A20752:756
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.
It may be also that these who teach one thing and practise the clean contrary,1 do notwithstanding believe, that is, know and give their assent to that which they deliver; but this general faith is incident as well to the devils themselves as unto men, and therefore those who have it may nevertheless be as worldly, carnal, and profane as ever they were; for before we attain unto a true justifying faith, and be sanctified by Gods spirit, our knowledge and learning will not free us from our corruption of nature, wherein we are conceived borne and bred; and therefore though we see the truth, yea know and acknowledge it to be the word of God, which shall one day either justify or condemn us, yet if the Lord do not join with this knowledge the inward operation of his spirit, making it effectual for our sanctification, and for the purging of us from our corruptions, we are as ready to fall into all sin, being enticed ⟨p. 351⟩and carried away with the riches, honours and pleasures of the world, as if we were still most sottishly ignorant. A notable example hereof we have in Solomon, who though he had received such a measure of wisdom and divine knowledge,2 as never mere man attained unto the like, yea though he were a penman of an excellent portion of holy Scriptures, yet the Lord leaving him to the corruption of his own heart, he fell most grievously into all abominable wickedness: and yet who will dare to say, that Solomon did not write as he thought, and not rather that he was carried away through the violence of his corruptions, to commit that sin which his conscience condemned, and to neglect obedience to Gods undoubted truth? So David who was endued with notable knowledge and no less grace, fell notwithstanding most fearfully into adultery and murder; but shall we therefore think that he was not persuaded that these were horrible sins, or that when he commended mercy, innocency and chastity, he spake not as he thought? And Peter likewise denied and forswore his master, whom before he had acknowledged to be the son of God; but shall we hence conclude that Peter dissembled when he made that notable confession, because when he came to the trial he utterly disclaimed it?
It may bee also that these who teach one thing and practise the cleane contrarie,