A20752:1270
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. 4 But here the tempter will object,1 that though these sins against knowledge and conscience be not presumptuous, yet they are unpardonable, seeing the committers of them have no part in Christs sacrifice, and consequently can hope for no mercy at Gods hands: and this he will endeavour to prove by that saying of the Apostle,2 Hebr. 10.26. For if we sin willingly after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there nemaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful looking for of judgement &c. For the answering whereof, we are to know, that the Apostle in his doctrine is not contrary to our Saviour Christ: but he hath taught us, that not only ⟨p. 649⟩sins against knowledge are pardonable upon true repentance, but even horrible blasphemies against the majesty of God, yea, all sins whatsoever saving the sin against the holy Ghost. Matth. 12.31, 32. Secondly,3 we know by experience, that both David and Peter fell grievously against their knowledge and conscience, wittingly, and in a sort willingly, and yet they both repented and were received to mercy: and therefore the Apostle speaketh not of all kind of voluntary falling, but first of sin committed with full consent of will, pleasure, and delight: the which kind of sins are never committed by Gods children after their true conversion; for as they are in part carnal and unregenerate, so are they in part spiritual and regenerate, which is to be understood; not only of the understanding part, but also of the will and affections. So far forth therefore as their will is regenerate, they do not will nor yield unto sin; and though they consent unto sin, yet this consent is not absolute and entire, but with some dislike, grudging, and resistance of the spiritual part; the which dislike and resistance, though sometimes it cannot easily be discerned in the very act of sin, whereas the weak motions of the spirit are violently overborne, through the violent strength of their natural corruptions, and so overshadowed by the cloudy mists which their unruly passions cast before their understā ding, that they cannot at all perceive any dislike or resistance against the temptation: