A20752:1265
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 1And so much concerning those temptations which Satan suggesteth in respect of our sins in general: now we are to speak of such as concern particular sins, and these are of two sorts; for either Satan seeketh to overthrow our faith, and to discourage us from going forward in our course of godliness, by setting before us and exceedingly aggravating those sins which indeed we have committed, or by persuading us falsely that we have committed such sins, as being unpardonable are not incident to the child of God. The former sort of temptations are taken either from some heinous sin once committed, or from the often falling into the same sin. Concerning the first, he aggravateth the sins of the faithful two especial ways, either because they have been committed after repentance, or voluntarily against knowledge and conscience. In the former respect he is ready to suggest, that the children of God do not commit any sin after they have truly repented of it; and if any do, either he never truly repented, or if he did, yet after his fall there is no place to a second repentance, nor hope of Gods mercy. For answering whereof we are to know, that howsoever the state of those who thus sin is somewhat dangerous, and they more hardly recovered than others (even as those diseases are perilous and hardly cured, into which we fall by a relapse after the recovery of health) yet this is incident to the children of God who have truly repented, and notwithstanding this grievous kind of falling they are not debarred of Gods mercy in Christ Jesus. And this appeareth partly by ⟨p. 646⟩reasons, and partly by examples. For first, the gracious promises of the Gospel concerning the remission of sins, are indefinite and without limitation, of time, or sins, whether committed before or after repentance. So Matth. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, 2and I will ease you: and 1. John 2.1, 2. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the father, &c. In which and in many other places, the Lord assureth us that he will receive to mercy all repentant sinners, of what nature and quality soever their sins are.