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…

¹But this hellish peace was ten thousand times more dangerous & pernicious to our poor souls and bodies, then the most cruel and perilous war to the weakest enemy; and so much the rather because we had no apprehension of the danger, nor feeling of our own misery. Because we were borne the bondslaves of the devil, and so still brought up in doing him service in the unfruitful works of darkness, for which we had only the present pay of worldly vanities, though when we had laboured most in his toilsome works, we were oftentimes cozened of our wages. Herein like unto the Israelites under the Egyptian Pharaoh, who when they were best used, had but their onions, garlic and flesh pots, whereby only they were but better enabled to do their drudgery and work in their brick-kilns, and sometime in stead of these poor comforts, they had for all their labour, sore beatings and cruel blows; and yet being bred in this servitude and knowing no better, they rather choose to return unto it again, then to take any pains in going to the land of promise. So and much worse was our miserable bondage to the Pharaoh of hell, for at the best we had for all our drudgery, but the stinking garlic and onions of worldly vanity, which he gave not for love to us, but in love to himself, giving us this food (as the rider giveth provender to his horse) that we might be the more heartened to do him service. And out of his hellish hatred and cruelty towards us he often withheld from those who did him most faithful service, this pay of earthly prosperity, and in stead thereof afflicted and misused them with the blows and stripes of misery and affliction. Nevertheless being borne and inured to this hellish thraldom (such was the height of our misery) we desired still to live and dye in it, taking our whole delight, and placing our chief happiness in pleasing our tyrannical master by serving him in the works of darkness and doing all abominable wickedness; although we were sure after that ⟨p. 185⟩we had been toiled in his service and scorched in his brick-kills, we should for the accomplishment of our reward be cast into the fire of hell.

¹But this hellish peace was ten thousand times more dangerous & pernitious to our poore soules and bodies, then the most cruell and perillous war to the weakest enemy; and so much the rather because we had no apprehensiō of the danger, nor feeling of our own misery. Because we were borne the bondslaues of the diuell, and so still brought vp in doing him seruice in the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse, for which wee had onely the present pay of worldly vanities, though when wee had laboured most in his toylesome workes, we were oftentimes cozened of our wages. Herein like vnto the Israelits vnder the Egyptian Pharaoh, who when they were best vsed, had but their onions, garlicke and flesh pottes, wherby onely they were but better enabled to doe their drudgery and worke in their brickekils, and somtime in stead of these poore comforts, they had for all their labour, sore beatings and cruell blowes; and yet being bred in this seruitude and knowing no better, they rather chuse to returne vnto it againe, then to take any paines in going to the land of promise. So and much worse was our miserable bondage to the Pharaoh of hell, for at the best we had for all our drudgery, but the stincking garlicke and onyons of worldly vanitie, which he gaue not for loue to vs, but in loue to himselfe, giuing vs this food (as the rider giueth prouender to his horse) that wee might bee the more hartened to doe him seruice. And out of his hellish hatred and cruelty towards vs he often withheld from those who did him most faithfull seruice, this pay of earthly prosperitie, and in stead thereof afflicted and misused them with the blowes and stripes of misery and afflictioon. Neuerthelesse being borne and inured to this hellish thraldome (such was the height of our misery) wee desired still to liue and dye in it, taking our whole delight, and placing our chiefe happinesse in pleasing our tyrannicall maister by seruing him in the workes of darkenesse and doing all abhominable wickednesse; although wee were sure after that