A20752:1277
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 thus have I answered Satan's temptations drawn from these sins which the weak christian hath fallen into;1 but if he cannot so prevail, then he will falsely accuse them of those sins which they never committed, and especially of that unpardonable sin against the holy Ghost, taking advantage of their ignorance, that so he may plunge them into desperation, and utterly discourage them from going forward in the course of godliness. The which his temptation is so usual and common, that there is scarce any who are exercised in this spiritual warfare, if they be converted unto God out of their ignorance, whom he doth not encounter with this weapon. For as much therefore as ignorance is the chief ground of this temptation, therefore the best means to strengthen our selves against it, is to know what this sin is, which if we once understand, there is no danger of being foiled in this assault.
§. Sect. 1 ANd thus haue I answered Sathans temptations drawne from these sinnes which the weake christian hath fallen into;1 but if he cannot so preuaile, then he will falsely accuse them of those sinnes which they neuer committed, and especially of that vnpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost, taking aduantage of their ignorance, that so he may plunge them into desperation, and vtterly discourage them from going forward in the course of godlinesse. The which his temptation is so vsuall and common, that there is scarce any who are exercised in this spirituall warfare, if they be conuerted vnto God out of their ignorance, whom he doth not encounter with this weapon. For as much therefore as ignorance is the chiefe ground of this temptation, therefore the best meanes to strengthen our selues against it, is to know what this sinne is, which if we once vnderstand, there is no daunger of being foyled in this assault.
- 1Of the sin against the holy Ghost.Of the sinne against the holy Ghost.