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.

CHAP. XVII. Of he pollicies which the flesh vseth to inturrupt vs in the doing of good duties, and to alienate our hearts from them.

ANd thus the flesh hindereth vs from the performance of all good duties. In the performance of them it dealeth also no lesse deceiptfully, and that either to in∣turrupt and distract vs, that wee may doe them onely formally and to no pur∣pose, or else so to corrupt and poyson our best graces and most vertuous actions, that they may be∣come vnprofitable, yea hurtfull vnto vs. For the former when we endeauour to seeke the Lord in his holy ordinan∣ces, and set our selues to performe the pious duties of his ser∣uice, if it cannot by the former deceipts wholly hinder vs from doing of them, it will (like Dauids false friend) ac∣company vs to the house of God, as though it likewise were delighted in these holy exercises; but to no other ende, but that it may frustrate and defeate our holy desires. For when we labour to heare Gods word, to call vpon his name, or singe his praises, this sinne that hangeth on vs and presseth vs downe, doeth either make vs dull and drowsie, lumpish and heauy, so that we cannot attend these holy exercises with a∣ny chearefulnesse and alacritie of spirit, but offer vnto God dead and carrion-like sacrifices, which hauing no heart nor life in them are loathsome vnto him: or else it worketh our minds to some carnall proiudice or dislike of our teachers, or of some passages in his Sermon, whereby we are affected with choller and spleene towards him; or to thinke meane∣ly and basely of him in respect of some naturall infirmities or defects; or else because of the mediocritie of his guifts; or it hangeth so heauily on vs that it maketh vs weary of these holy exercises before they be halfe ended. Or if non of

these, yet it will neuer faile to distract our mindes with worldly cogitations and wandring thoughts, so as wee cannot intend these religious duties, but performe them with the lippes, eares, and outward man, but not with the heart, in shewe and ceremony, but not in spirit and trueth. And thus the flesh like Iudas waiteth vpon vs that it may betray vs, it goeth with vs into Gods market, that it may hinder vs from buying any spirituall merchandize, it thru∣steth in with vs into Gods armory, when as we goe to fur∣nish our selues with spirituall weapons, that it may make vs neglect them and leaue them behinde vs, or else so weaken vs that we cannot carry them with vs; it will like Hushai force kindnesse vpon vs, and by no perswasions will stay be∣hinde vs; but it is to this ende that by cunning pollicy it may frustrate our enterprises, & so betray vs into the hands of our enemies. For the defeating of which pollicy our best course is, to leaue behinde our chiefe corruptions by renewing of our repentance, before we come to performe these holy exercises, and keepe vnder those which we car∣ry with vs, watching ouer them with all diligence, that they doe not distract nor hinder vs. To which ende wee must come vnto these holy duties with due preparation, and being come we must meditate on Gods glorious pre∣sence before whom we stand, we must with all diligence looke to our hearts, because that the Lord chiefely requi∣reth them in all duties of his seruice; we must thinke of the excellency, waight and fruite of these Religious exer∣cises, that our hearts being inflamed with the loue of them, wee may performe them with all cheerefulnesse and de∣light. And finally we must continually craue the assistance of Gods gracious spirit, that thereby we may be in some good measure enabled to performe them so, as that they may be acceptable to God, and profitable for our owne saluation.

Thus also when wee haue in the regenerate part an earnest desire to embrace vertue and to bee inriched with sauing graces, like a cunning sorceresse it laboureth to in∣fect

