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…

But by flesh here he meaneth not the body or bodily essence, but a worldly and carnal life addicted to wantonness and voluptuous pleasures, which make the whole man to become flesh. For as they who are led by Gods spirit, have also their bodies made spiritual, so they who are led by the flesh and are addicted to carnal delights, they make their souls to become fleshly and carnal, not by changing the essence and substance, but by spoiling it of true nobility. And this manner of speaking is used in the Old Testament, where the flesh signifieth that gross and earthy life, which is filthily entangled in all absurd pleasures. For God saith to Noah, my spirit shall not stay with these men because they are flesh. And yet Noah himself was clothed and encompassed with the garment of flesh; but this was not the fault that offended God, to be compassed with flesh, because this was the work of nature, but in that they had made choice of a carnal and sensual life. And therefore Paul saith, They who are in the flesh cannot please God; and also addeth; But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, not understanding simply the substance of the flesh, (for so they were in it to whom he writeth) but such a flesh which is drawn and oppressed with lusts and passions. Even as the like speech of our Saviour is to be understood, but you are not of the world, not because they had not their habitation in the world, but because they were not defiled with worldly maliciousness. And afterwards more fully expounding those words; You are not in the flesh but in the ⟨p. 35⟩spirit; What then (saith he) were they not in the flesh? and did they go about without bodies? What sense or reason were in such a speech? And therefore you see that he meaneth by flesh a ¹fleshly life. And thus also Ambrose expoundeth this place, The Apostle (saith he) by denying those to be in the flesh whom it is manifest to have been in the flesh, did not condemn in them the substance of flesh, but their sins and sinful corruptions, that is the works of the flesh.

But by flesh here he meaneth not the body or bodily essence, but a worldly and carnall life addicted to wantonnesse and voluptuous pleasures, which make the whole man to become flesh. For as they who are led by Gods spirit, haue also their bodies made spirituall, so they who are led by the flesh and are addicted to carnall delights, they make their soules to become fleshly and carnall, not by changing the essence and substance, but by spoiling it of true nobilitie. And this manner of speaking is vsed in the Old Testament, where the flesh signifieth that grosse and earthy life, which is filthily intangled in all absurd pleasures. For God saith to Noah, my spirit shall not stay with these men because they are flesh. And yet Noah himselfe was clothed and encompassed with the garment of flesh; but this was not the fault that offended God, to be compassed with flesh, because this was the worke of nature, but in that they had made choise of a carnall and sensuall life. And therefore Paul saith, They who are in the flesh cannot please God; and also addeth; But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, not vnderstanding simply the substance of the flesh, (for so they were in it to whom hee writeth) but such a flesh which is drawne and oppressed with lusts and passions. Euen as the like speech of our Sauiour is to be vnderstood, but you are not of the world, not because they had not their habitation in the world, but because they were not defiled with worldly malitiousnesse. And afterwards more fully expounding those words; You are not in the flesh but in the