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. Of the Combate it selfe and the manner how it is fought in vs.

WEe haue shewed what are the causes of this conflict; and now we are in the next place to speake of the combate it selfe, & of the man∣ner how it is fought in vs. To which purpose we are to know, that the acceptable time and day of saluation being come, when as the Lord is purpo∣sed to deliuer vs eternally out of the hands and power of sinne and Sathan, raigning and ruling in our hearts as Kings, yea Gods, as the Scripture speaketh; holding the whole man with all the powers and faculties of his soule and body in subiection to doe their will; that for the time which remaineth, we may be his seruants and souldiars, to obey him in all things, and to make warre vnder his stan∣dard, against the spirituall enemies of our saluation, it plea∣seth him by the ministry of his word, made effectuall by the operation of his spirit, to open our blinde eyes, that we may see and plainly discerne, that wretched bondage vnder sinne and Sathan in which we liue, the innumerable mise∣ries into which it plungeth vs for this present life, and that hellish condemnation and euerlasting torments, which if we liue & die in this thraldome, doe attend vs in the life to come. Thereby is discouered vnto vs the tyranny of the diuell, whereby he raigneth and rageth in vs, working our hearts to his will, and inclyning vs to drudge in his seruice, for no other reward but the vncertaine pay of worldly va∣nities, which shall be accompanied with endlesse destructi∣on; the vglinesse and intollerable waight of sinne which as an heauy burthen presseth vs downe to hell, the terrible wrath of God inflamed against vs by our sinnes, and the curse of the lawe ready to attach vs. Finally that our liues be momentary and vncertaine, and therefore also the plea∣sures

of sinne can bee but alike vnsure and of short conti∣nuance; but the life to come and both the pleasures and ioyes, and the paines and torments of it are euerlasting, and there is no hope to enioy the one and escape the other if wee liue and dye in our present condition. And thus when by the ministery of the word wee are brought to a sight and sense our damnable and wretched estate our slee∣ping consciences are awakened, our hard and flintie hearts are throughly humbled and softned, bruised and made con∣trite, so as our former carnall securitie being shaken of, we relent and mourne in the sight of our sinne and misery Be∣ing thus cast downe and humbled, the Lord by the preach∣ing of the Gospell maketh knowne vnto vs his loue in Christ, the infinitenesse of his mercy and goodnesse toge∣ther with that singular pledge there, of his deare and onely sonne, giuen to the death for our redemption; the sweete promises of the Gospel assuring all of the mercy & forgiue∣nesse of their sins, & deliuerance out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies whom Christ by his death hath vanqui∣shed and subdued, and of eternall life and saluation of bo∣dy and soule, if wee will lay hold vpon Christ and his righ∣teousnesse by a liuing faith, and bring forth the fruits there∣of by forsaking our sinnes and turning vnto God by vn∣fained repentance. Which meanes of comming out of our present misery and of attaining to a better estate, being made knowne vnto vs, we begin to conceiue that there is some possibilitie of comming out of the thraldome of sinne and Sathan, and of attaining to saluation; the which inflameth our hearts with an earnest to come out of our bondage, and to this ende, to be made partakers of Christ and his righteousnesse, who alone can helpe vs, and a firme resolution to deny our selues and all other meanes as vaine and vnprofitable, and to cast our selues wholly vpon our Sauiour Christ for our iustification and saluation. From hence ariseth a constant endeauour in the vse of all good meanes to attaine vnto faith, whereby we may be assured of Christ and his benefits, and particularly apply them vnto

our selues for our owne vse, which being likewise wrought in vs by the sweete and gracious promises of the Gospell and we thereby perswaded of the pardon of our sinnes, of Gods loue and our owne saluation, in the next place we de∣sire to haue our assurance confirmed more and more by a liuely s••n••e and feeling, and an experimentall knowledge that wee are by Christ our redeemer deliuered out of the hands of our spirituall enemies. To which ende we desire the assistance of Gods grace and holy spirit, by which wee may be actually deliuered out of the bondage of sinne and Sathan, that they may no longer haue dominion ouer vs; and to finde and feele the vertue and power of Christ Iesus his death as effectuall or our sanctification as our iustifica∣tion, for the inriching vs with sauing grace, as for the assu∣ring vs of eternall glory, for the mortifying and subduing of the corruption of sinne, as for the f••••••ng of vs from the guilt and punishment▪

