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…

He leaveth his sins willingly and cheerfully and because they so beset him▪ and cling about his neck, that he cannot in such hast fly from them as he desireth, therefore he is content that the Lord should pull him out of this sinful Sodom with some violence, burn away his dross with the fire of tribulation, and cut the throat of those which he hath esteemed his darling sins, with the sword or razor of afflictions; but the other unwillingly forsaketh his darling sins, and when he is dragged from them by the fear of Gods approaching judgements, he doth with Lots wise, look back upon them, as being loath to part with them, unless he were constrained by mere necessity. From whence another main difference plainly ariseth between them. For the sound Christian by his repentance hath his mind and affections changed, and whereas in the days of his ignorance he allowed and approved, loved and liked his sins; now he condemneth, loatheth and disliketh them; so that he is freed, not only from the outward act of sin, but also from the inward love, yea more from the corrupt affection, then from the sinful action, as we see in the example of the Apostle Paul, who did the evil which he hated, and ¹was delighted in the law of God in the inner man, when by the Law of his members he was led captive of sin. But the unregenerate do only leave their sins in respect of the outward ⟨p. 286⟩act, when as in the mean while their hearts and affections do cleave unto it. As we see in the example of Balaam, ²who rendereth this as the reason why he would not curse the people of Israel, not because he loved them, as being the Church of God and his peculiar and chosen people, but because the Lord would not give him leave; whereby he implieth that he would very gladly have done it, that by gratifying Balaacke he might have received the wages of iniquity, but was restrained by the terrors of the Almighty, so as he durst not for his life presume to do it.

Hee leaueth his sinnes willingly and chearefully and because they so beset him▪ and clinge about his necke, that he cannot in such hast flie from them as he desireth, therefore he is content that the Lord should pull him out of this sinfull Sodome with some violence, burne away his drosse with the fire of tribulation, and cut the throate of those which he hath esteemed his darling sins, with the sword or razor of afflictions; but the other vnwillingly forsaketh his darling sinnes, and when he is dragged from them by the feare of Gods approaching iudgements, he doth with Lots wise, looke backe vpon them, as being loath to part with them, vnlesse he were constrained by meere necessitie. From whence another maine difference plainely ariseth betweene them. For the sound Christian by his repentance hath his minde and affections changed, and whereas in the dayes of his ignorance he allowed and approued, loued and liked his sinnes; now hee condemneth, loatheth and disliketh them; so that hee is freed, not onely from the outward act of sinne, but also from the inward loue, yea more from the corrupt affection, then from the sinfull action, as wee see in the example of the Apostle Paul, who did the euill which hee hated, and