A20756:300
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.
1From hence we learn what is the cause why men not only very learned, and endued with a great measure of knowledge, but also regenerate, godly and religious, do often in their judgement much differ from one another in the points of Religion; namely because their minds and ⟨p. 204⟩judgements are but in part regenerate, so that the relics of ignorance and error do still remain in them, which i• the cause that they but know in part, and see the trueth of God (as it were) through a glass darkly, like the man in the Gospel who when his sight was first restored, discerned men walking, as it had been trees; the which imperfection of their spiritual sight and knowledge, worketh in them only a doubtful opinion, and not any well-settled judgement, which maketh them to take that way which their conceit apprehendeth as the most likely and probable; like diners men intending to travel towards the same City, who being uncertain and doubtful of the right way, do choose divers paths, one being more direct, and others leading them out of the way or much about; but yet all aiming to go towards the same place, they are ready to return into their way again, and to make more hast in travelling, when upon inquiry receiving better information, they do perceive their former error. And this also is the cause why the same men otherwise go ly and religious, do leave the way of trueth and fall into errors after their judgements have been truly enlightened, the flesh prevailing over the spirit in a new assault, and dazzling the eyes of their mind whilst with it mists and fogs it darkeneth the light which formerly did shine unto them. The which befalleth them sometimes not only in the knowledge of those points of Religion which are of less consequence, but also exceeding weighty and fundamental, as we see in the example of the Corinthians and the Galatians, even after the trueth of the Gospel had been preached unto them, the one erring in the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead; the other in the main point of justification by faith in Christ without the works of the law. Whereby the way we may note the error of the Church of Rome whilst it teacheth that the Church cannot err. For every man living hath the flesh still dwelling in him and with it the relics of error and ignorance, which sometime misleadeth and misguideth him;