A20756:249
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.
1Now that the Apostle did not speak this of himself as he was unregenerate, as some would have it, nor as he was under the law, as others would have it, in his state of humiliation and preparation to his conversion, and so consequently not of the conflict between the flesh and the spirit, but between the conscience and the corrupt will; it may easily appear by the Scripture it self, for the Apostle doeth not write in the preterperfect-tense, what he had 2been in time past, but in the present-tense as his state was when he wrote this Epistle. And besides the things which he speaketh of himself do plainly evince this, which cannot be truly attributed to a man unregenerate, or under the law, and only in his preparation to his regeneration; but are proper unto them who are converted and in part sanctified. For first he alloweth not the evil he doeth, and consenteth unto the law that it was good, and therefore his conscience and judgement were in part enlightened and rectified, he willeth the good he did not, and the evil which he did, that he nilleth, and therefore his vvill was in part ⟨p. 167⟩regenerate; he hateth the evil he doeth, and delighteth in the law of God after the inner man, and therefore his affections were in part sanctified, he did not the evil which was committed, but sin that dwelled in him, and there is a sore conflict between the law of his mind and of his members, which was nothing else but the combat between the flesh and the spirit, and therefore in respect of his whole man he was in part regenerate. Finally he desireth earnestly to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, and professeth, that with his mind he served the law of God, though his flesh served the law of sin, and therefore he was not the slave of sin and Satan, as all are who are unregenerate and under the law, but the servant of God, and a subject of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. And thus Austins, upon his second and sounder thoughts, revoking his former 3error expoundeth this place;
1Now that the Apostle did not speake this of himselfe as he was vnregenerate, as some would haue it, nor as he was vnder the lawe, as others would haue it, in his state of humiliation and preparation to his conuersion, and so consequently not of the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit, but betweene the conscience and the corrupt will; it may easily appeare by the Scripture it selfe, for the Apostle doeth not write in the preterperfect-tense, what hee had