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. IIII. The erroneous conceipt of the Papists, who by the flesh vnder∣stand the body, and the sensuall faculties onely.

HAuing shewed what our enemies in this spiri∣tuall warfare are, we should now proceede to warfare are, we should now proceede to discouer their nature and properties, were it not that these enemies were by the diuell and the world disguised: yea quite hid from our sight in secrete ambushments; and our friendes through their malice mustred against vs, as though they were our enemies, that so whileft we bend all our forces against them who oppose vs in this seeming hostilitie, these may sudden∣ly set vpon vs, and assault vs at vnawares, giuing vs deadly wounds when wee feare no danger. For the plotting and contriuing of which stratagem they vse the vassals of Anti∣christ, the cleargie of Rome as their chieftaines and especi∣all instruments, who hiding our true enemy, the corruption of nature, which hath ouerspread all the powers and parts of our soules and bodies, vnder the close couert of their cun∣ning sophistrie, doe in stead thereof, offer to our view see∣ming foes of their owne fancying. For by the flesh they would haue vs to vnderstand (not the reliques of corrupti∣on which keepe their chiefe residence in the soule, minde, and will) but the body it selfe and the flesh thereof; and at most the inferiour, bruite and sensitiue faculties of the soule; and by the spirit they vnderstand the intellectuall fa∣culties, the minde, reason and vnderstanding, and so affirme this to be the fight betweene the flesh and the spirit, when as the body and sensitiue parts doe rebell and stand in opposi∣tion against the vnderstanding & reason, and contrariwise when these striue to maintaine their regency by keeping them vnder and subduing them to their lawes and orders. And although, being sometime conuinced with the eui∣dence

of trueth, they giue together with vs the same ver∣duite, affirming that not the body it selfe is meant by the flesh, but the corruption of it, that it is onely the instrument of the soule in wicked actions, and the soule it selfe the chiefe cause of sinne, and that the minde, vnderstanding and reason are poysoned and tainted with naturall corruption; yet by and by they are ready againe to make voyde their e∣uidence and to reuerse this sentence, and relapsing into their olde absurdity, they either vnderstand grossely by the flesh the body alone, or when they please to deale more liberal∣ly with vs, they also grant that the Inferiour parts of the soule, the animall and sensitiue faculties are thereby inclu∣ded and comprehended, and so imagining that therefore our regeneration is in the Scriptures saide to be imperfect, because, howsoeuer the minde and vnderstanding are true∣ly and perfectly regenerate, yet the body remaineth in the state of corruption, they here hence conclude, that in the soule remaineth no part of this originall corruption, but onely in the body. All which doth euidently appeare, not only by their grosse practise▪ for if they did not imagine that the body were the chiefe cause of all sinne, why doe they so miserably and superstitiously afflict it, placing their mor∣tification onely in a bodily exercise, and corporall punish∣ments? and if they did not thinke that the soule and intel∣lectuall faculties were pure and free from this corruption, why doe they so much magnifie and extoll it, ascribing all our fals and faylings either to the body alone, or to the rea∣and mind only through the corruption and default therof)

But this also may appeare by their doctrine: For not to produce many testimonies out of a multitude of Authours, but onely to name two or three of the chiefe and most refined, Thomas Aquinas himselfe howsoeuer sometime he agreeth with vs, holding that the flesh is the (a) corruption of nature and orginall sinne, as appeareth in his readings vpon the Romanes, yet in other places hee con∣foundeth the flesh (b) and the body, and maketh the body sinne and death, and the naturall body to bee all one, al∣though

