A20752:1013
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 The third degree is a hungering desire after grace, that is not only to be made partakers of Gods mercy,1 and Christs merits and righteousness by which we are justified, reconciled unto God, and receive the pardon and remission of all our sins, but also after the means and instrumental causes whereby the assurance of Gods mercy and Christs merits is derived unto us, namely true faith and unfeigned repentance, and the rest of the graces of Gods sanctifying spirit. The which desire of grace is the beginning of grace, neither can we desire it till in some measure it be wrought in us; for regeneration and sanctification is begun at the same time in all the parts and faculties of our bodies and fowls, so that he who is truly regenerate many faculty or part, is also regenerate in the whole man. And therefore whosoever hath his will renewed and sanctified to desire that which is good, is also sanctified and renewed in his understanding, affections, and in all the powers and faculties of body and soul. Moreover (as before I have delivered at large) our desire of grace, faith, and repentance, are the graces themselves which we desire, at least in Gods acceptation, who accepteth of the will for the deed, and of our affections for the actions. And therefore if we earnestly desire to repent & believe, we do repent and believe in Gods sight: and the Lord hath made the like gracious promises to this earnest desire of grace, which he hath made to those who find themselves plentifully ⟨p. 517⟩endued with the graces themselves. So Matth. 5.6. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. So the virgin Mary saith in her song, Luk. 1.53.2 That the Lord filleth the hungry with good things, and sendeth away the rich empty. And our Saviour Christ calleth unto him such as thus hunger and thirst, promising that he will satisfy them. John 7.37. Revel. 21.6