A20752:928
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. 3 Thirdly the afflicted soul may gather assurance of the remission of sins from the contrary testimony of the devil.1 For when there is any suggestion cast into our minds which is repugnant to the word of God and the testimony of Gods spirit in the hearts of the faithful, we may assure our selves that it is the speech of Satan or of our corrupt flesh the messenger of Satan both which come to one end; but those motives and suggestions, that God will not receive us to mercy, that our sins are unpardonable, that we are reprobates and castaways, that now it is too late to turn unto God, proceed not from Gods spirit, for they are quite contrary to that which the scriptures teach us, namely that the mercies of God are infinite, and he always ready to receive us to grace when we turn unto him; that if we will earnestly ⟨p. 463⟩repent and in the mediation of Christ sue for mercy, he will make our scarlet sins as white as snow, that it is never to late to turn unto God, for if we repent he hath promised to remit our sins, and to receive us into his favour. Neither are we to imagine that the testimony of Gods spirit in our consciences is contrary to the testimony of the same spirit in the holy scriptures, and therefore seeing these suggestions are flatly repugnant to the word of God and testimony of the spirit, we are to assure our selves that they are the temptations of Satan, either immediately suggested by himself or mediately by his messenger our corrupt flesh.
§. Sect. 3 Thirdly the afflicted soule may gather assurance of the remission of sinnes from the contrarie testimonie of the diuel.1 For when ther is any suggestion cast into our mindes which is repugnant to the word of God and the testimonie of Gods spirit in the heartes of the faithfull, we may assure our selues that it is the speech of Sathan or of our corrupt fleshe the messenger of Sathan both which come to one end; but those motiues and suggestions, that God will not receiue vs to mercie, that our sinnes are vnpardonable, that wee are reprobates and castawayes, that now it is too late to turne vnto God, proceed not from Gods spirit, for they are quite contrarie to that which the scriptures teach vs, namely that the mercies of God are infinite, and hee alwaies readie to receiue vs to grace when we turne vnto him; that if we wil earnestly