in these places, by body and flesh he vnderstandeth the vices and corruptions of them, as he expoundeth him∣selfe in other (c) places. So likewise hee holdeth that by the spirit part regenerate, or inerman, we are to vnderstand the (d) minde and reason, which as he saith is called the inner man, because that is said to be man, which is principall and chiefe in him. And thus he opposeth the flesh and the heart, or the minde and reason; where speaking of the Apostles (e) words; I knowe that in me, that is in my flesh there dwel∣leth no good thing, he saith that this is not to be vnderstood of his reason: for in me, that is, in my heart good dwelleth, according to that, Ephesians the 3. where the Apostle saith, that Christ himself dwelleth in our harts by faith. So also Lewis Granada, a chiefe Doctor of their superstitious deuotion and mortification, ioyning with the famous heathen Phi∣losopher Mercurius Trismegistus, inu••igheth against the bo¦dy, as though it alone were this corrupt flesh, which is the author and fountaine of all our sinne and euill. Vnlesse (saith he) O sonne thou hate thy body, thou canst not loue thy selfe, for it is impossible seriously to intend both, vnto things mortall and diuine. But first of all of necessitie thou must put of this garment which thou cariest about thee, being the couering of ignorance, the foundation of wic∣kednesse, the bond of corruption, the darke vaile, the liuing death, the carcase of the senses, the moouing sepulcher, the household thiefe, which hateth whilest it flattereth, and en∣uieth whilest it hateth, &c. which speech of the heathen man he iudgeth so full of light and trueth, that for it alone he well deserued the name of Mercurius Trismegistus the thrice great or excellent. And in the same Chapter hauing demaunded, how it can possibly be, that any man can hate himselfe, that is his owne body, vnto which naturally he is so obliged in the bond of friendship, that the Apostle saith, No man yet euer hated his owne flesh, but nourisheth and che∣risheth it? answereth that this is an argument properly of flesh and blood, and that Gods spirit and grace, aske rather and with better reason, how it can possible be that they

should not hate it; For wheras the most pernitious enemies vnto man are, hell, the diuel, the world, the flesh and sinne, this last is the greatest, but the next vnto it is our flesh, which is the mother and seede of all sinne. Thus also Bellar∣mine, although in many places he speaketh as much for vs in this question as we would haue him, yet hee commen∣deth whipping and tormenting of the body, as a worke sa∣tisfactory tending to the mortifying of the flesh, alleadging for it these absurde and ridiculous reasons; first the Apo∣stles example, who saith, that he did chastise his body (for so the vulgar lattine readeth it) that so hee might bring it into subiection. Whereby body he grossely vnderstandeth the ve∣ry body of the Apostle (whereas it heere rather signifieth the body of sinne and corruption, which else where he cal∣leth the body of death) and by chastizing, whipping, whereas the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifyeth to suppresse or keepe vnder. And although hee granteth that the Apostle heere vseth a borrowed speech from those who according to an∣cient custome fought for a maistery; and saith, that he did euill intreate and keepe vnder his body, like those cham∣pions who either with their sistes, or with bags of sand did beate and bruise their aduersarie till they were blacke and blewe, yet he saith (and onely saith it without any shewe of reason) that it is very probable that Paul vsed to whip his owne body, both because the Greeke word signifieth so much (which is vtterly false) and because this kind of pu∣nishment was vsuall among the ancients; which also wee must take vpon his word, seeing he neither alleadgeth, nor in trueth is able to alleadge any authoritie for it. His other arguments to commend whipping and afflicting of the bo∣dy, are the Publicans smiting of his breast, whereby hee shewed the compunction of his heart in his humiliation and penitent confession of his sinnes; some testimonies of Hierome which speake of fasting, sackcloath and beating of the breast; Gods approouing and commaunding the pay∣ing of voluntary vowes, the which he childishly restraineth to fastings and other afflictions of the body, and among the

rest to whipping, though there be no collour for it in the place which he alledgeth. And finally he produceth the ex∣ample of Iohn the Baptist whose garment was Cammels hayre, his meate locusts, his bed (as he saith, but proueth not) the ground, his house the desart. All which reasons and examples being farre vnfitting the wit of such a subtill sophister, and in trueth nothing to the purpose, I will passe ouer, supposing that the bare repeating of them is a suffici∣ent confutation, and that like abortiue birthes they will pre∣sently dye, as soone as they come to light.

