A20752:345
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. 6 Eighthly,1 if we would withstand all Satan's temptations, we must avoid two extremes, the one to despise them, the other too deeply to apprehend and too greatly to fear them. For if we securely contemn Satan's temptations, we will never arm and prepare our selves to make resistance, and so he will overcome us before we be aware; if we take them too much to hart continually meditating upon their strength and violence, and upon our own infirmity and weakness, they will fill us with fear, and plunge us into despair; if we despise the temptation, Satan will easily subdue us: for there is no enemy so weak and feeble which will not prevail against those who securely contemn them, though exceeding mighty; because they neglect all means of their preservation, and never stand upon their guard for their defence; and therefore much more will Satan prevail against us, if we regard not his temptations, he being strong and mighty, and we feeble and weak. On the other side if we so fear his temptations as that we despair of victory, Satan shall not need to fight against us, for we will overcome our selves, fainting before the fight, and casting away our weapons as soon as Satan doth but muster his forces and march against us. And therefore let us so much ⟨p. 114⟩fear the temptations, as that we do not securely contemn them; and not so much fear them as that we should despair of victory: let us fear them so much as that thereby we be stirred up with more care & diligence to resist and overcome them; but not so much as that we should cowardly faint, distrusting Gods help: let us fear them in respect of our weakness and their violence, but let us boldly strive against them, trusting in Gods almighty power & merciful promises of his aide and assistance, being hereby assured of certain victory.
§. Sect. 6 Eightly,1 if we would withstand al Sathans temptations, we must auoyde two extreames, the one to despise them, the other too deepely to apprehend and too greatly to feare them. For if we securely contemne Sathans temptations, we will neuer arme and prepare our selues to make resistance, and so he will ouercome vs before we be aware; if we take them too much to hart continually meditating vpon their strength and violence, and vpon our owne infirmitie and weaknesse, they will fill vs with feare, and plunge vs into despaire; if we despise the temptation, Sathan will easily subdue vs: for there is no enemie so weake and feeble which will not preuaile against those who securely contemne them, though exceeding mightie; because they neglect all meanes of their preseruation, and neuer stand vpon their guard for their defence; and therefore much more will Sathan preuaile against vs, if wee regard not his temptations, hee being strong and mightie, and we feeble and weake. On the other side if we so feare his temptations as that we despaire of victorie, Sathan shall not neede to fight against vs, for we will ouercome our selues, fainting before the fight, and casting away our weapons as soone as Sathan doth but muster his forces and march against vs. And therefore let vs so much