A20752:813
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. XXIX. Of the fifth Motive which is that our delay will bring more sorrow or utter destruction.
CHAP. XXIX. Of the fift Motiue which is that our delay will bringe more sorrowe or vtter destruction.
§. Sect. 1 The fifth argument to persuade us to speedy repentance and turning unto God,1 is that by our delay either we prepare more matter for our own sorrow and grief, or else treasure up for our selves a more fearful measure of wrath against the day of wrath; for if the best happen that we can hope for, or imagine, it is that we truly repent us of our sins without which, there is no forgiveness, and what is this repentance, but an hearty sorrow, and bitter grief, for our sins past, and an earnest desire and endeavour of forsaking them in time to come? and therefore seeing whatsoever pleasure we have taken in sinning we must after loose it in sorrowing for sin, seeing our laughing must end in weeping, and our honey be turned into gall, and wormwood, let us break off our sins betimes, by unfeigned repentance, and not heap up matter of more grief, let not our minds so much dote to taste of the honey which sin bringeth in the mouth, as that we forget the poison which it carrieth in the tail; let us not be so eager in drinking of this poison of sin, though it be sweet and pleasant to the taste, remembering that it is deadly in operation if it be not (as it were) cast up again by unfeigned repentance; let not our gluttonous appetites cause us to surfeit on the pleasures of sin, seeing the present delight will not countervail the future pain, when as being sick in sin, and tormented in conscience, we shall vomit that with grief, which we have eaten with pleasure, finding more bitterness in the casting up, then sweetness when we swallowed it down. But this is the best which can befall us, for if we do not thus heartily sorrow for our sins, but still live in them with pleasure and delight, then do we nothing else but heap up judgement, and punishments, which shall one day be poured upon us in full measure, and fill up the vials of Gods wrath, till being filled up to the brim, he will pour them out upon our one heads. And this the Apostle plainly showeth.