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…

Or if there be in them any struggling at all, it is only out of servile fear and terrors of conscience, arising from expectation of deserved punishment, which (as hath been showed) may make some assaults against the will and affections, and yet neither part be more sanctified or less corrupted then the other, but (like the good Witch which undoeth that which the bad Witch hath done,) they remain both evil and the limbs of Satan, agreeing well enough in their common designs of wickedness and impiety.

Or if there be in them any struggling at all, it is onely out of seruile feare and terrours of conscience, arising from expectation of deserued punishment, which (as hath beene shewed) may make some assaults against the will and affections, and yet neither part be more sanctified or lesse corrupted then the other, but (like the good Witch which vndoeth that which the bad Witch hath done,) they remaine both euill and the limmes of Sathan, agreeing well enough in their common designes of wickednesse and impietie.

¹But it is not thus with the man regenerate, who after his foils received from the flesh, not only earnestly desireth and endeavoureth to recover himself from the captivity of sin, but having obtained his desire, useth all good means whereby he may for the time to come be preserved from being again surprised by the like stratagems and assaults. To which purpose he doth first keep a narrow watch over all his ways, and especially over his own heart, wherein the flesh hideth it chief ambushments, not easily and suddenly yielding to the satisfying of every desire of profit and delight, but first trying and examining them by the rule of Gods Word; whether they are to be lawfully embraced as Gods blessings, or to be rejected seeing they cannot be compassed without sin. Secondly, he will be most careful to comfort and strengthen the spiritual part, to keep the armour of God fast buckled on him, to be always well provided & furnished with weapons and munition before the time of conflict, or rather because this conflict with the flesh is continual, he will take care, that he may never be found unprovided. Finally he will show the like care in weakening and disabling his enemy the flesh, by withdrawing from it the chief weapons and munition whereby it hath formerly prevailed, and will studiously endeavour to be so furnished at all points, that he may be able to encounter it in the open field, or to defeat the politic stratagems and escape the secret ambushments which it layeth to entrap him. Thirdly, the regenerate man after his falls will more zealously hate his sins, and especially those wherewith he hath been overtaken then ever he did before, and in this detestation will avoid and flee from it; yea the oftener he hath fallen into it, the more his hatred increaseth against it, as against his greatest enemy from whom he hath received most wrong and damage. Even as a man most feareth and shunneth that sickness which hath most vexed him, abhorreth that meat whereon he hath dangerously surfeited, and most hateth that serpent the venom and poison of whose