A20756:349
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.
1And among all these the conscience and affections, the reason and will are at a secure, senseless and sinful peace. There are divers other sorts of men in whom their peace is not so continual and permanent, but yet there is often a truce between them, which is sometimes of shorter, and sometimes of longer continuance according as the occasions be of their agreeing or discording with one another. The first are ignorant & simple people whose consciences through defect in knowledge and want of understanding, wanting illumination and direction, do seldom check them for any thing they do, unless it be so grossly wicked, that even the light of nature doeth discover and condemn it. And here the reason and will, the conscience and and affections, continue friends and maintain peace, because they are not able to discern those just causes which are offered of discording from one another; like enemies who lye quietly in their tents in the dark night, when the adverse party doeth go a spoiling and foraging, because they have no light to discover their attempts. Opposite ⟨p. 244⟩unto these are those carnal men who having a great measure of speculative knowledge, art and learning, are able by their paralogisms and subtle sophistry, their nice distinctions, and cunning shifts, to make black seem white, darkness light, falsehood trueth, and good evil: whereby they blind the eye of reason, stop the mouth of conscience, and so corrupt and dazzle the judgement, that they can do what evil they list, and satisfy in all things their carnal lusts and affections uncontrolled and condemned. Of these it is truly said, that they have much science and little conscience, like these Lamiae who were sharp-sighted when they went abroad, but stark blind, when they entered into their houses, o• the Pharisees, who sitting in Moses chair were able to teach others 2their duties, and to rebuke and control them for their smallest sin, but were not able to see their own carnal worldliness, hellish pride and damnable hypocrisy, and as our Saviour chargeth them, could discern a mote in their neighbours eye▪ though there were a beam in their own.