A20752:1209
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. 6 Thirdly, when we are tempted unto sin,1 let us call to mind the death and suffering of our Saviour Christ, and say unto our own souls, Hath Christ my redeemer paid for my redemption even his dearest blood, and shall I sell my soul to sin again for this vain pleasure or base commodity? Hath he not spared to pour out the full streams of his most precious blood, that in this pure laver I might be purged and cleansed from the filthy spots of sin; and shall the world cause me with her Sirens songs to leap again into this filthy puddle? Should he suffer himself to be crucified that by his death he might kill sin, and shall I now put life into it again, reviving that which he hath mortified? Did he in his infinite love give himself for me, and shall I trample this precious gift under foot, preferring before it the trifling vanities of this wicked world? Should honour allure me to commit sin, seeing the glorious son of God hath abased himself and undergone ignominious shame to free me from it? Should pleasures entice me to break Gods commandments, seeing my Saviour Christ left the bosom of his father, at whose right hand there is fullness of pleasures & joys for evermore, and endured the grief and miseries of a wretched life and cursed death, that thereby he might satisfy ⟨p. 614⟩Gods justice for my transgressions? Should I be persuaded to commit sin, with the base hire of uncertain riches, seeing Christ hath redeemed me, 2not with silver or gold, or any other corruptible thing, but with the inestimable price of his most precious blood? Should my sensual taste and curious palate, move me to sin in drunkenness and gluttony, seeing Christ to redeem me hath hungered and thirsted, and in steed of drink had offered unto him gall & vinegar? Shall I be moved to sin by anger, and to seek unjust revenge, seeing Christ being injured opened not his mouth, 3but like an innocent lamb suffered himself to be led to the slaughter? Far be from me such a desire; nay rather because my Saviour Christ hath suffered all this for me, to redeem me out of my spiritual bondage, I will resolve rather to be deprived of all worldly benefits, and endure patiently the greatest miseries and afflictions, than by wilful falling into sin make my self again the slave of Satan.