A20752:985
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. 4 Fourthly whereas others complain that their minds are carried away with worldly distractions and wandering imaginations when they are making their prayers unto God;1 they are to know that this befalleth also even the dearest children of God, partly through their own corruption, and partly through the malice of Satan who laboureth most to interrupt us in those holy exercises which he knoweth most profitable and effectual for our salvation. Whereof it cometh to pass that though divers hours together we can talk of worldly affairs and hear the speech of others without any distraction of mind, or thinking of any thing but of the subject of our present speech, yet when we hear God speak unto us in the preaching of the word, or when we speak unto God in prayer and supplication, our minds wander hither and thither though we strive never so much to contain them, because through our natural corruption we are soon weary of these holy exercises, and Satan is still at hand to suggest into our minds wandering thoughts in which we take most delight, but this should not discourage us from taking in hand these holy actions, but rather the consideration hereof should strongly move and provoke us to more ⟨p. 501⟩earnestness care and diligence so as Satan may not prevail against us; & if notwithstanding sometimes nay often we receive a foil, let it be an occasion to move us to take the more pains & to make a double request unto God, not only that he will grant unto us those things which we desire, but also that for Christs sake he will pardon our sins & infirmities in that we have begged them so coldly and negligently.
§. Sect. 4 Fourthly whereas others complaine that their mindes are carried away with worldly distractions and wandring imaginations when they are making their prayers vnto God;1 they are to knowe that this befalleth also euen the dearest children of God, partly through their owne corruption, and partly through the malice of Sathan who laboureth most to interrupt vs in those holy excercises which hee knoweth most profitable and effectuall for our saluation. Whereof it commeth to passe that though diuers howers togeather we can talke of worldly affaires and heare the speech of others without any distractiō of mind, or thinking of any thing but of the subiect of our present speach, yet when we heare God speak vnto vs in the preaching of the word, or whē we speak vnto God in prayer and supplication, our mindes wander hether and thether though wee striue neuer so much to containe them, because through our natural corruption wee are soone wearie of these holy excercises, and Sathan is still at hand to suggest into our minds wandring thoughts in which we take most delight, but this should not discourage vs from taking in hand these holy actions, but rather the consideration hereof should strongly moue and prouoke vs to more