And thus doe they (as it were in their dreame or dotage) by the flesh vnderstand the body alone, but when they are most awake, and in the best strength of their memory and vnderstanding, they doe by the flesh vnderstand the inferi∣our parts of the soule, the sensitiue faculties, the appetite, and imagination, as they are corrupted, which also according to the doctrine of the last councell of Trent, they hold not to be sinne but onely the punishment of it, though the Apo∣stle maketh the flesh, not onely to be the cause of all other sinne, but also with a certaine emphasis calleth it sinne it selfe. So on the other side by the spirit they vnderstand the superior part of the soule, the reason, vnderstanding and wil, which they magnifie and extoll, as though it were free in it selfe from al corruption, the cause of all good, & a professed enemy to the flesh, fighting against it continually with all the lusts thereof. And thus Thomas Aquinas saith, that the flesh is said to fight against the spirit, in as much as the sensitiue ap∣petite tendeth to the contrary of that which reason desireth, ac∣cording to that of the Apostle. Gal. 5. the flesh lusteth against the spirit. So Lewis de Granada, saith, that there are in our soule two principall parts, which of Diuines are called the superiour and inferiour parts. And that in the superiour (which is called the spirit and the minde) is the will and vn∣derstanding which ruleth the will, and is as it were it eye and guide. In the inferiour is the sensitiue appetite with the imagination which also is the eye of the appetite of which it is moued; and these parts he maketh to be (as it were two

common wealthes in man, the one of beastes, the other of Angels. That he calleth else where the flesh, concupiscence, sensualitie, or the sensitiue appetite, whence all the pertur∣bations of the minde doe arise, as it is corrupt and made in∣ordinate through sinne. And in the same place hee com∣pareth the superiour part to a wife of so great beautie, no∣bilitie and wisedome, as is possibly incident to that sex, ma∣king the man happy who is married vnto her; and the in∣feriour part he compareth to a seruant, a witch and sorce∣resse, vpon whose loue this man is so besotted that put∣ting away his wife, hee maketh himselfe a pray to his slaue, &c.

And this is their purest conceit concerning the flesh and the spirit, which being wholly corrupt, how great is the cor∣ruption. For in their practise they manifestly shewe that by the flesh they vnderstand the body, seeing for the mortifi∣cation thereof they appoint onely bodily exercises, which tend to the vexing, tormenting and weakening thereof; as penance, pilgrimages, watchings, whippings, rough cloa∣thing, hard lodging and such like: supposing that they fight against the flesh, when they make warre against their owne bodies by afflicting and punishing it. Wherein that I may not seeme to slaunder them, I will insert an history of monkish mortification, as it is recorded by their famous S. Clematus in his Booke called the Ladder of Paradise, and in the fifth staffe of his ladder. Which story for the worthi∣nesse of it, is related by Lewis of Granada in his Booke inti∣tled the memoriall of a Christian life, as a perfect patterne of mortification, and is most vnfaithfully translated into english by one Hopkins a Priest, for the practise and exercise of the english Catholickes. And not to alter his methode though most confused, because it is well enough sorted and suited to the matter, nor to tire the reader with viewing o∣uer euery particular in that heape of trash, briefely he telleth vs, that himselfe comming into a much admired monaste∣ry, he saw among the Monkes in their practise of penitence, such wonderfull things, as the eye of the negligent hath not

