A20752:997
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 The third sign of true repentance is,1 when our conversion from sin unto God is not deferred in whole or in part from time to time but presently undertaken: neither is it sufficient to vow repentance unto God or to purpose it for the time to come, but we must presently endeavour and labour in it; it is not enough that we subdue some sins now and perform obedience unto some of the commandments, purposing to labour after more perfection when we have better opportunity, but we must presently labour and endeavour to perform obedience not to some, but to all Gods commandments, and we must out of hand set upon all our sins and labour to mortify all our corruptions, for if the whole body of sin be not beaten down and subdued together, that which still liveth in us, will give life again unto that which is mortified, that which is still retained in the hart, will open a wide door to let in that which is expelled. And so we shall but take in hand an endless and fruitless work, if we do not set aside all excuses, and instantly labour to destroy the whole body of sin, breaking through all difficulties and impediments, for we shall never want hinderances in these holy actions, and excuses for want of fit occasion and convenient opportunity, will continually offer themselves unto us, and therefore he that will not turn wholly unto God, till he have a clear passage & plain way free from all thorme distractions which pull him back, and worldly incumbrances, which like blocks lying before him hinder him in his journey, may as well resolve to sit still and never return unto God by unfeigned repentance.
§. Sect. 3 The third signe of true repentance is,1 when our conuersion from sinne vnto God is not deferred in whole or in part from time to time but presently vndertaken: neither is it sufficient to vow repentance vnto God or to purpose it for the time to come, but wee must presently indeauour and labour in it; it is not inough that wee subdue some sinnes now and perfourme obedience vnto some of the commaundemēts, purposing to labour after more perfectiō whē we haue better opportunitie, but wee must presently labour and indeauour to perfourme obedience not to some, but to all Gods commaundements, and we must out of hand set vpon all our sinnes and labour to mortifie all our corruptions, for if the whole body of sinne be not beaten downe and subdued together, that which still liueth in vs, will giue life againe vnto that which is mortified, that which is still retained in the hart, will open a wide dore to let in that which is expelled. And so wee shall but take in hand an endlesse and fruitlesse worke, if wee doe not set aside all excuses, and instantly labour to destroy the whole body of sinne, breaking through all difficulties and impediments, for we shall neuer want hinderances in these holy actions, and excuses for want of fit occasion and conuenient opportunitie, will continually offer themselues vnto vs, and therefore he that will not turne wholly vnto God, till he haue a cleare passage & plaine way free from all thorme distractions which pull him backe, and worldly incumbrances, which like blocks lying before him hinder him in his iourney, may as well resolue to sit still and neuer returne vnto God by vnfained repentance.