A20752:749
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.
CHAP. XXIII. Satan's temptations taken from the evil lives of the Ministers, answered.
CHAP. XXIII. Sathans temptations taken from the euill liues of the Ministers, answered.
§. Sect. 1 And so much concerning the objections which Satan maketh against the Scriptures themselves,1 to the end he may make men neglect to hear and read them. But if this will not prevail, then he leaveth to disgrace the word it self, and seeketh by discrediting the Ministers thereof, to make them to contemn their Ministry; and to this end he useth all his skill to draw them into some gross and scandalous sin, and to neglect that doctrine themselves which they teach unto others, showing in their lives and conversations, neither zeal of Gods glory, nor desire of their neighbours good; and when he hath attained unto his purpose in some, he thinketh it a sufficient ground for the slander of all, and a notable foundation whereupon he may build a most pernicious temptation. Art thou so foolish (will he say) as to think all Gospel which the ministers teach, that all truth cometh from their mouths, & that there is not a more easy way of attaining to everlasting life, then that which they show unto thee? why, do but look upon themselves and thou shalt find their lives far dissonant from their words, that whilst they exhort thee to strictness, they take their liberty, whilst they dissuade thee from taking thy pleasure, affecting ⟨p. 349⟩honours, setting thy heart upon riches, themselves in the mean time are as voluptuous, ambitious, and covetous as any other; and whilst they endeavour to make sin to appear unto thee as black as hell, themselves embrace it with pleasure and delight as though it were the joy of heaven. Who therefore can imagine that they think as they speak, or that they are persuaded that heaven gate is so straight, and the way so troublesome and hard to find, as they go about to persuade thee, seeing themselves take the least pains in walking in this way which they prescribe unto others? Or if it be the truth which they teach, then surely they are not worth the hearing who in their lives deny this truth which in their words they profess; for what hope canst thou have that it will be powerful to work grace in thee, seeing it hath no power to work it in themselves? or that they can persuade thee to that holiness, to which themselves are not persuaded?