A20752:1234
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. 5 And to the end that we may not be discouraged in these our holy endeavours,1 with Satan's temptations drawn from the relics of our sins, the strength of our corruptions, and the imperfections and small measure of our sanctification; let us further consider, first, that these relics of sin shall not be imputed unto us, nor come in judgement before God to our condemnation, because by faith we are united unto Christ, and so made partakers of the virtue and merits of his death and passion, whereby he hath satisfied Gods justice for our sins, so that they cannot now condemn us, nor draw upon us any punishment; and likewise we are made partakers of his perfect righteousness and obedience to the law, which as a rich robe doth cover and hide our patched rags of imperfection. So then though we see the relics of sin and our manifold imperfections, let us not be discouraged hereby from labouring in the work of sanctification, but rather strive and endeavour to mortify our sins, and aspire to more and more perfection. And if besides our purpose we be led captive of sin, let us remember that we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the just, 2and that he is the reconciliation for our sins; so that though they make us condemn our selves in our own consciences, yet they shall never condemn us before God. And this the Apostle Paul showeth unto us: for having in the seventh chapter of his epistle to the Romans declared, that the faithful have remaining in them the flesh and relics of their old corruptions, which powerfully hinder them from doing the good they would, and move them to commit the evil which they would not, least any hereby should be discouraged in the sight and sense of his corruptions, he presently addeth in the beginning of the eighth chapter, that notwithstanding the flesh and the corruptions thereof, which before he had spoken of, remained in us, yet there was no condemnation to those who were in Christ Jesus:
§. Sect. 5 And to the end that wee may not be discouraged in these our holy endeuours,1 with Sathans temptations drawne from the reliques of our sinnes, the strength of our corruptions, and the imperfections and small measure of our sanctification; let vs further consider, first, that these reliques of sinne shall not bee imputed vnto vs, nor come in iudgement before God to our condemnation, because by faith we are vnited vnto Christ, and so made partakers of the vertue and merits of his death and passion, whereby he hath satisfied Gods iustice for our sinnes, so that they cannot now condemne vs, nor draw vpon vs any punishment; and likewise wee are made partakers of his perfect righteousnesse and obedience to the law, which as a rich robe doth couer and hide our patched ragges of imperfection. So then though we see the reliques of sinne and our manifold imperfections, let vs not be discouraged hereby from labouring in the worke of sanctification, but rather striue and endeuour to mortifie our sinnes, and aspire to more and more perfection. And if besides our purpose wee be led captiue of sin, let vs remember that we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust,