A20756:404
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.
1Yea but in the regenerate also there may seem to be some mortification, some mourning for sin, some leaving and forsaking of it: As we see in Herod who heard John the Baptist gladly, and did many things according to his instructions: In Simon Magus who for a time left his sorcery, believed and was baptized: In Ahab, who humbled himself before God, wearing sackcloth, and going mournfully: In Judas, Demas, Ananias and Sapphira, with many such like, and how then may we discern the one from the other? I answer, that though there be some seeming similitude between them, yet there are many great and essential differences whereby we may know the one from the other. For the regenerate man mortifieth and forsaketh his sins out of love and obedience to God, but the unregenerate out of self-love for the obtaining some temporal good, or the avoiding of some evil. He renounceth all sin, and laboureth most in the mortification of those corruptions unto which he is naturally most inclined, as we may see in the example of David, who showed his uprightness before God, by keeping himself from all his iniquities, by hating every false way, and esteeming all Gods precepts. So that his repentance and mortification is without restraint 2or limitation, and extendeth to the subduing and rooting 3out of all sin without exception. But the other in his feigned repentance renounceth only some sins which 4he can best spare, as being least pleasant or profitable; but as for those which are most aduantageable and delightful, ⟨p. 285⟩he keepeth them like sugar under his tongue, and will rather part with any thing, even the first borne of his body, 5as the Prophet speaketh; yea loose his own soul, then leave and forsake it; As we see in Herod and many others. The man regenerate is constant in his repentance and casteth away his sins with detestation like filthy rags, with a purpose never again to return unto them; but the hypocrite 6