A20752:1239
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. 8 Thirdly, let us remember that our sins and corruptions which we hate and labour to mortify, will never move the ⟨p. 631⟩Lord to reject and cast us out of his love and favour;1 for we are the Lords children, and he our gracious father: now we know that a loving father will not reject his child, because he is sick, lame, or in miserable estate, but rather he is more tender over him, till he be recovered of his infirmities: but what are our sins but the sickness, wounds and misery of the soul, with which we are vexed and turmoiled whilst we continue in this life? and will our heavenly father, whose love infinitely surpasseth the love of the most tender mother, cast us out of his favour, because our souls are sick in sin, and molested with many miseries which do accompany it? It is impossible; especially considering that we desire nothing more than to be cured of these diseases, and to be restored to perfect health. The Lord is our heavenly husbandman, and we his husbandry; now we know that the good husbandman doth not forsake his land, because it bringeth forth thorns and thistles, but rather is so much the more diligent and painful in weeding and tilling it, that it may be fitted for good seed and bring unto him plentiful increase; and so the Lord will not cast us off, because we naturally bring forth the weeds and thistles of sin and corruption, but in his infinite love he will with the operation of his holy spirit, plough up the fallow grounds of our hearts, and weed out our corruptions, that so we may like good ground well husbanded, bring forth the ripe fruits of holiness and righteousness.
§. Sect. 8 Thirdly, let vs remember that our sinnes and corruptions which we hate and labour to mortifie, will neuer mooue the ⟨p. 631⟩Lord to reiect and cast vs out of his loue and fauour;1 for we are the Lords children, and he our gratious father: now we know that a louing father will not reiect his childe, because he is sicke, lame, or in miserable estate, but rather he is more tender ouer him, till hee be recouered of his infirmities: but what are our sinnes but the sicknesse, wounds and miserie of the soule, with which wee are vexed and turmoyled whilest we continue in this life? and wil our heauenly father, whose loue infinitely surpasseth the loue of the most tender mother, cast vs out of his fauour, because our soules are sicke in sinne, and molested with many miseries which doe accompanie it? It is impossible; especially considering that we desire nothing more than to bee cured of these diseases, and to be restored to perfect health. The Lord is our heauenly husbandman, and wee his husbandrie; now wee know that the good husbandman doth not forsake his land, because it bringeth foorth thornes and thistles, but rather is so much the more diligent and painful in weeding and tilling it, that it may be fitted for good seed and bring vnto him plentiful increase; and so the Lord wil not cast vs off, because we naturally bring foorth the weedes and thistles of sinne and corruption, but in his infinite loue he will with the operation of his holy spirit, plow vp the fallow grounds of our hearts, and weed out our corruptions, that so we may like good ground well husbanded, bring foorth the ripe fruites of holinesse and righteousnesse.