A20752:926
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.
§. Sect. 2 Secondly the afflicted soul labouring under sin may receive no small assurance by the testimony of Gods faithful ministers;1 for the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed unto them, and they have power given them of God here on earth to bind and loose; not as though they could by their own authority and in their own name give pardon of sins to whom they list (as the papists teach and practise, for this is proper and peculiar unto God alone, as even the Pharisees well knew whereof it was, that seeing our Saviour Christ take upon him to forgive sins whom they imagined to be a mere man, they affirmed that he blasphemed. For who (say they can forgive sin but God only) but they have authority given them of God upon due examination and trial of their faith by the fruits thereof unfeigned repentance, certainly to declare and pronounce unto them that their sins are forgiven. Whosoever therefore have this testimony of Gods faithful ministers who are well acquainted with their estates given unto them, they may assure themselves that it is undoubtedly true and most certain; for who is it that dare oppose himself and contradict the testimony of Gods spirit in the mouth of so many his faithful ambassadors? who dare be so presumptuous as to take upon him the discerning of his state better then the ministers of God, who being appointed of God to this function are endued with a great measure of his spirit, whereby they are enabled to discern and judge of mens estates better then they themselves? for he that is spiritual discerneth all things, ⟨p. 462⟩and is made acquainted with the mind of Christ, as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor 2.15.16.
§. Sect. 2 Secondly the afflicted soule labouring vnder sinne may receiue no small assurance by the testimonie of Gods faithfull ministers;1 for the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed vnto them, and they haue power giuen them of God here on earth to bind and loose; not as though they could by their owne authoritie and in their owne name giue pardon of sinnes to whom they list (as the papists teach and practise, for this is proper and peculiar vnto God alone, as euen the Pharises well knew whereof it was, that seeing our Sauiour Christ take vpon him to forgiue sinnes whom they imagined to bee a meere man, they affirmed that he blasphemed. For who (say they can forgiue sinne but God onely) but they haue authoritie giuen them of God vpon due examination and tryall of their faith by the fruites thereof vnfained repentance, certainely to declare and pronounce vnto them that their sinnes are forgiuen. Whosoeuer therefore haue this testimonie of Gods faithful ministers who are well acquainted with their estates giuen vnto thē, they may assure themselues that it is vndoubtedly true and most certaine; for who is it that dare oppose himselfe and contradict the testimonie of Gods spirite in the mouth of so many his faithfull ambassadours? who dare bee so presumptuous as to take vppon him the discerning of his state better then the ministers of God, who being appointed of God to this function are indued with a great measure of his spirit, whereby they are inabled to discerne and iudge of mens estates better then they themselues? for he that is spiritual discerneth all things,