A20752:1244
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. 13 1Secondly, as the Lord hereby advanceth his own glory, so also he worketh our good, and furthereth our eternal salvation. For first by leaving in us these relics of sin and manifold imperfections, he worketh in us true humility, which of all other graces is most acceptable unto him, and mortifieth our pride, which of all other vices is most odious and abominable in his sight. For when we see our manifold infirmities and corruptions of sin, all cause of pride and self-conceit is taken away, and we in all humility are moved to confess,2 that it is Gods mercy that we are not consumed; how much more that notwithstanding our vileness and unworthiness, he hath made us his sons and heirs of everlasting glory. And thus, of the flesh of this Viper sin, doth the Lord make a sovereign antidote against the deadly poison of pride. And as good Chirurgeons do not suddenly heal up the wound, but keep it open till they have drawn out the core and healed it to the bottom, for otherwise it would putrefy and become more dangerous; so the Lord will not at once heal the wounds of our sins, but leaveth them as it were open and uncured till he have drawn out the core of pride, which being left in us (though we were healed of all our other sins) would more endanger us than all the rest. Wherein the Lord confirmeth and furthereth us in the way of salvation; for nothing more weakeneth and disableth us than pride, nothing more strengtheneth and upholdeth us than humility, because the strength whereby we stand and repel our spiritual enemies is not our own ability, but the power of Gods might, and the Lord withdraweth his assisting hand from the proud, to ⟨p. 634⟩the end that he may learn to be more humble by his grievous falls; yea he resisteth him, and therefore how is it possible that he should stand? but contrariwise he giveth grace to the humble, and filleth him who acknowledgeth his own emptiness with good things,3 but the proud who is full in his own conceit he fendeth empty away.
§. Sect. 13 1Secondly, as the Lord hereby aduanceth his owne glorie, so also he worketh our good, and furthereth our eternall saluation. For first by leauing in vs these reliques of sinne and manifolde imperfections, hee worketh in vs true humilitie, which of all other graces is most acceptable vnto him, and mortifieth our pride, which of all other vices is most odious and abominable in his sight. For when we see our manifold infirmities and corruptions of sinne, all cause of pride and selfe-conceit is taken away, and we in all humilitie are moued to confesse,