A20752:217
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.
CHAP. XI. Of the breast-plate of righteousness, and Gospel of peace.
CHAP. XI. Of the breast-plate of righteousnes, and Gospell of peace.
§. Sect. 1 The second part of our armour is the breast-plate of righteousness; whereby we are to understand a good conscience, true sanctification and a godly life, which also we are to put on according to the example of our grand Captain Christ. Esa. 59.17. He put on righteousness as an habergeon, 1and an helmet of salvation upon ⟨p. 52⟩his head. 2And then shall not Satan's darts pierce us, so long as we are armed with a good conscience, and a godly and innocent life. Yea as long as our breasts and hearts are armed with righteousness, though our other members fall into sin, our wounds shall not be mortal: for as the breast-plate doth defend the breast and vital parts of a soldier, so the study and holy endeavour of a Christian to live in righteousness and true sanctification, doth so arm his mind, that Satan cannot deadly wound the heart with any of his temptations. True it is that the Saints do receive wounds and foils, when as Satan hath drawn them to commit sin, but they are not wounded at the heart, because they do not sin with full consent of will; for they allow not that which they do, neither do they what they would, but what they hate, and they delight in the law of God concerning the inner man,3 when the flesh leadeth them captive to the law of sin. And hence it is that Paul saith he did not transgress Gods law,4 but sin that dwelled in him,