Which desires are no sooner wrought in vs by the mi∣nistery of the word, made effectuall by the inward operati∣on of Gods spirit, but presently the Lord, rich in mercy and goodnesse, by the same meanes doeth satisfie them, and sendeth his spirit accompanied with a strong army of san∣ctifying graces to take possession of vs for his vse, to raigne and rule in vs, and to thrust downe Sathan from his throne, and to depose him from his regencie or rather tyranny o∣uer vs; and to subdue, kill and mortifie all those garrisons of sinnefull lustes, so as they shall not be able vnder their great Generall to rule & raigne in vs as they did in former times. For example hee causeth knowledge, spirituall wisedome, iudgement, discretion, holy reason and spirituall cogi∣tations to enter into the head, and by stronge assault to encounter ignorance, curiositie, carnall wisedome, errour, rash giddinesse and carnall imagination; Christian resolu∣tion and holy obedience to enter the will and to set vpon cowardly feare and vnconstancy, vnflexible stubbornesse and stiffe rebellion, faith and loue with innumerable num∣bers of holy affections to take possession of the heart, and

to subdue & vanquish infidelitie, selfe-loue and loue of the world, with those many legions of vnlawfull lustes and vn∣ruly passions which Sathan had placed in it; spirituall con∣cupiscence and holy desires, temperance, sobriety, and cha∣stity, to seate themselues in the inferiour faculties and sen∣suall appetite, and to thrust out, and to hold possession a∣gainst carnall concupiscence, worldly lustes intemperance, wantonnesse and vncleannesse with the rest of their oppo∣sites; Finally puritie and honour, to seaze vpon the body and all the members thereof, and to driue out and cleanse it from all vncleannesse and noysomnesse, wherewith it had beene defiled like a filthy stye of impure beastes, through the inhabitation and abuse of sinfull lusts.

Which royall and heauenly army of Gods sauing gra∣ces, led vnder the conduct of his holy spirit, doe no sooner enter the fielde and encounter their enemies, but presently they put them to the worse, and causing them to retire doe get the victory. Sathan the strong tyrant that held all in qui∣et possession and ruled as hee list, is put to flight, spoyled of his power and regency, and the spirit of God seateth him∣selfe vpon the throne, and the flesh and the lusts thereof in the first conflict receiue such deadly wounds that they ne∣uer recouer of them, but languish in a continuall consump∣tion till at last they bee wholly abolished. And therefore being in the first battell thus weakened, foyled and discom∣fited, they haue neuer the courage afterwards in a martiall maner to proclaime warre against the spirit, and the army of Gods graces which doe accompany i••, to bid thē battell and to fight against them in a pitched field; but crafuly and cunningly reentrouping their scattered forces, they like the sauadges or Irish kernes, will onely fight vpon aduantages, and therefore make secrete ambuscadoes, and hide them∣selues (as it were) in the woods and thickers from which they sally out at vnawares, when we are most secure, and so skirmishing with vs they sometime wound and foyle vs and for a time cause vs to retire. And so otherwhiles they set out some booty of worldly profit or pleasure, with

which they allure vs to come, when wee thinke not of it, within the danger of their shot; & somtimes (as it were in the night) when wee are brought into a deepe sleepe of retch∣lesse securitie, they make some inuoades vpon vs wast and spoyle, and doe much mischiefe, firing our he〈…〉〈…〉 with vn∣lawful lusts, corrupting or gagging the conscience which as the centinell should giue vs warning of their approach, wounding and misleading the will vnto some peruersnesse, and carrying the members of the body as captiues vnto sinne. But when the spirit taking notice of these conflicts riseth vp to giue them battell, gathereth his scattered forces and entring the field soundeth the alarem to the fight, then the rebelles quit their standings and runne away or yeelde themselues as captiues to suffer the punishment which their rebellion hath deserued. Howbeit they doe not long conti∣nue vnder subiection, being onely kept vnder by slauish feare, but vpon euery opportunitie they rebell againe, and giue fresh assaults to Gods graces in vs, though in the ende they are assured of an vtter ouerthrow; like herein vnto theeues and cut purses, who when they are apprehended and cast into prison, are only restrained from their wicked cour∣ses, but not reclaimed and amended; or vnto gally-slaues who are forced to labour at the command of their enemies, whilest they are tyed in chaines and feele the smart of the whip, but no sooner doe they breake loose and make an e∣scape, but they are ready to encounter with all fury the same persons who not long since they so seruilely obeyed; or fi∣nally like vnto their father diuell, who though he be conti∣nually foyled and put to flight, yet is so wholly transported with his inueterate mallice, that hee continually opposeth God in all things especially in the saluation of his Elect, and maketh continuall warre against Michaell the Arch-angell, or the Prince of Angels Iesus Christ, and the army of his Saints, though he be not able to preuaile against them.

