A20752:1050
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 Now the means which we are thus carefully to use are of two sorts:1 the first tending to the increasing and strengthening of our faith, the other serving to preserve us from doubting and desperation. The means to strengthen and increase our faith are divers, the first is the frequent and attentive hearing of Gods word, for as this is the ordinary means whereby faith is begotten and begun in us, so is it a chief means to strengthen and confirm it; as it is that lively seed from which faith doth spring, so is it that heavenly dew whereby it is watered and increased from a little plant to a great tree: and therefore as it is not sufficient for a fruitful harvest, that the blade or branch should sprout up unless it be watered continually with sweet dew and showers from heaven, and so preserved from dying and withering, so if ever we mean to reap the ripe fruits of faith to our everlasting comfort, we must be careful that not only it take rooting, and bring forth a blade of an outward profession, but also that it may be watered with this heavenly dew of Gods word, otherwise when the sun of affliction and persecution ariseth it will die and wither.
§. Sect. 2 Now the means which we are thus carefully to vse are of two sorts:1 the first tending to the encreasing and strengthening of our faith, the other seruing to preserue vs from doubting and desperation. The meanes to strengthen and increase our faith are diuers, the first is the frequent and attentiue hearing of Gods word, for as this is the ordinarie meanes whereby faith is begotten and begunne in vs, so is it a chiefe meanes to strengthen and confirme it; as it is that liuely seed from which faith doth spring, so is it that heauenly dewe whereby it is watered and increased from a little plant to a great tree: and therefore as it is not sufficient for a fruitfull haruest, that the blade or branch should sproute vp vnlesse it bee watred continually with sweete dew and showers from heauen, and so preserued from dying and withering, so if euer we meane to reape the ripe fruits of faith to our euerlasting comfort, wee must bee carefull that not onely it take rooting, and bring foorth a blade of an outward profession, but also that it may be watered with this heauenly dew of Gods word, otherwise when the sunne of affliction and persecution ariseth it will die and wither.