A20752:1039
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. 2 But here Satan will further object that we are not only without all sense and feeling of faith,1 but also that we do sensibly feel the heavy burden of Gods wrath, and plainly discern his frowning and angry countenance against us, and therefore howsoever those children of God who are in his love and favour may have some faith in them although it do not always so sensibly appear, yet it is impossibly that we should have any spark thereof seeing we have not any sense of Gods love and favour; nay do sensibly perceive the clean contrary; to which we are to answer that faith doth not rely it self upon our sense and feeling; for as the apostle saith faith is the ground of things (not presently enjoyed but) which are hoped for, and the evidence or demonstration of things (not which are subject to the senses and sensibly discerned but) which are not seen, 2Heb. 11. I and we believe that such joys are prepared for us as neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor the heart of man conceived as it is 1. Cor. 2.9. and it is a kind of infidelity to believe only those things which are subject unto our senses and understandings;3 and therefore when Thomas would not believe that Christ was risen before it was made manifest to his senses he is reproved for infidelity, be not (saith he) faithless but faithful. So that when our sense and feeling cease their faith beginneth his chief work; & the most excellent faith showeth it self most clearly when we have no sense and feeling, or when we discern and feel the plain contrary; for it is an easy matter to be strong in faith when God showeth himself gracious and merciful; but when he appeareth unto us like an angry judge, when as his wrath flameth out against us, then to behold his love through the visor of anger, to apprehend by faith his mercy and goodness towards us, when our senses apprehend nothing but his wrath and displeasure,4 to grow to Jobs resolution in the middest of our bitter agonies and grievous afflictions, though he kill me yet will I trust in him, and when we have received many repulses and bitter snubs yet with the Canaanitish woman to continue our suite,