A20752:166
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. 3 And thus you see the puissant power of this our spiritual enemy; but though he were strong, 1yet if withal he were a dastard and void of courage, he were the less to be feared; but as he is very strong, so also he is exceeding desperate and audacious, for there was never man that lived, whom he durst not encounter, yea and that after (by Gods assistance) he had taken many overthrows. Though David were a most holy man and according to Gods own hart, yet he assaulted him, and gave him divers foils, by tempting him to adultery, murder, and in pride of heart to number the people. Though Job was by Gods own testimony the justest man on earth, and therefore the best armed with the breast-plate of righteousness, yet Satan durst encounter him as long as God would suffer him. He resisted Jehoshua the good high Priest, Zach. 3.1. He buffeted Paul the chosen vessel of the Lord,2 ⟨p. 26⟩2. Cor. 12.7.3 Yea so venturous he is, that he assaulted our first parents in the state of innocency, when they were armed with free will, and might if they would have resisted his temptations. Nay, so desperately audacious is this our enemy, that he durst encounter our grand Captain Christ Jesus, who was God and man able to destroy him with a word of his mouth; and that not once but many times, after he was shamefully foiled and overthrown: yea so insolent and fool-hardy he is, that he did not only assault him here on earth when he was in the shape of a servant, and whereas in respect of his outward state he might have some hope of prevailing; but also he wageth war against him in heaven, sitting at the right hand of his father in all glory, power and majesty, when as he hath no appearance of hope to prevail, but is most sure that he shall have the overthrow. And this appeareth Apoc. 12.7.4