A20756:60
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.
And in the same Chapter having demanded, how it can possibly be, that any man can hate himself, that is his own body, unto which naturally he is so obliged in the bond of friendship, that the Apostle saith, No man yet ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it? answereth that this is an argument properly of 1flesh and blood, and that Gods spirit and grace, ask rather and with better reason, how it can possible be that they ⟨p. 24⟩should not hate it; For whereas the most pernicious enemies unto man are, hell, the devil, the world, the flesh and sin, this last is the greatest, but the next unto it is our flesh, which is the mother and seed of all sin. Thus also Bellarmine, although in many places he speaketh as much for us 2in this question as we would have him, yet he commendeth whipping and tormenting of the body, as a work satisfactory tending to the mortifying of the flesh, alleging for it these absurd and ridiculous reasons; first the Apostles example, who saith, that he did chastise his body (for so the vulgar latin readeth it) that so he might bring it into subjection. Whereby body he grossly understandeth the very body of the Apostle (whereas it here rather signifieth the body of sin and corruption, which else where he calleth the body of death) and by chastising, whipping, whereas the word [Greek or Hebrew] signifieth to suppress or keep under. And although he granteth that the Apostle here useth a borrowed speech from those who according to ancient custom fought for a mastery; and saith, that he did evil entreat and keep under his body, like those champions who either with their fists, or with bags of sand did beat and bruise their adversary till they were black and blew, yet he saith (and only saith it without any show of reason) that it is very probable that Paul used to whip his own body, both because the Greek word signifieth so much (which is utterly false) and because this kind of punishment was usual among the ancients; which also we must take upon his word, seeing he neither allegeth, nor in trueth is able to allege any authority for it. His other arguments to commend whipping and afflicting of the body, are the Publicans smiting of his breast, whereby he showed the compunction of his heart in his humiliation and penitent confession of his sins;