A20752:1272
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. 5 And so much concerning the first question;1 the second is whether the christian man may fall into presumptuous sins, and if he do, whether they be pardonable or no. For the first, though it must needs be confessed that it is a fearful case, to neglect Gods justice and judgements because of his long suffering, or to take occasion upon the abundance of Gods mercies and readiness to forgive, to provoke him continually by our sins; yet it cannot be denied, but that a true christian, through the strength of his inbred corruptions, may fall into these presumptuous sins; neither is there any privilege in the holy Scriptures to exempt them from any sin whatsoever, but that either before or after their conversion they may fall into it, saving only that unpardonable sin which is committed against the holy Ghost. Moreover, David prayeth the Lord to keep him from presumptuous sins, 2and that he would not suffer them to reign over him, Psalm. 19.13. where first he showeth that of himself he was apt to fall into such sins, if the Lord did not preserve him from them; and secondly he implieth, that the Lord might for good causes known unto himself, suffer him to commit these sins of presumption, and therefore he further prayeth that if he should fall into such sins, it would please the Lord to raise him by true repentance, and not suffer them to rule and reign in him. So that it appeareth that a true christian may fall into these sins: now, that having fallen he may rise again by true repentance, and receive pardon and forgiveness, it is likewise manifest. For if once the Lord receive us into the covenant of grace, and acknowledge us for his children, then nothing in the world, no not the most grievous sins which we can fall into, can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,3 as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 8.38, 29. Secondly, our Saviour telleth us, that every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men upon true repentance,4 saving only the blasphemy ⟨p. 651⟩