A20752:604
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.
The like may be said of our hope, zeal, joy in the holy Ghost, and other graces, when they are most foiled by the corruption of the flesh which fight against them, so as they cannot possibly exercise their own actions and functions, yet do they not receive any carnal properties, nor loose any of their own, but retain still their own nature, which again manifesteth it self when the assault is ended. Even as fire covered over with ashes retaineth still his own nature of light and heat, though then by reason of the ashes the light be not seen, nor the heat felt; but when the ashes are removed and new matter added unto it, then it shineth and burneth and heateth as much as it did before: so when the graces of Gods spirit are covered (as it were) under the ashes of our corruption, they are not discerned by their properties and effects; but when the corruptions are removed by virtue of Gods spirit, and the graces nourished with hearing of the word, prayer, holy conferences, and such like spiritual exercises, as it were with new matter added unto them, then do they again shine in their brightness, and exercise their wonted strength in all good duties to God and our neighbour.
The like may be said of our hope, zeale, ioy in the holy Ghost, and other graces, when they are most foyled by the corruption of the flesh which fight against them, so as they cannot possibly exercise their owne actions and functions, yet doe they not receiue any carnall properties, nor loose any of their owne, but retaine still their owne nature, which againe manifesteth it selfe when the assault is ended. Euen as fire couered ouer with ashes retaineth still his owne nature of light and heate, though then by reason of the ashes the light be not seene, nor the heate felt; but when the ashes are remooued and new matter added vnto it, then it shineth and burneth and heateth as much as it did before: so when the graces of Gods spirit are couered (as it were) vnder the ashes of our corruption, they are not discerned by their properties and effects; but when the corruptions are remooued by vertue of Gods spirit, and the graces nourished with hearing of the word, prayer, holy conferences, and such like spirituall exercises, as it were with new matter added vnto them, then doe they againe shine in their brightnesse, and exercise their wonted strength in all good duties to God and our neighbour.