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…

Neither did they presume in their orisons to say any thing to Almighty God, by reason of the fearful doubting of their thoughts and consciences, but only offered their silent souls and their mute minds unto God being full of darkness and desperation. I saw others sitting on the pavement covered with sack-cloth and ashes, which hid their faces between their knees, beating their foreheads against the earth. Others I saw who in respect of their habit, cogitations and actions seemed out of their wits, whose minds were so stupefied with excessive sorrowing, that they stood like copper images, compassed about with darkness, and made insensible (as it were) for all vital actions. Others humbly desired of God to be here vexed and tormented, that there they might have mercy; and many afflicted and cast down through a burdened conscience, said that it should well satisfy them to be freed from hell torments, though they should never attain unto the joys of Gods kingdom; and that it was sufficient if they were freed from Gods great and terrible commination, and those unknown, hidden and hellish pains, neither durst they desire to be delivered from punishments altogether. In others I saw ⟨p. 28⟩Davids words effected indeed, men possessed with sorrows, made crooked to the end of their lives, going mournfully all their days, and casting out noy some smells out of the putrefied parts of their bodies; who lived without all care of their flesh, forgot to eat their bread, mingling their drink with groans, and their bread with ashes. There you might see their burned tongues like wearied dogs hanging out of their mouths. Some among them tormented themselves in the scorching heat of the Sun; others contrariwise afflicted themselves with extreme cold. Some tasting a little water that they might not be parched with thirst, so contented themselves without drinking more, others eating a small bit of bread, would cast away the rest, affirming that they were unworthy to feed on the meat which belonged to reasonable men, because they had carried themselves unreasonably like unto beasts. Some amongst them excited others, saying, let us run brethren and not obey this filthy and wicked flesh, but let us kill it, as it hath first killed us. And thus (saith he) these blessed penitents behaved themselves.

Neither did they presume in their orizons to say any thing to Almightie God, by reason of the fearefull doubting of their thoughts and consciences, but onely offered their silent soules and their mute mindes vnto God being full of darkenesse and desperation. I saw others sitting on the pauement couered with sack-cloth and ashes, which hid their faces betweene their knees, beating their foreheads against the earth. Others I saw who in respect of their habite, cogitations and actions seemed out of their wits, whose mindes were so stupified with excessiue sorrowing, that they stood like copper images, compassed about with darkenesse, and made insensible (as it were) for all vitall actions. Others humbly desired of God to be heere vexed and tormented, that there they might haue mercy; and many afflicted and cast downe through a burthened conscience, saide that it should well satisfie them to bee freed from hell torments, though they should neuer attaine vnto the ioyes of Gods kingdome; and that it was sufficient if they were freed from Gods great and terrible commination, and those vnknown, hidden and hellish paines, neither durst they desire to be deliuered from punishments altogether. In others I sawe