A20752:1006
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.
CHAP. XLII. How we may prove against Satan's tentations that we have true faith.
CHAP. XLII. How we may proue against Sathans tentations that wee haue true faith.
§. Sect. 1 And so much for answering those tentations of Satan,1 whereby he laboureth to prove that we have no repentance or at least a false and insufficient repentance, and consequently that the sweet and gracious promises of the gospel do not belong unto us: now we are to produce and answer such tentations as he allegeth and suggesteth into the minds of those who are effectually called against their faith; and these are of two sorts: the first whereby he laboureth to persuade them that they have no faith; the second that their faith (if they have any) is so weak, so imperfect and so mixed with doubting that it is altogether insufficient for their salvation. For the first he will thus frame his tentation. Though thou boastest much of thy faith, and thereby presumest that thou shalt attain unto salvation, herein thou mayest much ⟨p. 514⟩deceive thy self & altogether fail of thy purpose; for there may be in many shows and shadows of faith, and yet nothing in them but infidelity, there are also many kinds of faith, and yet but one justifying and saving faith, there is a general or historical faith, there is a faith of working miracles which Judas had as well as Peter, there is a temporary or hypocritical faith, there is a dead faith, there is also carnal presumption, wherewith many who have made goodly shows have been bewitched and deceived to their perdition; seeing then there are many false faiths, for one true faith, it is likely that thine is one of the greatest number, and consequently no true faith. And therefore do not flatter and deceive thy self in thy fond presumption, by applying unto thy self the sweet promises and gracious consolations of the gospel, for they appertain only unto those who are endued with a true lively and justifying faith, of which thou art altogether destitute.