A20752:1034
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.
CHAP. XLIIII. How the weak Christian is to comfort himself, when he is deprived of the sense of faith, and sensibly feeleth the contrary corruptions.
CHAP. XLIIII. How the weake Christian is to comfort himselfe, when he is depriued of the sense of faith, and sensibly feeleth the contrary corruptions.
§. Sect. 1 But thou wilt say how is it possible that my soul should receive any comfort,1 or that I should preserve my self from falling into utter desperation, seeing I cannot feel in me any good thing, nor discern any spark of grace? what hope remaineth when as I plainly discern in steed of faith, doubting and infidelity, in stead of the love of God, hatred and rebellion, in stead of zeal, coldness and drowsy dullness, and in stead of all sanctifying graces, nothing else but a heavy mass of filthy corruptions? I answer that when thou hast no comfort in thy present sense, and feeling then ⟨p. 530⟩thou must call to thy remembrance the times past, in which thou hast by faith apprehended Gods love, mercy, and goodness towards thee, and brought forth the fruits of thy faith in the works of holiness, appertaining to Gods service and the works of Christian righteousness belonging to our brethren, for we may assure our selves that if ever we have truly discerned these graces of Gods spirit, by the fruits of sanctification in us, they are not taken from us, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance,2 as it is Rom. 11.29 And where he hath begun a good work their he will finish it and bring it to perfection. As the Apostle speaketh Phil. 1.6.3