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…

¹Which royal and heavenly army of Gods saving graces, led under the conduct of his holy spirit, do no sooner enter the field and encounter their enemies, but presently they put them to the worse, and causing them to retire do get the victory. Satan the strong tyrant that held all in quiet possession and ruled as he list, is put to flight, spoiled of his power and regency, and the spirit of God seateth himself upon the throne, and the flesh and the lusts thereof in the first conflict receive such deadly wounds that they never recover of them, but languish in a continual consumption till at last they be wholly abolished. And therefore being in the first battle thus weakened, foiled and discomfited, they have never the courage afterwards in a martial manner to proclaim war against the spirit, and the army of Gods graces which do accompany i•, to bid them battle and to fight against them in a pitched field; but craftily and cunningly reentrouping their scattered forces, they like the savages or Irish kerns, will only fight upon advantages, and therefore make secrete ambuscadoes, and hide themselves (as it were) in the woods and thickets from which they sally out at unawares, when we are most secure, and so skirmishing with us they sometime wound and foil us and for a time cause us to retire. And so otherwhiles they set out some booty of worldly profit or pleasure, with ⟨p. 194⟩which they allure us to come, when we think not of it, within the danger of their shot; & sometimes (as it were in the night) when we are brought into a deep sleep of reckless security, they make some inroads upon us wast and spoil, and do much mischief, firing our he[…] with unlawful lusts, corrupting or gagging the conscience which as the sentinel should give us warning of their approach, wounding and misleading the will unto some perverseness, and carrying the members of the body as captives unto sin. But when the spirit taking notice of these conflicts riseth up to give them battle, gathereth his scattered forces and entering the field soundeth the alarem to the fight, then the rebels quit their standings and run away or yield themselves as captives to suffer the punishment which their rebellion hath deserved.

¹Which royall and heauenly army of Gods sauing graces, led vnder the conduct of his holy spirit, doe no sooner enter the fielde and encounter their enemies, but presently they put them to the worse, and causing them to retire doe get the victory. Sathan the strong tyrant that held all in quiet possession and ruled as hee list, is put to flight, spoyled of his power and regency, and the spirit of God seateth himselfe vpon the throne, and the flesh and the lusts thereof in the first conflict receiue such deadly wounds that they neuer recouer of them, but languish in a continuall consumption till at last they bee wholly abolished. And therefore being in the first battell thus weakened, foyled and discomfited, they haue neuer the courage afterwards in a martiall maner to proclaime warre against the spirit, and the army of Gods graces which doe accompany i, to bid thē battell and to fight against them in a pitched field; but crafuly and cunningly reentrouping their scattered forces, they like the sauadges or Irish kernes, will onely fight vpon aduantages, and therefore make secrete ambuscadoes, and hide themselues (as it were) in the woods and thickers from which they sally out at vnawares, when we are most secure, and so skirmishing with vs they sometime wound and foyle vs and for a time cause vs to retire. And so otherwhiles they set out some booty of worldly profit or pleasure, with