A20752:1000
The Christian warfare wherein is first generally showed the malice, power and politic stratagems…The Christian warfare wherein is first generally shewed the malice, power and politike stratagems…
The Christian warfare wherein is first generally showed the malice, power and politic stratagems of the spiritual enemies of our salvation, Satan and his assistants the world and the flesh, with the means also whereby the Christian may withstand and defeat them : and afterwards more specially their particular temptations, against the several causes and means of our salvation, whereby on the one side they allure us to security and presumption, and on the other side, draw us to doubting and desperation, are expressed and answered : written especially for their sakes who are exercised in the spiritual conflict of temptations, and are afflicted in conscience in the sight and sense of their sins / by I. Downame ...The Christian warfare wherein is first generally shewed the malice, power and politike stratagems of the spirituall ennemies of our saluation, Sathan and his assistants the world and the flesh, with the meanes also whereby the Christian may vvithstand and defeate them : and afterwards more speciallie their particvlar temptatiions, against the seuerall causes and meanes of our saluation, whereby on the one side they allure vs to security and presumption, and on the other side, draw vs to doubting and desperation, are expressed and answered : written especially for their sakes who are exercised in the spirituall conflict of temptations, and are afflicted in conscience in the sight and sense of their sinnes / by I. Dovvname ...
London: printed for Cuthbert Burby, 1604
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1But it may be demanded why amongst the signs of true repentance I have not numbered tears and weeping for our sins; to which I answer because howsoever it is a notable fruit of unfeigned repentance, unto which every christian with true compunction of hart is to accustom himself, ⟨p. 510⟩yet notwithstanding it is not an inseparable property thereof; for often times there is tears whereas their is no true repentance, and there is true repentance whereas there is few or no tears. For the first we may plainly perceive by continual experience that tears proceed from divers other causes then from true repentance, sometimes from excessive joy whereby the pores and passages of the eyes are loosed and opened, and sometimes from natural and worldly sorrow whereby the said passages are constringed and straitened. Sometimes from furious anger, & sometimes from compassion and pity; and in spiritual things sometimes these tears flow from unfeigned repentance, sometimes from desperate sorrow conceived upon the apprehension of Gods horrible wrath or of the fearful torments and eternal condemnation prepared for them. Wherefore it cometh to pass that in the abundance of their tears, they utter from a heart full of raging malice, horrible blasphemies against God. And example hereof we have in Esau who in the middest of his weeping and howling comforted himself with the remembrance of his fathers death and of that most wicked murder which he intended unto his innocent brother.2 Gen. 27 41. So the rebellious Israelites being discouraged with the news which the spies brought who were sent to search the land, are said to have cried and wept, & yet in the middest of their lamentation to have murmured against God & his servants Moses and Aaron. 3So that simply tears are not a sign of true repentance unless they issue from a broken heart and contrite spirit, from a true hatred of sin, and from hearty sorrow conceived because we have offended our gracious God.
1But it may bee demaunded why amongst the signes of true repentance I haue not numbred teares and weeping for our sinnes; to which I answeare because howsoeuer it is a notable fruite of vnfained repentance, vnto which euerie christian with true compūction of hart is to accustome himselfe,