Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

[ 488] The godly mans desires are above his reach.

A Godly man cannot do that which he would,* 1.1 Rom. 7. 18. And wherein he is like a Prisoner that is got out of the Goal, vvho that he might escape the hands of the Keeper, desires and strives vvith all his heart to run an hundreth miles in a day, but by reason of the heavy bolts and fetters that hang at his heels, cannot for his life creep past a mile or twain, and that too vvith cha••ing his flesh, and tor∣menting himself. And thus it is that the servants of God do heartily desire and endeavour to run in the vvaies of Gods commandements, as it is said of that good King Iosias,* 1.2 to serve God with all their heart, 2 King. 23. 25. Yet because they are clogged vvith the bolts of the flesh, they performe obedience very slowly, and weakly with many slips and failings.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Will. Perkins Combat of flesh aud spirit.
• * 1.2

  ••Videt meliora probat{que} sed de∣teriora, &c.