A20756:461
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.
CHAP. XV. Of the means whereby we may be enabled to overcome the Flesh.
CHAP. XV. Of the meanes whereby wee may bee enabled to ouercome the Flesh.
1And these are the reasons which may encourage us to this fight. Now of the means whereby we may be enabled to overcome; the which are principally two; the first that we take unto us and put on the whole spiritual armour of God; the second that we carefully observe & put in practise divers rules fit for this purpose. For the former, the battle is to be maintained against the flesh, and therefore the weapons of our warfare must not be carnal, seeing they will rather strengthen and cherish, then wound and mortify fleshly corruptions, but they must be spiritual, even that whole armour of God described by the Apostle in the sixth chapter to the Ephesians. For as the Apostle telleth us, though we walk in the flesh, yet we do not war after the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down the imaginations, and every high thing which exalteth it self against the knowledge of God, and bringing into 2captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. But of this spiritual armour I shall not need to speak in this treatise, having already entreated of it in the first part of this Christian warfare. Only let me persuade every Christian that is willing and desirous to get the victory in this Christian warfare, that they do with all diligence put it on, not only by piece-meal; for spiritual death, as well as corporal, can make entrance by one place unarmed and undefended, as if the whole armour were left off, but we must be armed at all points, that all being covered none may be endangered. Otherwise we shall never be able to maintain this fight with any true valour or hope of victory. For ⟨p. 329⟩howsoever a soldier may be even unarmed and without weapons fool-hardy and desperate, yet he can never be truly valorous, and though he may be rash in making attempts and rushing into the fight yet can he not being unarmed and receiving one wound after another, be courageously constant in holding out unto the end of the conflict, but is fitter by reason of his lightness to run away, then to maintain such a fight as yieldeth unto him no hope of victory.