A20752:1223
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 Secondly,1 if we would not fall into greater sins, we must also make conscience of those which are less; and think with our selves that no sin is small, seeing the least deserveth the anger of God and everlasting death: otherwise if we willingly entertain even small corruptions, we shall at length make no conscience of heinous transgressions; and these little thieves being let in, will in time set wide open the door of our hearts, that the greatest and grossest may easily enter, and so rob and spoil us of all grace and goodness.
§. Sect. 2 Secondly,1 if wee would not fall into greater sinnes, we must also make conscience of those which are lesse; and thinke with our selues that no sinne is small, seeing the least deserueth the anger of God and euerlasting death: otherwise if we willingly intertaine euen small corruptions, we shall at length make no conscience of heynous transgressions; and these little theeues being let in, wil in time set wide open the doore of our hearts, that the greatest and grossest may easily enter, and so robbe and spoyle vs of all grace and goodnesse.
- 1The second means, to make conscience of the least sins.The second meanes, to make conscience of the least sinnes.
§. Sect. 3 Thirdly,1 let us continually stand upon our guard, carefully watching over our own hearts, that we be not surprised at unawares; for thousands are the baits which are laid to entrap us, and ten thousand snares doth Satan lay to entangle us; and therefore it behooveth us to look narrowly to our ways, and to be always as ready to give Satan the repulse, as he to make the encounter. And considering that if we do not assault sin, it will most surely set upon us, and at one time or other will give us the foil if we only lie at ward and never offer blow against this our enemy; therefore it behooveth every christian soldier, not only to give sin a repulse, but also to wound it in the head, and beat it down, that it may not again assault him, or at least not with wonted power and violence: and for as much as he hath many enemies which cannot at once be overcome,