A20752:315
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 The fifth thing to be observed in the manner of Satan's fight, ⟨p. 97⟩is,1 that sometimes he setteth upon us immediately in his own person, & sometimes mediately using for his instruments the world & the flesh. Of the first we have an example 1. Chr. 21.1. where it is said that Satan provoked David to number Israel. So Joh. 13.2. the Evangelist showeth that the devil did put in the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Christ. And the Apostle Peter Act. 5.3. telleth Ananias that Satan had filled his heart with his suggestions that he should lie unto the holy Ghost. And thus also he tempted our Saviour Christ immediately forty days together in the wilderness, Mat. 4. When he thus fighteth against us in his own person, he giveth the assault either in his own likeness, or else transformeth himself into an angel of light. When he incountreth us in his own likeness and like a devil indeed, then he doth as it were proclaim open wars, tempting us not only to those sins which, having some appearance of good in them, our corrupt conscience doth approve of, or at least can without any great terror wink at, but also to all outrageous wickedness and hellish impiety, which even a civil worldling would abhor to think of; namely, to Atheism, Idolatry, contempt of all religion, blasphemies against God, perjury, sacrilege, persecuting the known truth, heresy, murder, adultery, and such like: all which at the first sight may easily be discerned to be the suggestions of Satan, because this hellish brood do resemble their wicked father in their very countenance and outward appearance. And therefore Satan who subdueth more with the serpents wiles than with the lions force, doth seldom use this fight against any which have but the civill restraining grace of God, unless he entice them thereunto by degrees (as before I have showed) or except he find them exceeding ignorant, to the end he may make them believe that his suggestions are their own thoughts; but he practiseth these temptations, for the most part, against those who have even sold themselves to work wickedness, having their hearts hardened and consciences seared with their customable sinning.