A20752:520
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.
in a word it is only this spirit which restrained us from the evil, which naturally we love, and provoketh us to embrace that good, which through natural corruption we loth and abhor: if therefore sin grow unpleasant unto us, and virtue and true godliness delightful, we may be assured that this is the work of Gods spirit dwelling in us. Would we then be assured that we are endued with the spirit of God? why then let us consider if our eyes blinded with ignorance are enlightened in any good measure, with the knowledge of Gods truth; if our souls polluted with the filth of sin, are purged in some sort from our corruptions; if our cold hearts are inflamed with the zeal of Gods glory and the love of our brethren; if our hearts more hard than adamant, and more inflexible than steel, are softened and made obsequious to Gods will; and if the other members of our body, which were benumbed and as it were taken with a dead palsy, be made nimble and active in the works of holiness and righteousness; if we feel a fight and combat between the flesh and the spirit, the one striving to lead us captive unto sin, the other resisting and drawing us out of this captivity; if the sins which heretofore we have loved, be now loathsome unto us, and the virtues▪ which we have abhorred be delightful and pleasant; and then we may assure our selves that it is the light of Gods spirit which hath shined upon us, it is this heavenly water which hath washed us, it is this divine fire which hath inflamed us, it is this precious oil that hath mollified and softened us, it is this champion of the Lord of hosts which maketh war against our traitorous flesh, and subdueth the lusts thereof; in a word it can be nothing but Gods spirit, which makes us hate that sin which naturally we so dearly love, and to love virtue and godliness which by nature is loathsome and bitter unto us.
in a word it is onely this spirit which restrained vs from the euill, which naturally we loue, and prouoketh vs to imbrace that good, which through naturall corruption we loth and abhorre: if therefore sinne growe vnpleasant vnto vs, and vertue and true godlinesse delightfull, we may be assured that this is the worke of Gods spirit dwelling in vs. Would we then be assured that we are indued with the spirit of God? why then let vs consider if our eyes blinded with ignorance are inlightned in any good measure, with the knowledge of Gods truth; if our soules polluted with the filth of sinne, are purged in some sort from our corruptions; if our cold hearts are inflamed with the zeale of Gods glorie and the loue of our brethren; if our hearts more hard than adamant, and more inflexible than steele, are softened and made obsequious to Gods will; and if the other members of our body, which were benummed and as it were taken with a dead paulsie, be made nimble and actiue in the workes of holinesse and righteousnesse; if we feele a fight and combate betweene the flesh and the spirit, the one striuing to leade vs captiue vnto sinne, the other resisting and drawing vs out of this captiuitie; if the sins which heretofore we haue loued, be now lothsome vnto vs, and the vertues which we haue abhorred be delightfull and pleasant; and then we may assure our selues that it is the light of Gods spirit which hath shined vpon vs, it is this heauenly water which hath washed vs, it is this diuine fire which hath inflamed vs, it is this precious oyle that hath mollified and foftned vs, it is this champion of the Lord of hosts which maketh warre against our trayterous flesh, and subdueth the lusts thereof; in a word it can be nothing but Gods spirit, which makes vs hate that sinne which naturally we so dearely loue, and to loue vertue and godlinesse which by nature is lothsome and bitter vnto vs.