A20752:1257
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. 1 And so much concerning those temptations of Satan, 1which he groundeth upon our natural corruptions and our small measure of sanctification. Now we are to speak of such as he suggesteth after we have committed some actual sins: and these are either in respect of our sins in general, or else some special sin into which we have fallen. Concerning the first, when the weak Christian (who hath a tender conscience, and therefore cannot be persuaded to lie securely in his sin) hath through the strength of his own corruptions, and violence of his temptations, committed any sin against his knowledge and conscience, then doth the tempter (who before his fall exceedingly extenuated & minced his sin, now after that he is fallen into it) out of measure aggravate the grievousness and heinousness of his offence, partly in respect of the nature and quality of the sin it self, and partly in respect of the circumstances, as being committed after his calling, against his knowledge, in such a time or place, & by such a person, as God is thereby most dishonoured, and his brethren offended by his bad example. And thus having as it were stretched out his sin upon the tenters of his temptations, and with the blasts of his false suggestions made of every small drop a great bubble, then doth he also set before him the curse of the law, Gods fearful judgements, the plagues and punishments of this life, and everlasting death and condemnation in the life to come, continually accusing and terrifying him as being guilty of all these fearful evils, by reason of his sins, to the end that hereby being utterly discouraged, he ⟨p. 641⟩may desperately cast off all care of continuing in his former course of godliness, as if now it were altogether in vain and to no purpose.
§ Sect. 1 ANd so much concerning those temptations of Sathan, 1which he groundeth vpon our naturall corruptions and our small measure of sanctification. Now wee are to speake of such as hee suggesteth after we haue committed some actuall sinnes: and these are either in respect of our sinnes in generall, or els some speciall sinne into which wee haue fallen. Concerning the first, when the weake Christian (who hath a tender conscience, and therefore cannot bee perswaded to lie securely in his sinne) hath through the strength of his own corruptions, and violence of his temptations, committed any sinne against his knowledge and conscience, then doth the tempter (who before his fall exceedingly extenuated & minced his sin, now after that he is fallen into it) out of measure aggrauate the grieuousnesse and hainousnes of his offence, partly in respect of the nature and qualitie of the sinne it selfe, and partly in respect of the circumstances, as being committed after his calling, against his knowledge, in such a time or place, & by such a person, as God is therby most dishonoured, and his brethren offended by his bad example. And thus hauing as it were stretched out his sinne vpon the tentars of his temptations, and with the blasts of his false suggestions made of euery small drop a great bubble, then doth hee also set before him the curse of the law, Gods fearefull iudgements, the plagues and punishments of this life, and euerlasting death and condemnation in the life to come, continually accusing and terrifying him as being guiltie of all these fearefull euils, by reason of his sinnes, to the end that hereby being vtterly discouraged, hee