A20752:1002
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.
And so much concerning the signs of true repentance, which if after due examination we can find in our selves, we may be assured that we are truly penitent; nay I will say more for the comfort of all humbled sinners if after diligent search they find not in their own sense and feeling these signs of true repentance in them at all or at least in very small measure, yet if they earnestly desire and sincerely endeavour to attain unto true repentance using those good means ordained of God for this purpose, they may assure themselves that they have truly repented in the sight of God who accepteth of the will for the deed and of the affection for the action, as before I have showed.
And so much concerning the signes of true repentāce, which if after due examination wee can finde in our selues, we may be assured that we are truely paenitent; nay I will say more for the comfort of all humbled sinners if after diligent search they find not in their owne sense and feeling these signes of true repentance in them at al or at least in very smal measure, yet if they earnestly desire and sencerely indeuour to attaine vnto true repentance vsing those good meanes ordained of God for this purpose, they may assure themselues that they haue truely repented in the sight of God who accepteth of the will for the deed and of the affection for the action, as before I haue shewed.
§. Sect. 6 And thus may we repel the tentation of Satan and receive comfort unto our own souls when he laboureth to persuade us that our repentance is not true and unfeigned,1 but false and hypocritical: but if the tempter cannot thus prevail, in the next place he will tell us that our repentance though if be true yet it is not sufficient, neither is there any proportion between our small repentance and our great sins as Gods justice doth require, To which we must answer that the remission of our sins and reconciliation with God, dependeth not upon the dignity or quantity of our repentance, but upon the righteousness and full satisfaction of our Saviour Jesus Christ; neither do we repent to the end that thereby we may in whole or in part satisfy for our sins; for though it could be imagined that the whole substance of our bodies should be resolved into tears, yet would they not all of them satisfy and appease Gods wrath for one breach of any of his commandments, neither is it the water of our eyes no nor yet the blood of our harts wounded deeply with sorrow, which will purge us from our sins either in respect of the guilt, punishment, or corruptions themselves, but it is the water and blood which flowed from our crucified Lord which cleanseth our guilty souls from the filthy spots of sin, being applied unto us