A20752:1064
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. 5 But most lamentable it is to see the grievous misery of poor humbled sinners whereinto they are brought through the violence of Satan's tentations;1 for howsoever feeling the heavy weight of their other sins they earnestly desire to be freed from them, howsoever being tormented with the grievous smart of their other wickedness they hate and abhor it, yet they easily suffer themselves to be plunged into desperation with every frivolous tentation; and quietly offer their hands to be manacled, and bound in these gives of hell without resistance. But let all such stir up themselves, and gather their oppressed spirits together, saying to their own consciences I hate and detest from my heart my former wickedness, and shall I now entertain a sin more horrible then all the rest; ⟨p. 546⟩the burden of my other sins oppress me and make me earnestly to desire ease, and shall I add a load far more intolerable to my afflicted conscience? I am filled with shame and confusion because by my former sins I have dishonoured my gracious God? and shall I continue more to dishonour him by doubting of and denying his mercy, justice, and truth in his promises? I have heretofore with Judas betrayed my Saviour Christ unto the death, yea and with my sins I have whipped, mocked, and crucified him, and now he having made full satisfaction for my sins, and called me unto him that he may ease me of this intolerable burden, should I with Judas refuse to come desperately cast of all hope of mercy and become mine own hangman? be it far from me, nay as I hate all other sin so let me hate this above all the rest, as being more heinous then all the rest; as I desire to be eased and freed from the heavy burden of other my wickedness, so I will with all my power resist Satan when he seeketh to load me with this load of desperation as being far more intolerable; heretofore I have dishonoured God by my sins, but now I will give him glory in believing and acknowledging his infinite mercy, goodness, justice, and truth in his promises; and seeing by my sins I have crucified the Lord of life, I will not ad hereunto this outrageous wickedness, to tram ple his precious blood under my filthy feet as a thing unholy and of no worth, neither will I through my unbelief make it to be spilt in vain;
§. Sect. 5 But most lamentable it is to see the greeuous miserie of poore humbled sinners whereinto they are brought through the violence of Sathans tentations;