A20752:1029
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.
1For the answering of which tentation we must distinguish between the habit of faith, and the act of faith; or between faith it self and the work & function thereof, which is to apprehend and apply Christs merits and Gods mercy and loving favour, with all the gracious promises of the gospel; as it is an habitual faculty of the mind, it always continueth & abideth in Gods children, after it is once wrought in them by the spirit of God, but in respect of the function act or work thereof it hath many intermissions, and oftentimes seemeth to be cast as it were into a dead sleep. Now we are to know that we cannot sensibly discern faith, as it is an habitual virtue or faculty of the mind although we have it in great measure in us, but only so far forth as it manifesteth it self in his actions, works, & fruits; and therefore ⟨p. 526⟩it is an unsound and false manner of reasoning, to infer because we do not sensibly feel and discern that we have faith, therefore we are destitute thereof; for the habit of faith or faith it self may be in us, & yet for a time may be so hindered by outward accidents, that it cannot show it self in his actions and fruits, by which alone it is sensibly discerned.
1For the answering of which tentation wee must distinguish betweene the habite of faith, and the act of faith; or betweene faith it selfe and the worke & function thereof, which is to apprehend and apply Christs merits and Gods mercy and louing fauour, with all the gratious promises of the gospell; as it is an habituall facultie of the mind, it alwaies continueth & abideth in Gods children, after it is once wrought in them by the spirit of God, but in respect of the function act or worke thereof it hath many intermissions, and oftentimes seemeth to be cast as it were into a dead sleepe. Now we are to know that we cannot sensibly discerne faith, as it is an habituall vertue or facultie of the mind although wee haue it in great measure in vs, but onely so farre foorth as it manifesteth it selfe in his actions, workes, & fruits; and therefore ⟨p. 526⟩it is an vnsound and false maner of reasoning, to inferre because we doe not sensibly feele and discerne that we haue faith, therfore we are destitute thereof; for the habite of faith or faith it selfe may be in vs, & yet for a time may be so hindred by outward accidents, that it cannot shew it selfe in his actions and fruits, by which alone it is sensibly discerned.