seene, the eare of the slothfull hath not heard, neither hath entred into the heart of the dull and sluggish. To wit, such things and wordes as might ouercome with violence even God himselfe, and such fashions and endeauours, as would speedily encline him to shewe mercy. For (saith he) I sawe some of the penitents stand abroad in the open ayre, watch∣ing there whole nights, vntill the morning, neuer mouing their feete out of the same place; and when they were grieuously vexed with drowsinesse comming vpon them, they offered force to nature, and would not take any rest, but reuiled themselues, and with disgraces and contume∣lies offered against their owne persons, they rowsed vp their spirits. Others I sawe standing in prayer and hauing their handes bound behind their backes like malefactors, they inclined their pale faces towards the ground, crying out that they were vnworthy to looke vnto heauen. Nei∣ther did they presume in their orizons to say any thing to Almightie God, by reason of the fearefull doubting of their thoughts and consciences, but onely offered their silent soules and their mute mindes vnto God being full of darke∣nesse and desperation. I saw others sitting on the pauement couered with sack-cloth and ashes, which hid their faces betweene their knees, beating their foreheads against the earth. Others I saw who in respect of their habite, cogita∣tions and actions seemed out of their wits, whose mindes were so stupified with excessiue sorrowing, that they stood like copper images, compassed about with darkenesse, and made insensible (as it were) for all vitall actions. Others humbly desired of God to be heere vexed and tormented, that there they might haue mercy; and many afflicted and cast downe through a burthened conscience, saide that it should well satisfie them to bee freed from hell torments, though they should neuer attaine vnto the ioyes of Gods kingdome; and that it was sufficient if they were freed from Gods great and terrible commination, and those vnknown, hidden and hellish paines, neither durst they desire to be deliuered from punishments altogether. In others I sawe

Dauids words effected indeed, men possessed with sorrows, made crooked to the ende of their liues, going mournful∣ly all their dayes, and casting out noy some smels out of the putrified parts of their bodies; who liued without all care of their flesh, forgot to eate their bread, mingling their drinke with groanes, and their bread with ashes. There you might see their burned tongues like wearied dogs hanging out of their mouthes. Some among them tormented them∣selues in the scorching heate of the Sunne; others contra∣riwise afflicted themselues with extreame cold. Some tasting a little water that they might not be parched with thirst, so contented themselues without drinking more, others ea∣ting a small bit of bread, would cast away the rest, affirming that they were vnworthy to feed on the meat which belong∣ed to reasonable men, because they had caried themselues vnreasonably like vnto beastes. Some amongst them exci∣ted others, saying, let vs runne brethren and not obey this filthy and wicked flesh, but let vs kill it, as it hath first killed vs. And thus (saith hee) these blessed penitents behaued themselues. Their knees, with their continuall praying, were growne hard; their eyes fayling and ouerwearied, were sunke deepe into their heads, the haire of their browes and eyelids being fallen away and lost, their cheekes seemed burnt with the heate of their scalding teares, their faces so withered, pale and deformed that they differed not from dead men. Their breastes were made sore with their blowes, and being blacke and blew with bruises, they did spit blood, what vse had they of any bed? what cared they for cleane and whole cloathing? All there were torne, fil∣thy and full of lice. And in a word what is their affliction who are possessed with a Diuell, in comparison of these? what the bitter vexation of those who mourne for their de∣parted friends? what their sorrow who liue in banishment? what the punishments of cruell parricides? surely the paines and torments which all these vnwillingly suffer, are nothing beeing compared with their voluntary penance. And not content with punishments inflicted by themselues, they

would intreat their great iudge and gouernor of their Mo∣nastery, who was a very Angell amongst men, that hee would put irons and chaines about their neckes and hands, and fasten their feete in the stockes, not suffering them to come out till they were to bee buried. Ye•• indeede they would not so much as haue any buriall. (Neither will I hide their wonderfull charitie towards God and the penitence of these blessed men.) For beeing to dye and to become citi∣zens of that heauenly Citie, they would with earnest pray∣ers adiure their Abbot, that he•• would not vouchsafe them humaine buriall, but like brute creatures cast them either in∣to the riuers or into the open fields to be deuoured of beasts; which sometimes hee also did being ouercome with their importunate requests. But what was the qualitie of their place and habitation? Surely it was very darke, vnhand∣some, stinking, foule and filthy, so as it might fitly be called a prison for condemned persons, and the very sight thereof might well be a mistresse of perfect paenitence and mour∣ning. Yea they were not contented with those torments which could be inflicted by men; but (as hee further saith) they desired of God with many grones and great lamenta∣tion, that they might be taken away by the Diuell, or fall into some grieuous diseases, or loose their eyes, and so be∣come a miserable spectacle vnto all men, that so by these present paines they might escape future punishments. Now if wee would know the fruit of all their labours, and what inward peace and security they had by these outward tor∣ments and vexation; this also in that worthy Story is made knowne vnto vs, namely, that as they passed their dolefull dayes in these selfe-deuised tortures and torments of body, so at the day of death they were no lesse vexed with terrors of conscience, affrighting feares, and dreadfull doubtings; as in truth what other can be expected from them who by their superstitious deuises haue robbed God of the glory of his free grace in our saluation, derogated from the all-sufficiencie of Christ Iesus our alone Sauiour his merits and obedience, and in a great part arrogated the praise of the re∣mission

