A20752:1285
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. 2 And thus doth Satan persuade the christian man to doubt of his perseverance;1 the which temptations, if we would withstand, it behoveth us not to ground the certainty of our perseverance upon our own resolution, strength and graces which we have received, for these are altogether insufficient to uphold us against the assaults of our spiritual enemies, who are far more stronger then we; but wholly distrusting in our own ability, let us rest and rely wholly upon the Lord, for as it is he alone who hath bestowed upon us all the gifts and graces which we have received, so also have we our growth and perseverance in them from him only. And so we may be assured of our perseverance, notwithstanding our own weakness and inconstancy, for it is God which stablisheth us in Christ, 2as it is 2. Cor. 1.21. Though in respect of any thing that is in us we might every hour fall away; yet we are sure to continue in those graces which we have received, maugre the malice and power of all our enemies, for we stand not in our own strength but are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, 3as the Apostle speaketh 1. Pet. 1.4. Though we should every day loose everlasting life and happiness through negligence, or sell it away for the vanities of the world and pleasures of sin if it were in our own hands, yet all this is not sufficient to disinherit us of our heavenly patrimony, for it is not at our own disposition but our life is hid with Christ in God, 4as it is Col. 3.3. And therefore though in ourselves we are as weak as reeds, and as unconstant and changeable as the wind and weather, yet are we ten thousand times more sure to persevere in that grace which we have received unto everlasting life, than Adam in the state of innocency; for he stood by his own strength, which though it were great, yet it was finite, but we by the almighty power of God; he by the virtue of his own free will, which was mutable and subject to alteration, but we by the will of God which being immutable admitteth of no change.