A20752:591
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 And like unto these,1 is that which they allege to the same purpose, Act. 8.22. where Peter exhorteth Simon Magus to repent of his wickedness, and to pray unto God, that if peradventure the wicked thought of his heart might be forgiven him. To which I answer, first, that the original word [Greek or Hebrew], which is translated, if peradventure, and in our Bibles, if it be possible, sometimes also signifieth, that truly, and in this sense it maketh nothing for doubting. Secondly, though we understand it as a speech of doubting, yet it maketh not for their purpose; for it is not to be referred unto God, as though it were doubtful whether he would forgive the sins of the Magician, if he did truly repent and call upon him; for he hath certainly assured us by his gracious promise, that whosoever truly repenteth him of his wicked ways,2 he will receive him to mercy, Ezech. 33.11. But it is to be referred to Simon Magus, of whose repentance and lively faith Peter might well doubt, least either they would be none at all, or else feigned and hypocritical, seeing his heart was not right in the sight of God, but in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. Lastly, though it should be a doubtful speech and be referred also to God, yet it maketh ⟨p. 259⟩nothing against the certainty of faith; for the Apostle seeing him in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity, thought it not fit to raise him up suddenly, by applying unto him the sweet promises of the Gospel, nor to cast those precious pearls before such a filthy swine, unless first he preserved them as it were in the casket of a doubtful and perplexed speech, from being trampled under his bemired feet, till he had washed them in the tears of unfeigned repentance. Moreover, he thus doubtfully speaketh to give him a more clear insight of the heinousness of his sin, as though it might be well doubted of, whether the Lord would forgive it or no, that so his mind hereby being least perplexed, might by the consideration of his horrible sin be beaten down and truly humbled;
§. Sect. 9 And like vnto these,