A20752:292
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.
neither is it possible to be free from temptations, although it be possible by Gods grace to resist them. But more of this hereafter.
§. Sect. 7 If by this means he cannot overthrow their faith & bring them to despair,1 then he taketh advantage of their simplicity, by enticing them to commit sins of ignorance. For example, he will tell them that it is lawful, nay expedient to use their Christian liberty, when he tempteth them to licentiousness; and to the end he may more easily deceive them, he will set a fair gloss upon foul sins, and seek to justify them by Gods word, apparelling vices in the habit of those virtues which most resemble them. He will tempt to covetousness, under show of frugality, telling them that they who provide not for their family are worse than Infidels; and to prodigality, under the pretence of liberality, alleging that they who sow plentifully shall reap plentifully. He will allure them to tempt God, by neglecting those means which he hath granted them, under the colour of affiance in God; and to trust in the means, under the visor of careful providence. He will tempt them to propound this end of their good works, that they may be saved by them, because God hath promised to reward them; or to neglect good works, as unnecessary to salvation, because faith alone justifieth. Which temptations if we would withstand, we must labour after true saving knowledge that we may discern between virtue and vice, truth and error, that which God hath forbidden as unlawful, from that which he hath commanded as lawful; to this end using diligently all good means which tend to this purpose, as hearing, reading, meditating, and conferring of Gods word, that so the clouds of ignorance being dispelled with the light of knowledge, we may discover Satan's delusions and deceits. Otherwise if he deprive us of knowledge, which is the eye of the soul, he may easily seduce us out of the right way into the gulf of perdition.
§. Sect. 7 If by this meanes he cannot ouerthrow their faith & bring them to despaire,1