of their sinnes, and attaining vnto euerlasting life, to their owne penance and satisfactions?

Now by this which hath been saide it appeareth what the Church of Rome and her adherents conceiue and hold con∣cerning the flesh, in respect both of their doctrine and their practise. Wherein they are iustly to bee taxed, first of vntruth and falsehood, in that they doe herein teach grosse errours which are directly contrary to the whole course of Scriptures, as it shall (God willing) afterwards plainely ap∣peare. Secondly, of damnable pride, and that first in this re∣spect that they afflict and torture their bodies by their vo∣luntary penance for meere ostentation to be seene and prai∣sed of men, (for else to what ende serue their going bare∣foote on their pilgrimages; and their whipping of them∣selues in the open streetes) of all which their torments, if a∣ny pittying them more then they doe themselues, would haue them c••sed and freed; the best way were to follow the aduice of Plato, who seeing men take compassion on the proude Cynick Deogenes, because he voluntarily stood in a great storme of raine, told them, that the onely way to rid him out of that misery, was to withdraw themselues, and to let none remaine to looke vpon him: for there would sure∣ly but fewe bee caried about in this pageant of penance, if there were no spectators who might encourage them with their applause. Secondly, their pride appeareth in the acting and suffering of this voluntary penance in respect of the ende, which is not so much to mortifie the flesh, as to make satisfaction to Gods iustice for their sinnes, or to merrit his fauour and the ioyes of heauen; wherein as they derogate much from Gods mercy, and the all sufficient merits & sa∣tisfaction of Iesus Christ, so also they manifest their hellish pride, which will not suffer them wholly to deny them∣selues, and ascribe the glory of their iustification and salua∣tion onely to Gods free grace and Christs sufferings and o∣bedience: but needs will they share with them in the praise, in part at least pay their owne debt, and giue something to∣wards the purchase of our heauenly inheritance; In which

respect it may truely be said, that the leaner they make their bodies with penance and punishment, the more their hearts are fatned with pride and vaine-glory; and the more they subdue and keepe vnder their fleshly carkase, the more their mindes are lifted vp with opinion of their merit and deser∣uing. Thirdly we may in this regard iustly taxe them to bee those imposters and deceiuers of whom the Apostle spea∣keth, who seeke to deceiue men of their heauenly reward; seeing they hold not the head Christ, but in part rest vpon their owne superstitious deuices, being (as the Apostle there speaketh,) vainely past vp in their fleshly mindes, and placing the chiefe of their Religion, in a voluntary humilitie, and wor∣shipping of Angels, in subiecting themselues to humaine ordi∣nances after the commaundements & doctrines of men; which things haue at the most but a shewe of wisedome, in wil-worship and humilitie, and not sparing or punishing of the body. Lastly, herein we may well charge them with grosse hypocrisie, and false treachery, seeing they betray the poore Christian who asketh their counsell and aduise in this spirituall war∣fare, whilest they pretend his strengthening and defence. For as they professe Christ in shewe, but oppose him in trueth, being those limmes of Antichrist who make warre against him and his members; so they outwardly proclaime warre against the world and the flesh, when as in truth none are greater friendes vnto them; for that the flesh our true enemy may escape vntouched and vnhurt in the christian conflict, they disguise and hide it, least it should be known, and craftily substitute into the place thereof our bodies which are our friends to receiue deadly wounds and blowes by the sword of mortification; and whilest they afflict and persecute them, as though they were the onely troublers of this our Israel they (as Iesabell Baalls Priestes) cherish and nourish the corruption of nature, the flesh and the whole army of carnall lustes (as it were) at their proper charges giuing them meate and drinke at their owne table.

