A20752:1206
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.
1First, we are to set before us the infinite love of God towards us base and vile creatures, altogether unworthy of his least favour by reason of our sins; the which his love as it plainly appeareth in all other his mercies and manifold benefits bestowed on us, so especially in sending his only begotten and dearly beloved son, not only to suffer some small misery, but even death it self, yea that cursed ignominious and cruel death of the cross for us, who were ⟨p. 611⟩not his loving friends or faithful servants, but opposed enemies and rebellious traitors, who had renounced his service and yielded our selves as slaves to Satan ready to do his will. Seeing therefore our good God hath so dearly loved us, who were altogether unworthy his love, and most worthy of his anger and heavy judgements, O why should not this flame of his love towards us, kindle some sparkles of love towards him again, who is in himself the chief goodness, and to us most kind and gracious? If for our sakes who were his abject enemies, he hath not spared his own son but gave him to die for us; should we not for his sake, who is our chiefest friend, be as willing to part with our sins, and to kill and crucify all our carnal corruptions? Neither can we by any other means so clearly show our love to God as by hating sin, which above all things in the world is most hateful and odious unto him, and the only cause which maketh him abhor even his excellent creatures, so that though he loved them as being his own works, yet he detested them being defiled with the filthy spots of sin; yea so odious is sin unto our righteous God, that he could not choose but punish it in his dearly beloved son, who bare our transgressions and sustained our persons, and when there was no other way to subdue the power of sin, he gave it a mortal wound even through the body of our blessed Saviour, and delivered him to be crucified, that by this means he might also kill and crucify our corruptions. Seeing therefore sin is most odious and detestable in the eyes of God, we cannot better show our love towards him, which his love towards us hath so well deserved, than by hating and flying that which he so much abhorreth.
1First, wee are to set before vs the infinite loue of God towards vs base and vile creatures, altogether vnworthie of his least fauour by reason of our sinnes; the which his loue as it plainly appeareth in all other his mercies and manifolde benefits bestowed on vs, so especially in sending his onely begotten and dearely beloued sonne, not onely to suffer some small miserie, but euen death it selfe, yea that cursed ignominious and cruell death of the crosse for vs, who were