Now this fight betweene these enemies is maintained on both sides not by handy blowes, swoord and shield, pike and shot, for of the fight of the spirit the Apostle saith,

that though we walke after the flesh, yet we doe not warre after the flesh. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to the pulling downe of strong holds) ca∣sting down imaginations, and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. And hauing in a readi∣nes to reuenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. But as the enemies are spirituall, so is the maner of the fight spirituall, by inward lusting and concupiscence, whereby motions and inclinations, either good or euill are stirred vp in the heart and soule. And thus there is a contrary lu∣sting betweene these enemies: the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh as the Apostle plainely teacheth vs. In which their contrary lusting, they both of them mainely ayme at two generall ends.

The first ende at which the flesh in it lusting aymeth, is to stirre vp and incline vs vnto such lustes, desires and mo∣tions, as are sinnefull and contrary to the lawe of God, as to infidelitie, impenitency, pride, selfe-loue, hatred, enuy, vn∣cleannesse, couetousnesse and such like; or to speake more distinctly, it endeauoureth to beget and stirre vp, preserue and nourish euill cogitations in the minde, wicked inclina∣tions in the will and sinnefull affections and desires in the heart, in which respect it is fitly compared to a fiery furnace or boyling potte, which continually send vp sparkes and smoke; and by the Apostle Iames it is likened to a filthy harlot, which by her alluring baytes inticeth to commit folly with her, vpon which followeth the conception and birth of sinne and death. And our Sauiour Christ telleth vs, that from within, euen in the heart, (that is the sinnefull flesh and naturall corruption, which chiefely resideth in the heart) proceede euill thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murthers, thefts, couetousnes, wickednesse, deceipt, lasciuiousnes, an euill eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishnesse, &c. Contrary to this is the lusting of the spirit, which endeauoureth to stirre vp & perseuer good motions & inclinations in vs, as good meditations in the mind, good resolutions in the will, good

desires and affections in the heart which are conformable and agreeable to the holy will and word of God. Thus the Apostle Iohn saith, that we haue receiued an vnction from the holy one whereby wee knowe all things. And Saint Paul exhorteth vs not to quench the spirit, that is the good moti∣ons which arise from it, as it were sparkes from the fire. So Dauid. I will blesse the Lord who hath giuen mee counsell; my raynes also instruct me in the night season, that is, those sweete meditations and motions which the spirit se∣cretly in the night season putteth into our mindes and hearts. And the Prophet Esay saith, that the eares of the faithfull shall heare a voyce behinde them, saying. This is the way walke yee in it, when they turned to the right hand, and when they turned to the left. Which is to be vnderstood not onely of the voyce of Gods Ministers, outwardly spea∣king vnto vs in the ministery of the word, but also of the voyce of the spirit, secretly by the good motions thereof leading vs into all truth. For so our Sauiour accordingly promiseth, that hee would send his spirit the comforter, who should conuince the world of sinne, righteousnesse and iudge∣ment; and that when hee was come, hee should leade the faithfull into all trueth; and reueale vnto them things to come.