And thus haue I spent more paines and paper vpon this base subiect then it deserueth, and both by their doctrine

and practise shewed what the Church of Rome and her fa∣uorites thinke of the flesh and of the meanes whereby it may be mortified and subdued, partly that all might take heede of the bewitching cups of the whoore of Babylons fornications, seeing those who haue drunke thereof, haue beene so intoxicated and made drunk with these inchanted potions, that like mad men and inraged bedlems they haue not onely wrastled with God himselfe, to spoile him of his glory, murthered his holy Martyrs and caused the streets to runne with riuers of their bloud, but also frantiquely haue offered violence to their owne persons, grieuously tormen∣ted their owne bodies, and sought to satisfie their insatiable cruelty, by drinking deepe draughts in their owne bloud. Partly also to preserue all, who loue the truth from these superstitious cruelties in the practise of their mortification, seeing corrupted nature, and blinde superstition, with as strong a streame of violence, carrieth men headlong into these inhumane and vnnaturall practises against their own persons, as the pleasures of the flesh transporteth others who are licentious and prophane to the imbracing of them. The which we may plainely see in the practise of the Baali∣tish priests, who with kniues launched their owne bodies, and in the experience of all ages among the heathens and infidels, yea euen of our owne times, not onely among the Sauadges and Barbarians, but aboue all others among the Papists who are all ready rather to torment their bodies, then to crosse their carnall wils, to torture the flesh, rather then to subdue their fleshly lusts; yea euen to mortifie with voluntary penance their naturall parts and members, rather then to labour in the crucifying of the old man, and to forsake any of their darling sinnes. But especially my maine drift herein is to discouer our true enemy that wee discerne it from our friends, and to shew what in truth the flesh is, that so we may labour to subdue and mortifie it, seeing it is ready in craft and subtiltie to hide or disguise it selfe, and to substitute another in it place, that so wee may spend our strength in vaine, and being spent and tyred in fighting a∣gainst

those who are friends vnto vs, may be the more easi∣ly ouercome at the first incounter of our spirituall enemies.

Notes

• §. Sect. 1. That the Papists propound vnto vs a friend to fight against in stead of our enemy.
• §. Sect. 2. That the cheife Doctors of the Pa¦pists by flesh vn∣derstand the body
• a

  Aquin. in Rō. 7. lect. 4.
• b

  Aquin. in Eph 5. lect. 9.
• c

  in Rom. 7. lect, 4. et cap. 8. lect. 2.
• d

  ibidem.
• e

  in Rom. 7. lect. 3.
• Eph. 3. 17. De perfect. Amo¦ris Dei. Cap. 5.
• Eph. 5.
• De paeniten. lib 4. ca. 6. Tom. 3.
• Numb. 30.
• § Sect. 3. That the papistes in their purest doctrine vnder∣stand by the flesh our bodies & the inferiour & sen∣sitiue faculties only.
• Rom. 7. 17.
• Aquin in Rom. 7. lect. 3.
• L. Gren••t de perfect. amo••is Dei cap. 7.
• Dulcis precator. lib. 1. par. 2. Cap. 19.
• §. Sect. 4. That the practise of popish mortifi∣cation plainely sheweth that by the flesh they vn∣derstand the body onely, their mor∣tification being nothing else but a bodily exercise.
• Memor. lib. 2 in tract. de satisfact. Cap. 1.
• §. Sect. 5. That the Popish Doctors are iust∣ly to be taxed for teaching the for∣mer doctrine: and the supersti∣tious people for putting it in practise.
• Col 2. 18. 19. 20. 22. 23.
• §. Sect. 6. That our opposi∣tion against the Papists in this doctrine is very necessarie.