A20756:90
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.
1And by reason of this the devils diligence, and politic care, it cometh to pass that no part or faculty of man is more infected and corrupted with the poison of sin then the mind and understanding. It cannot be denied but that the mind and reason of man do in their natural endowments as far exceed the body and sensitive faculties, as the Sun in his chiefest brightness doth the smallest and and dimmest Star; It is true also that by those relics of light, which remain in the understanding a man is excellently ⟨p. 46⟩guided in natural, civill, and mere moral actions, and by virtue thereof is able to achieve great and difficult matters: but as in physical bodies the best substance hath the worst corruption: so is it also true in Divinity, that the more excellent the faculties of the soul be, the worse they be in the state of corruption. For the reason and understanding in man is the chief rebel, which leadeth and ruleth the body and inferior faculties (as it were) the baser sort of the common people: and therefore the more politic, eloquent and potent this rebel is, the more dangerous also and pernicious; seeing he holdeth the more powerfully all his subjects and inferiors in their enmity and opposition against their supreme sovereign. And in this regard the soul is much more worthy blame then the body, and in the soul, the reason, mind and understanding then the will, because it is the chief ring-leader in this rebellion, and the arch-traitor which giveth laws and governeth all the rest; for as the judgement alloweth or disalloweth, esteemeth or vilifieth, so the will chooseth or refuseth, and the affection loveth or abhorreth. Even as contrariwise the chief praise belongeth unto it in our conversion unto God, because with it self it causeth all other parts which it commandeth to return unto him and to submit themselves in all obedience to his rule and government, whereof it is that true repentance is called [Greek or Hebrew] the changing of the mind, because this being the first and principal act in our conversion doth give denomination to all the rest. And this chief faultiness of the soul in the state of rebellion and corruption, as it appeareth by the former reasons, so doth antiquity give testimony unto it.
1And by reason of this the diuels diligence, and politique care, it commeth to passe that no part or facultie of man is more infected and corrupted with the poyson of sinne then the minde and vnderstanding. It cannot be denied but that the minde and reason of man doe in their naturall endowments as farre exceede the body and sensitiue faculties, as the Sunne in his chiefest brightnesse doth the smallest and and dimmest Starre; It is true also that by those reliques of light, which remaine in the vnderstanding a man is excellently