A20752:1019
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.
§. Sect. 8 The third argument to prove that we have faith is the conflict and fight which every christian feeleth in himself between the spirit and the flesh,1 the world and the devil, and the combat which is between faith and doubting; for so long as we are destitute of the spirit and a lively faith, we are wholly overswayed with the flesh, and Satan like a mighty tyrant holdeth us captive peaceably and without any resistance; but when we have received the spirit of God and have faith wrought in our harts, then beginneth a fierce battle which never endeth till by death our spiritual enemies get a final overthrow. Though therefore this fight be most sharp and exceeding troublesome to the poor christian, yet he may thereby gather unto himself sound comfort and certain assurance that he is endued with the spirit of God and a lively faith; for when he discerneth that he is assaulted with Satan and his own corrupt flesh, he may be assured that Satan and his own corrupt flesh, he may be assured that Satan is diseased of his quiet possession by a superior power which can be no other but the power of Gods spirit, secondly by his assaulting it manifestly appeareth that he findeth some resistance so as he cannot peaceably reenter, thirdly that howsoever our faith seem unto us never so weak yet it is so strengthened continually by virtue of Gods spirit that satan & all the power of hell cannot prevail ⟨p. 521⟩against it, for otherwise how could such weakness withstand such might?
§. Sect. 8 The third argument to proue that wee haue faith is the conflict and fight which euerie christian feeleth in himselfe betweene the spirit and the flesh,1 the world and the diuell, and the combat which is betweene faith and doubting; for so long as wee are destitute of the spirit and a liuely faith, we are wholy ouerswayed with the fleshe, and Sathan like a mightie tyrant houldeth vs captiue peaceably and without any resistance; but when wee haue receiued the spirite of God and haue faith wrought in our harts, then beginneth a fierce battaile which neuer endeth till by death our spirituall enemies get a final ouerthrowe. Though therefore this fight be most sharpe and exceeding troublesome to the poore christian, yet hee may thereby gather vnto himselfe sound comfort and certaine assurance that hee is indued with the spirit of God and a liuely faith; for when hee discerneth that hee is assaulted with Sathan and his owne corrupt fleshe, he may be assured that Sathan and his owne corrupt fleshe, he may be assured that Sathan is diseased of his quiet possession by a superior power which can be no other but the power of Gods spirit, secondly by his assaulting it manifestly appeareth that hee findeth some resistance so as hee cannot peaceably reenter, thirdly that howsoeuer our faith seeme vnto vs neuer so weak yet it is so strēgthened cōtinually by vertue of Gods spirit that sathā & al the power of hel cānot preuaile