A20752:1201
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 The first sort of his temptations whereby he laboureth to draw us into sin,1 he enforceth by extenuating the sin unto which he allureth us, by putting us in mind of the mercies of God, and merits of Christ, and by hiding from us ⟨p. 609⟩the curse of the law, and the punishments threatened against sin both in this life and the life to come. Why (will he say) makest thou such scruple of committing this sin which is so pleasant or profitable unto thee; seeing it is in it own nature but very small, and almost no offence at all, being compared with the great transgressions which others have committed, who notwithstanding are said even in the Scriptures to have been most godly and righteous, yea, and highly in Gods love and favour; why therefore shouldest thou who art far inferior unto them, stumble at this small straw, seeing these great blocks could not hinder even the most religious from enjoying the pleasures of sin? Consider also the common frailty of mankind, and the natural corruptions of the best, whereby they are ready to fall when the least occasions are offered, into sins far greater then this which so much pleaseth thee. Remember that thou canst not be a saint in this life, nor freed from that corruption which so fast cleaveth unto thee; and therefore seeing thou must needs sin; now sin, when thereby thou mayest have pleasure or profit, for do what thou canst, yet thou shalt often fall. And why wilt thou not rather be lead with delight, then be drawn with necessity? Consider likewise that thy God is most merciful, and therefore still ready to pardon thy sins; and the rather, because he knoweth thy frail weakness in resisting sin, and inability to perform obedience to his law: and also that Christ died, not for the just but the unjust, not for the righteous, but for the sinner: and therefore be thy sins never so many, yet applying the merits of Christ by faith, neither their guilt nor punishment shall be imputed unto thee. Call to mind also the gracious promises of pardon and forgiveness, which are made unto thee in the Gospel; for the obtaining whereof, nothing is required of thee but faith and repentance: now this faith thou hast already, and this repentance thou mayest have hereafter when thou hast enjoyed the pleasure or profit of this sin.
§. Sect. 2 The first sort of his temptations whereby he laboureth to draw vs into sinne,