them with the poyson of corruption, and like a subtill Merchant it sophisticates these pure wares and intermin∣gleth with them the base refuse of sinneful vices, that they with the other may become vendible. Thus if wee be de∣uout and earnest in religion, it seeketh to taint vs with wil∣worship and superstition; if we excell in knowledge, it la∣boureth to puffe vs vp with selfe-conceipt, to contemne plaine trueth, and curiously to affect nice and vnprofitable speculations, and to despise others in comparison of our selues whom wee thinke doe come short of our measure. With our faith it intermingleth presumption and carnall securitie; which our loue, lust and iealousie; with our zeale, rashnesse and corrupt anger; with our humilitie basenesse; with our courage audatiousnesse; with our constancy per∣tinacy and obstinate inflexiblenesse; and finally with all our graces and excellent vertues pride and vaine glory, whereby wee ouerweene them, or arrogate the praise of them, or magnifie our selues before others who haue not attained to our pitch and proportion. And thus this cun∣ning coyner embases the pure mettall of grace and vertue, by mixing with it the copper or rather drosse of carnall cor∣ruptions, setting notwithstanding vpon it vertues stampe and superscription, that so it may goe for currant with vs, and by mingling these poysons with our holesome food, doeth make it become vnto vs mortall and pernitious. For preuenting of which deceipt we are often to examine our vertues, and to try if they be not tainted and infected with the contagion of the next extreames; let vs often bring them to the touchstone of Gods trueth, which is onely suf∣ficient to make vs discerne the differences betweene the pure gold of Gods graces, and the base mettals of our own corruptions; & let vs continually desire the helpe of Gods holy spirit, which is that heauenly fire, that can part and se∣uer the solid substance from the drosse, purifying he on, and consuming the other, and the pure gold from other base metalles of any kinde.

The third and last kinde of policies which the flesh v∣seth

are those, whereby it seeketh to alienate our hearts and affections from imbracing and practising of holy ver∣tues and Christian actions. And first of all, if it cannot per∣swade vs wholly to forsake them, & at once to desist from the exercise of them; then it will allure vs to abate our feruour and zeale in piety, to intermit all vertuous actions for a little while, and not to fall altogether, but in some degrees from our former sinceritie, either pretending that if we goe more slowly, we shall goe more surely or that we are more zealous then needs, seeing with faire lesse strict∣nesse in our courses wee may attaine vnto happinesse; or else though vpon some occasions we slacken our pace in the waies of godlinesse for a while, we may hereafter make more speed and easily recouer and redeeme our lost time, by our future diligence. With which deceipt that we may not be ouertaken let vs consider that there is no standing still in the Christian course, seeing he who doth not dayly goe forward in it will questionlesse goe backward; and what then can become of them who are in the way of de∣clination and backsliding? That if we giue way to our spi∣rituall enemies for a time, and be perswaded to lay aside our Christian armour, they will giue vnto vs deadly wounds before we shall be able to put it on againe, and that we may much more easily keepe them out of the gates of our city, then driue them backe when they are once entred. Let vs know that if we slacken our hold, we shall hardly recouer it in our fall; and that we may be as desperately endange∣red by a lingring consumption of grace and goodnes, as by a feuer of Apostacie. Let vs remember that if our heate come once to lukewarmenesse, it will within a while turne to keycoldnes, and that if the Diuell and our owne cor∣ruption can but a little while disacquaint our hearts from God and his waies, they will not leaue till they haue made them meere strangers, if they haue a little loosened them from him they will with much more ease pull them quite asunder. And therefore let vs carefully watch ouer our selues, that there bee no declination in grace nor the least

backsliding from our former sinceritie, but forgetting that which is behinde, let vs reach vnto those things which are be∣fore, and presse hard towards the marke, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus. For if we slacken our pace in the wayes of godlinesse, and sit still, though but a little while, we shall grow so stiffe and sore, that we shall haue little desire to goe on in our iourney. And by our negli∣gence we shall loose our sweet communion with God, the light of his countenance, the sense of his loue, and ioy and comfort of his spirit, which are our chiefe en∣couragements that make vs goe on in the way of godlines. Of the liuely feeling whereof, when we are depriued, we shall either disconsolately sit downe and loose our crowne, or faintly proceede with much weakenesse and weari∣nesse.

