A20756:456
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.
1Secondly, let the necessity of this fight animate and encourage us to enter into it, seeing we can have no peace or truce with our sinful flesh but upon most woeful and miserable conditions; if we do not fight against it, it will fight against and overcome us; if we delicately bring up this slave from his youth, he will not only be as a son, but as a tyrannous Lord and master at the length; if we hold it not strictly under in base subjection, it will lead us captive unto sin, and enthral both our souls and bodies in most wretched bondage; so that much better it were for us to be miserable Galley-slaves to the merciless Turks, then to be held in this cruel bondage, although a generous and noble death were much to be preferred to either of them. Better it were with the Prodigal son to become swineherds and feed filthy hogs, then to become servants and slaves to these sensual and more filthy lusts, ⟨p. 325⟩which make us to take delight in nothing but in wallowing in the mire and sink of sin. Now how unworthy is it our being and breeding, that we who were by our creation the sons and children of the glorious creator of heaven and earth, should by yielding our selves to our carnal and sinful lusts, become slaves to such cruel tyrants; who will make us employ our bodies & minds which were created for the service of the great God, in the miserable 2bondage of sin and Satan? The heathen man could say that he was more noble and borne to more excellent ends then that he should become a slave to his own body; and should not we who far exceed him in spiritual nobility, as having God for our father, and Jesus Christ for our elder brother, fight rather in this warfare unto blood and death, then to become captives & thralls to a far worse master, even the body of sin and death which dwelleth in our members?
1Secondly, let the necessity of this fight animate and encourage vs to enter into it, seeing we can haue no peace or truce with our sinnefull flesh but vpon most woefull and miserable conditions; if wee doe not fight against it, it will fight against and ouercome vs; if we delicately bring vp this slaue from his youth, hee will not onely be as a son, but as a tyrannous Lord and maister at the length; if wee hold it not strictly vnder in base subiection, it will leade vs captiue vnto sinne, and inthrall both our soules and bodies in most wretched bondage; so that much better it were for vs to be miserable Galley-slaues to the merciles Turkes, then to be held in this cruell bondage, although a generous and noble death were much to bee preferred to either of them. Better it were with the Prodigall sonne to become swineheards and feede filthy hogges, then to become seruants and slaues to these sensuall and more filthy lustes,