A20752:1030
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. 2 But I will make this more clear and manifest by some familiar similitude and examples,1 we know that in the sicknesses and diseases of the body nature is so enfeebled and overcome, that sometimes the party affected falleth into a dead swoon wherein he is deprived for a time, not only of the use of the understanding, reason, and memory, but also of his senses, motion, and vital functions, so that in respect of sense and outward appearance, he is quite deprived of all his vital sensitive and intellectual faculties, but yet a while after by reason of some outward means used, or by the secrete power of nature working in him, he is restored to the use of all again, and liveth, feeleth much and understandeth as in former times, because he had not lost these faculties but only by some grievous impediment was hindered of the use of them in their actions and functions; so that here this manner of reasoning appeareth absurd and false, these faculties of the soul cannot be sensibly discerned, and therefore he is quite destitute of them: And thus also it is in respect of our faith and other habitual virtues, oftentimes through the sickness of the soul in sin or the outward violence of Satan's tentations, it seemeth cast into a swoon & deprived of all the spiritual faculties and virtues thereof, faith, love, zeal, hope, patience and the rest, but yet soon after by hearing the word, by godly admonitions, instructions, reprehensions, and consolations made effectual by the inward operation of Gods spirit it is revived, and all the spiritual graces thereof show themselves again in their wonted strength; so that this inference is no less false then the other, there is no sensible appearance of these sanctifying gifts and graces, and therefore they are quite lost and perished, for the graces themselves remain ⟨p. 527⟩though for a time they appear not in their actions and fruits.
§. Sect. 2 But I will make this more cleare and manifest by some familiar similitude and examples,1 we know that in the sicknesses and diseases of the body nature is so infeebled and ouercome, that sometimes the partie affected falleth into a dead swoune wherein hee is depriued for a time, not onely of the vse of the vnderstanding, reason, and memorie, but also of his senses, motion, and vitall functions, so that in respect of sense and outward appearance, hee is quite depriued of all his vitall sensitiue and intellectuall faculties, but yet a while after by reason of some outward meanes vsed, or by the secrete power of nature working in him, hee is restored to the vse of all againe, and liueth, feeleth much and vnderstandeth as in former times, because hee had not lost these faculties but onely by some grieuous impediment was hindred of the vse of them in their actions and functions; so that here this manner of reasoning appeareth absurd and false, these faculties of the soule cannot be sensibly discerned, and therefore hee is quite destitute of them: And thus also it is in respect of our faith and other habituall vertues, oftentimes through the sicknes of the soule in sinne or the outward violence of Sathans tentations, it seemeth cast into a swoune & depriued of al the spiritual faculties and vertues thereof, faith, loue, zeale, hope, patience and the rest, but yet soone after by hearing the word, by godly admonitions, instructions, reprehensions, and consolations made effectuall by the inward operation of Gods spirit it is reuiued, and all the spirituall graces thereof shew themselues againe in their woonted strength; so that this inference is no lesse false then the other, there is no sensible appearance of these sanctifying gifts and graces, and therefore they are quite lost and perished, for the graces themselues remaine