A20752:321
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. 9 So also he useth the help of our own flesh to betray the spirit, and lead us captive into sin; and that so cunningly,1 that we can hardly discern between Satan's suggestions and our own corrupt motions and desires: for being a spirit, he doth not appear in a corporal shape and persuade us to sin with real words, which are conveyed to the heart by the ear, but he cometh to us after a spiritual manner, and suggesteth secretly his temptations into the heart and mind directly and immediately, so as we can seldom distinguish his motions from our own thoughts. For as the spirit of God doth so move us to all virtuous and holy actions, as that in the mean time we would think his motions to be our own godly cogitations,2 but that we are sufficiently instructed out of Gods word, that we cannot of our selves so much as think a good thought unless it proceed from ⟨p. 102⟩God; so much less can we discern between the suggestions of Satan and our own fleshly thoughts, because they are both corrupt and alike wicked. By reason whereof it cometh to pass that Satan wanteth no opportunity of circumventing us, because we can put no difference between his temptations and our own carnal desires: and therefore he having gotten (as it were) our own watchword, we are ready to open the gates of our souls when he offereth to enter, and to yield to his temptations as soon as he assaulteth us; where as no man almost is so outrageously desperate that would wittingly and willingly entertain Satan's suggestions, whom he knoweth to be a common enemy to mankind, continually seeking their destruction, though he should entice him hereunto by offering much riches and great preferments. Yea hence it is that after Satan hath many times deceived and circumvented us, yet cannot we beware of him, nor avoid his deceits. For whereas if a man do give us evil counsel, or any way cousin us, yet after once or twice he come unto us, we can take heed of him, and though he make fair shows of honesty and friendship, we will notwithstanding be very jealous and suspicious least again he overreach us;
§. Sect. 9 So also he vseth the helpe of our owne flesh to betray the spirit, and leade vs captiue into sinne; and that so cunningly,1