Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

The fifth difference between the natural and the spiritual ¹strength is this. That which proceeds from the spirit is always joined with Reluctancy of the will, but in the natural strength there is no Reluctancy, because there is no contraries, but in the spiritual man, there are two contraries, the flesh and the spirit; in every new man there are two men, and you know these can never agree, but are still opposing one another. As for example, a man that is going up a hill he is in labour and pain, but he that is going down a hill goes with much ease; so there is much labour and pains which a spiritual man takes to subdue the flesh, but the natural man hath no reluctancy at all, that is he hath no fighting and struggling with corruption, but he goes without pain, because he is but one, he is one man, and one cannot be divided against it self, but in every spiritual man, there are two men, the old man, and the new man, the flesh, & the spirit. And hence grows that spiritual combat, Gal. 5. 13. The flesh lusteth against ⟨p. 59⟩²the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh that they cannot do the things that they would. These two men in a regenerate man strive for masteries. And you must know also, That in a natural man there may be a kind of reluctancy in the will against some particular sin, as covetousness strives against pride, and pride against niggardness; yet not fighting against it as it is a sin but as it crosseth and thwarteth his covetousness and pride.

The fift difference between the natural and the spiritual ¹strength is this. That which proceeds from the spirit is alwayes joyned with Reluctancy of the will, but in the natural strength there is no Reluctancy, because there is no contraries, but in the spiritual man, there are two contraries, the flesh and the spirit; in every new man there are two men, and you know these can never agree, but are still opposing one another. As for example, a man that is going up a hill he is in labour and pain, but he that is going down a hill goes with much ease; so there is much labour and pains which a spiritual man takes to subdue the flesh, but the natural man hath no reluctancy at all, that is he hath no fighting and strugling with corruption, but he goes without pain, because he is but one, he is one man, and one cannot be divided against it self, but in every spiritual man, there are two men, the old man, and the new man, the flesh, & the spirit. And hence growes that spiritual combate,