A20756:356
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.
1But whereas I say that this conflict is in all the regenerate who have the use of reason and understanding, I do from among them exempt such infants and idiots as want the use of reason and yet belong to Gods election; in whom God worketh for their justification, sanctification and salvation, after an extraordinary, secrete and wonderful manner, applying Christ unto them his righteousness, obedience, and the virtue of his death and resurrection by his holy spirit, who all-sufficiently supplieth unto them the defect of all inferior instruments and means, and here by purgeth and cleanseth them from the guilt, punishment and corruption of all their sins. Now in these there cannot actually be this conflict between the spirit […] flesh, because they have not the acts and operations o• spiritual graces, but only the seeds of them, which though they may have their potential inclinations to this conflict, yet no present actual exercise and voluntary employment of them in this spiritual warfare. Although it may be, thus much may be granted, that seeing by their regeneration there is a change in their nature, by which they are spiritually renewed in all their powers and faculties, there may be in them all, an averseness in their renewed nature to their old corruptions (as it were) by an holy instinct and disposition, wrought in them by Gods spirit, although there be no discourse of reason or use of understanding, even as we see by natural antipathy fire and water, light and darkness contending and striving against one another though they have no will or reason to stir them unto the fight. For though (as we have showed) the conflict of conscience ariseth out of logical disputes and the discourse of reason and understanding, and therefore can only be in them who have the use of these, yet this combat of the spirit springing from another fountain, even the change of an nature through spiritual regeneration, there may (in that sense which I have showed) even in children and idiots, be some kind of conflict between the spirit ⟨p. 249⟩and the flesh, the seed of grace and of corruption striving against one another.
1But whereas I say that this conflict is in all the regenerate who haue the vse of reason and vnderstanding, I doe from among them exempt such infants and ideots as want the vse of reason and yet belong to Gods election; in whom God worketh for their iustification, sanctification and saluation, after an extraordinary, secrete and wonderfull maner, applying Christ vnto them his righteousnesse, obedience, and the vertue of his death and resurrection by his holy spirit, who al-sufficiently supplieth vnto them the defect of all inferiour istruments and meanes, and here by purgeth and cleanseth them from the guilt, punishment and corruption of all their sinnes. Now in these there cannot actually bee this conflict betweene the spirit flesh, because they haue not the actes and operations o spirituall graces, but onely the seedes of them, which though they may haue their potentiall inclinations to this conflict, yet no present actuall exercise and voluntary imployment of them in this spirituall warrefare. Although it may bee, thus much may be granted, that seeing by their regeneration there is a change in their nature, by which they are spiritually renewed in all their powers and faculties, there may be in them all, an auersenesse in their renewed nature to their olde corruptions (as it were) by an holy instinct and disposition, wrought in them by Gods spirit, although there be no discourse of reason or vse of vnderstanding, euen as wee see by naturall antipathy fire and water, light and darkenesse contending and striuing against one another though they haue no will or reason to stirre them vnto the fight. For though (as we haue shewed) the conflict of conscience ariseth out of logicall disputes and the discourse of reason and vnderstanding, and therefore can onely be in them who haue the vse of these, yet this combate of the spirit springing from another fountaine, euen the change of an nature through spirituall regeneration, there may (in that sense which I haue shewed) euen in children and ideots, bee some kinde of conflict betweene the spirit