A20756:334
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.
1Thirdly there is a difference between these conflicts in respect of the combatants; for in the combat between the flesh and the spirit, there is a conflict between grace and corruption, in the same faculties, knowledge and ignorance, spiritual wisdom and carnal wisdom, in the same understanding; willing and nilling good and evil in the same will accusing and excusing for evil in the same conscience, love of God and love of the world, fear of God and fear of men, trust in the creator, and trust in the creature in the same affections; temperance and intemperance in the same appetite. And here all the powers and faculties of the whole man as they remain unregenerate, do with united forces fight against the spirit, the reason, mind and conscience not excepted. But in the combat which is in the unregenerate, the conflict is between divers faculties, which are all carnal and corrupted, fighting one of them against another, as between the reason and the will, the conscience and the carnal concupiscence, passions 2and affections; in which whether soever party prevaileth still the unsanctified man is drawn unto sin. And so also they differ in the manner of the fight, for that which is between the spirit and the flesh is done by contrary lusting the one against the other in a practical real and effectual manner; but that which is between the reason and the will, the conscience and the affections, is maintained by logical disputes, and mental discourses, whilst the conscience infers fearful conclusions of punishments & Gods ensuing judgements upon the wicked choice of the will, ⟨p. 231⟩and their yielding to satisfy their carnal affections. For though in the creation the will was in subjection to reason, and embraced or shunned that which it approved or disallowed, and though this order be commonly observed between the faculties, even in this state of corruption; yet after that man rebelled against his chief Sovereign, there followed rebellion thereupon in the inferior faculties against their superior in the little commonwealth of man; and now the will yielding obedience no further then it liketh and lusteth, doeth often resist reason which is his King, and refuseth to follow it directions, and to allow of it conclusions, but rather embraceth the clean contrary.