A20756:508
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.
1Thirdly, that we may not give way to the least sins let us consider, that if we willingly entertain them, they will prove no less dangerous then the greatest, because they are the continual errors of our loves which are much more often committed then heinous offences, and therefore what they want in weight they have in number; now consider that of many small grains of corn is made a great heap, that the greatest floods which overflow the ⟨p. 367⟩country come of the little drops of rain, that the richest treasures are made by the multiplying and gathering together many little pieces of gold and silver; and that the tallest ship may be sunk by the weight of the smallest sands. Excellently speaketh Augustine to this purpose. Thy treasure shall be found (saith he) in the day of wrath; thou diddest 2lay it up daily by little and little, but afterwards thou shalt find a mass; thou diddest put it into thy treasury by small pieces but thou shalt find an heap. Do not look upon thy daily sins as being small: For great rivers are filled with small drops. And 3again: But thou wilt say, that thy sins are so small, that this life cannot be without such. Why do but gather the least things together▪ and they will make a great heap. For grains of corn are but small; and yet they make a mass; and drops are small and yet they fill rivers and carry down the stream things of great weight. And therefore despise not small sins, for though thou doest but lightly esteem them whilst thou doest weigh them, yet at least fear, when thou beginnest to number them, It is true that heinous sins are more terrible, because they waste and destroy the conscience at once, and cast men into hell with headlong fury, but little sins are no less dangerous if they be not repented of, seeing they cause a consumption of piety and bring men by degrees to eternal condemnation. By them the devil (as it were) with cables and iron chains draweth men to hell, by these as with cart-ropes, which though they be not so strong as the other, yet are they of strength sufficient, if they be not cut and broken off by unfeigned repentance. They (as Augustine compareth them) are like unto savage beasts which devour us at one bit, or like Jonah his Whale which swallowed