let vs know that if we slacken our hold, we shall hardly recouer it in our fall; and that we may be as desperately endangered by a lingring consumption of grace and goodnes, as by a feuer of Apostacie. Let vs remember that if our heate come once to lukewarmenesse, it will within a while turne to keycoldnes, and that if the Diuell and our owne corruption can but a little while disacquaint our hearts from God and his waies, they will not leaue till they haue made them meere strangers, if they haue a little loosened them from him they will with much more ease pull them quite asunder.