A20752:1082
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
Book 2 › Chapter 47: Other tentations concerning faith answered.
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 Secondly,1 he will suggest that the Saints mentioned in the Scriptures, had most certain & strong faith & in exceeding great measure, that they brought forth continually most notable fruits thereof, & were not subject to such infirmities and ⟨p. 556⟩doubting as we feel in our selves. To which we are to answer, that this tentation is full of untruth, and hath no sound part in it: for first we are to assure our selves that they fell into manifold doubtings and were subject unto innumerable infirmities and corruptions, which are not specified in the book of God: neither was it fit or expedient that it should be a register of all humane infirmities, and of their manifold falls, but only that some should be recorded for our warning, that we might more warily watch over our selves, least we should fall into the like sins, and for our comfort also when we are fallen, in that our case is common with Gods dearest children; in which respect the Scriptures is not wanting Look upon Abraham the father of the faithful whose faith was so strong that he above hope believed under hope, and you shall see that his faith notwithstanding was sometimes shaken with diffidence and doubting, as when distrusting Gods gracious promises made unto him, and not resting upon his almighty power, he was content to take unto him Hagar his maid and commit sin with her, that so by his own devise he might make good Gods promise and obtain the blessed seed, as though God could not perform that which he had spoken, unless he helped him by such unlawful means. So where was the strength and constancy of Moses faith when he dishonoured God before the people in not believing his word, & by showing his impatience. Numb. 20.10.11. where was the strength and constancy of Davids faith,2 when he complaineth that he was forsaken, that God had failed in his promises, that he had forgotten to be merciful and had shut up his tender mercies in displeasure? Psal. 22.1. and 77.8.9. Or of Jobs faith when he cursed the day of his birth and accounted God his enemy,