Another deceipt like vnto this, whereby the flesh allu∣reth vs to desist from vertuous actions, is to make vs to rest in that which we haue already either done or suffered, as being aboundantly sufficient for our saluation. Which that we may defeate, let vs consider, that though it vvere true, yet it is of no force to make vs leaue off or intermit our vertuous actions. For what ingratitude and grosse neg∣ligence were this in a seruant, who hauing done a little worke would loyter and surcease his paines, because he is assured that his Lord is so bountifull, that hee would not hold backe any part of his wages? And how much more in vs seeing the riches of our reward is so inestimable and permanent, that we haue iust cause to thinke our whole life, which is but short and momentanie to bee too too little (though we could attaine to the age of Methuselah) if it were solye imployed in glorifying our gracious God by our faithfull seruice, which if we doe not, but content our selues onely with that which standeth vpon the necessitie of our saluation▪ we plainely shew, that all we haue done is but false and counterfeit obedience, seeing it did spring and flow onely from foolish selfe-loue, and not from the sincere loue of God. Foolish I say because it shall surely

be frustrate of it end, or though it should not, yet of that measure of glory which those who are wise will labour af∣ter, for according to that measure of grace we haue recei∣ued, and obedience which we haue performed, we shall haue our portion & proportion in that heauenly happines. But be it that thou art not so ambitious of blessednes, but that the least part and lowest place will well content thee, consider in the next place, that in this life wee are neuer so rich in grace and the fruits of obedience, that we may now giue ouer and spend vpon the stocke, vnlesse wee meane to be bankerupts in goodnes; for if there be not a growth there will be a decrease, if not a progresse, then a regresse in the wayes of godlinesse, and when we neglect the ser∣uice of God, then doe we begin to serue the Diuell, the world and our owne flesh. Besides true sauing grace is not like the Moone sometime in the full and sometime in the waine, but like the light of the morning which still in∣creaseth till it be perfect day; It is alwayes in the growth vntill we come vnto a perfect age in Christ, which perfe∣ction we shall not attaine vnto till wee haue layed downe these bodies of flesh. And that which a while groweth and then standeth at a stay, was but a false conception, and like an Embrio in the wombe, which though it may delude a woman with a deceiuing hope, yet this ioy will bring bitter sorrow without all comfort in the end. Againe consider, that all Gods promises are made to those alone who conti∣nue constant in their faith and obedience to the end. Hee that indureth to the end shall be saued, and be faithfull vn∣to the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life; and to him that ouercommeth I will grant to sit with me in my throne &c. And as the tree falleth so shall it lye. And therefore our former graces and good workes should not make vs sloth∣full and sluggish for the time to come, but much more painefull and diligent in imbracing and practising them, seeing if we now desist we shall surely loose all our former labour. Finally what souldiour will thus foolishly reason; I haue fought long and indured many brunts in the battell,

and now I will take my ease, because I haue almost obtai∣ned the victory, what traueller will sit downe in the mid∣dest of his iourney, because hee hath gone farre and taken much paines, seeing all his labour is lost if he come not to the end? And who running in a race will giue ouer before he come to the goale, excusing himselfe that he hath runne well in the beginning; because he is sure to loose the gar∣land with all his former paines? Yea rather because they haue begunne well they will continue till by their constant labours they haue obtained their reward. And therefore let vs not be lesse wise or industrious for the assured gay∣ning of heauenly and euerlasting happinesse, then we are for the momentany and vncertaine possession of earthly trifles; but after we haue done much good, let vs still hold on to doe more, for blessed is the seruant (not who hath done well in former times but) who when his master commeth shall be found so doing.

Notes

• § Sect. 1. How the flesh in∣terroseth when we are exercised in doing good duties.
• § Sect. 2. How 〈…〉〈…〉 duties.
• § Sect. 3. How the flesh perswadeth vs to abate of our zeale, and to in∣termit vertuous actions for a while.
• Phil. 3. 13. 14
• § Sect. 4. How the flesh perswadeth vs to rest in that which wee haue all ready done or suffered.
• Pro. 4. 18.
• Phil. 1. 6.
• Mat. 24. 13.
• Apoc. 2. 10. & 3. 21.
• Eccles. 11. 3.
• Mat. 24. 46.