A20752:1053
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.
1The fourth means is the holy use of the sacraments; for the Lord hath added them as seals to the handwriting of his covenant of grace to confirm our faith in the full assurance of his promises, and to take away all doubting. For whereas the weak conscience might make some scruple in respect that the promises of the gospel in the preaching of the word are delivered indefinitely and after a general manner, in the use of the sacraments they are assured unto them particularly and as it were by name, and that not after some obscure and hidden manner, but most familiarly by such common signs are are subject to the senses and within the reach of the shallowest capacity.
1The fourth meanes is the holy vse of the sacraments; for the Lord hath added them as seales to the handwriting of his couenant of grace to confirme our faith in the full assurance of his promises, and to take away all doubting. For whereas the weake conscience might make some scruple in respect that the promises of the gospell in the preaching of the word are deliuered indefinitely and after a generall manner, in the vse of the sacraments they are assured vnto them particularly and as it were by name, and that not after some obscure and hidden maner, but most familiarly by such common signes are are subiect to the senses and within the reach of the shallowest capacitie.
- 1The 4. means the use of the sacraments.The 4. means the vse of the sacraments.
1A fifth means to confirm our faith is to be continually conversant in good works, and to bring forth the fruits of holy obedience, for hereby our faith is exercised and by exercise strengthened and increased; whereas contrariwise the neglect hereof doth wound the conscience and so quench the lively heat of faith that though it be not quite extinguished, yet it will not sensibly be discerned. As therefore the strength of the body is increased by exercise and for want thereof waxeth faint and languisheth, and as the stomach is by outward exercise of the body made more fit to perform his duty of concoction; so our faith being exercised in good works is made more strong and fit to perform his duty in applying Christ and the sweet promises of the gospel