A20756:347
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.
1Secondly, this conflict is not in all the unregenerate. For first it is not in them who are either extremely ignorant or outrageously wicked. The former are of two sorts▪ 1. such •• are not capable of knowledge, as young children, idiots, and madmen, who though they have the faculty of reason habitually or potentially in respect of the use, yet not in the act or exercise of it, and therefore their conscience receiving no illumination from their understanding, putteth no difference between good and evil, neither accuseth them for any sin, nor at all resisteth their will and affections. ⟨p. 242⟩2For though they have conscience in them in respect of the faculty, yet like those that are in a dead sleep, they have it not in act and operation. Secondly, such as being capable of knowledge, have through their negligence or wilfulness suffered those sparks of the light of nature to go out for want of blowing upon them by use and exercise, or nourishing them with fit means (as it were) necessary fuel, which is the case of many Ethnics, and Barbarians, yea of some who would be called by the names of Christians, who through affected ignorance, are so far from the illumination of grace, that they have quite obscured and extinguished the light of nature. Those also who are outrageously wicked have seldom in them the conflict of conscience, because the Lord punisheth their other sins by giving them over to their own vile affections and a reprobate mind, whereof it cometh to pass, that their understanding being darkened, and even quite blinded, the common notions & the light of nature being clean put out and extinguished, their consciences also are seared and senseless, so as they never check and control them for any sins, and such a callum and thick skin overgroweth their hearts, and so hardeneth them through their often committing of known wickedness, that without any feeling or remorse, they commit any manner of sin with delight and greediness. An example whereof we have in those idolatrous heathens of whom the Apostle speaketh, who not worshipping God according to that light which they had by nature, and by looking into the book of the creatures, they became vain in their foolish imaginations and 3