The second maine thing at which the flesh aymeth in this conflict is, either to represse and smother the good mo∣tions and inclinations which the spirit exciteth and stirreth vp in vs, or else to poyson and corrupt them, that they may become vnprofitable and turned into sinne. So when the spirit moueth vs to performe some good duty of Gods seruice, of iustice or mercy, it will labour to quench this motion, and to withdrawe vs from it, either by alluring vs vtterly to neglect it, and to spend our time rather in pursu∣ing worldly vanities, or by perswading vs, that there is such difficultie in it, that wee shall not bee possibly able to compasse and atchieue it; or if we doe that it will not bee worth our labour, or finally by intycing vs to deferre and delay it, because we may be fitter, or haue better opportuni∣tie

to performe it hereafter, then at this present; in which respect the Apostle saith, that through this opposite lusting of the flesh, we cannot doe the good we would. But if it cannot perswade vs either vtterly to neglect the duties of Gods seruice which he commaundeth, or to deferre them till we get some better opportunity, then it will endeauour to in∣turrupt and distract vs in them and to staine them with our corruptions and imperfections that they may not bee ac∣ceptable. As when we set our selues to pray or heare the word, it will put into our mindes worldly cogitations and wandring thoughts, that so we may not intende these holy exercises or else oppresse our hearts with drowsie dulnesse, deadnesse of spirit and carnall wearinesse, so as we cannot performe them with any chearefulnesse. And of this the Apostle complaineth; namely, that when he delighted in the lawe of God in the inner man, he sawe another lawe in his mem∣bers, warring against the lawe of his minde, and bringing him into captiuitie to the lawe of sinne which was in his members. And this is the cause why our best righteousnesse becom∣meth like a menstrous cloth, and why our best prayers, neede to be perfumed with the sweete odours of Christs inter∣cession, before they can ascend vnto God, and become sweete incense in his nostrils.

Contrariwise the spirit laboureth and endeauoueeth to suppresse and subdue those euill motions which the flesh rayseth in vs, and still moueth vs to take the first and best opportunities of seruing God and doing his will. So also it purifieth our hearts by faith from all our sinnefull cor¦ruptions, and maketh vs to labour and striue against our infirmities and imperfections that wee may with feruency of spirit and chearefulnesse of heart performe all holy ser∣vice vnto God; and when in these our endeauours wee come short of our desires, through this sinfull flesh which doth so easily encompasse vs, it moueth vs to bewaile our im∣perfections, and still more and more to labour in the vse of all good meanes, whereby wee may attaine vnto more per∣fection; as wee see in the example of the Apostle Paul,

who kept vnder this body of corruption, beating it, as it were, blacke and blewe, that he might hold it with the lusts thereof in subiection; whereof when hee fayled and was either hindred from doing good, or led captiue vnto sinne, he makes lamentable complaints of these rebellious lustes; and not contenting himselfe with that portion of grace and godlinesse vnto which hee had attained, hee forgate what was past and still did labour and striue to attaine vnto more perfection. And thus the spirit mastereth and subdu∣eth the flesh so as it cannot haue full libertie, and take it full swinge in sinne, as it desireth according to that of the Apo∣stle. Whosoeuer is borne of God doeth not commit sinne, for his seede remaineth in him, and hee cannot sinne (namely like the vnregenerate with full swing and consent of will) because he is borne of God.

Notes

• § Sect. 1. When wee are called by God to this conflict.
• Rom. 6. 12. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 26.
• Phil. 3.
• § Sect. 2. The second sum∣mons to this conflict.
• § Sect, 3. The maner of the conflict it selfe.
• 2 Cor. 10. 3. 4. 5
• Gal. 5. 17.
• § Sect. 5. The first end as which the flesh aymeth in lus∣ting against the spirit.
• I am. 1. 14. 15.
• Mat 14. 18. 19.
• 1 Ioh. 2. 10.
• 1 Thes. 5. 19. Psal. 16. 7.
• Esa. 30. 21.
• Ioh. 16. 8. 13.
• § Sect. 6. The second many end at which the flesh aymeth in lusting against the spirit.
• Gal. 5. 17.
• Rom. 7. 22. 23.
• Esa. 64. 6.
• § Sect. 7. The ends at which the spirit aymeth in lus∣ting against the flesh.
• Hhb 12. 1.
• 1 Cor. 9. 27. Rom. 7. 23. 24.
• Phil. 3. 12.
• 1 Ioh: 3. 9.