A20752:606
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 spirit being assured of everlasting happiness, triumpheth with joy, desiring nothing more than to be dissolved and to be with Christ; the flesh finding it self guilty of sin, and in this respect subject to the anger of God and condemnation, feareth and trembleth to think upon death: The spirit conceiveth of God as of a merciful father in Christ, and in all necessities flieth unto him by hearty prayer; the flesh conceiveth of him as of an angry and severe judge, and therefore flieth from him, desiring rather to seek for help any where else than of the Lord: so that the christian by reason hereof, at the same time findeth in himself opposition between action and action, affection and affection. For at the same instant, while the flesh, having in it the conscience of sin and sense of guiltiness, doth murmur repine and complain upon God, as an enemy which is ready to destroy us; the spirit doth fly unto God by a lively faith, and committeth it self to his providence, will and protection, expecting salvation from him only; which it could never do, if it were ⟨p. 269⟩not assured that we were in his love and favour. And in this the christian may not unfitly be compared to a child, who having been sharply corrected by his father, doth avoid his presence as though he were his enemy; but if at the same time some sudden danger affright him, before all other he runneth to his father for safeguard and protection: so when our heavenly father hath sharply corrected us, either with some outward or inward afflictions, we flee from his presence as though he were our enemy; but when an imminent danger overtaketh us, and we be in peril to be supplanted with satan and his assistants, who are our enemies in deed, then the son-like affection which is wrought in our hearts by Gods spirit, doth move us to run unto him before all other, desiring and craving his aid and assistance.
the spirit being assured of euerlasting happines, triumpheth with ioy, desiring nothing more than to be dissolued and to be with Christ; the flesh finding it selfe guiltie of sinne, and in this respect subiect to the anger of God and condemnation, feareth and trembleth to thinke vpon death: The spirit conceiueth of God as of a mercifull father in Christ, and in all necessities flyeth vnto him by heartie prayer; the flesh conceiueth of him as of an angrie and seuere iudge, and therefore flyeth from him, desiring rather to seeke for helpe any where else than of the Lord: so that the christian by reason hereof, at the same time findeth in himselfe opposition betweene action and action, affection and affection. For at the same instant, while the flesh, hauing in it the conscience of sinne and sense of guiltinesse, doth murmur repine and complaine vpon God, as an enemie which is readie to destroy vs; the spirit doth flie vnto God by a liuely faith, and committeth it selfe to his prouidence, will and protection, expecting saluation from him onely; which it could neuer doe, if it were