A20752:966
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.
Yea in truth this kind of hardness of hart is incident ⟨p. 489⟩unto them alone. For whilst men are worldly and carnal though their harts are most hard and obdurate yet they do not discern it, neither are they any whit displeased with their estate, but fondly flatter themselves imagining that they are in exceeding good case and very devout in Gods service which indeed (as they perform it) is merely formal, customable rather then conscionable, in show and external but not in spirit and truth; but when the Lord by the ministry of his word made effectual by the inward operation of his holy spirit, doth pull of the thick skin of carnal security from of their hearts and causeth the seals of ignorance to fall from their eyes, then and not before do they plainly discern and sensibly feel that huge mass of inbred corruption, their dullness and drowsiness in Gods service, their hardness of hart and impenitency, and now they are much vexed and grieved with them, which in former times never troubled them. And therefore let not such be dismayed nor debar their souls of that consolation which of right belongeth to them, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this their corruption, hardness of hart, dullness and deadness in Gods service but the good spirit of God, which hath begun already to work in them, showing them their corruptions and moving them to an unfeigned dislike of them, and therefore they may assure themselves, that he who hath begun this good work in them, will also bring it in his good time to perfection: Only (as the Psalmist exhorteth,) Let them tarry the Lords leisure, 1wait upon and trust in him and he shall comfort their hearts.
Yea in truth this kind of hardnesse of hart is incident ⟨p. 489⟩vnto them alone. For whilest men are worldly and carnall though their harts are most hard and obdurate yet they doe not discerne it, neither are they any whit displeased with their estate, but fondly flatter themselues imagining that they are in exceeding good case and very deuout in Gods seruice which indeed (as they perfourme it) is meerely formall, customable rather then conscionable, in shew and externall but not in spirit and truth; but when the Lord by the ministery of his word made effectuall by the inward operation of his holy spirit, doth pull of the thicke skinne of carnall securitie from of their hearts and causeth the seales of ignorance to fall from their eyes, then and not before doe they plainely discerne and sensibly feele that huge masse of inbred corruption, their dulnesse and drowsinesse in Gods seruice, their hardnesse of hart and impaenitencie, and now they are much vexed and grieued with them, which in former times neuer troubled them. And therefore let not such be dismaied nor debarre their soules of that cōsolation which of right belongeth to them, for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this their corruption, hardnesse of hart, dulnesse and deadnesse in Gods seruice but the good spirit of God, which hath begunne already to worke in them, shewing them their corruptions and moouing them to an vnfained dislike of them, and therefore they may assure themselues, that he who hath begunne this good worke in them, will also bring it in his good time to perfection: Onely (as the Psalmist exhorteth,) Let them tarrie the Lords leasure,