A20752:259
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 The fifth thing required is perseverance in prayer:1 for it is not sufficient to pray earnestly and fervently for a spirit, but we must continue therein, expecting the Lords leisure. And unto this we are exhorted Rom. 12.12. continuing in prayer. 2So the Prophet David persuadeth to expect and wait for the Lord,3 and to be strong in continuing constantly in our course, and then in the end God will comfort our hearts, Psal. 27.14. And the Apostle Paul willeth us to pray incessantly,4 like importunate suitors who will have no nay, though they receive many denials. To this duty our Saviour encourageth us by the parable of the unrighteous Judge, who though he neither cared for man nor feared God,5 yet was moved through importunity to do the poor widow justice; and therefore our heavenly father will much more grant the importunate suites of his elect,6 especially having bound himself thereunto by his most gracious promises. True it is that the Lord doth many times defer to grant the prayers of his children, as though he heard or regarded them not; when as in truth he never delayeth any of their lawful suites, unless it be to this end that he may thereby either convey unto them greater benefits than they desire, as when he giveth spiritual graces in stead of earthly benefits; or else that thereby he may move them to pray more fervently, and so exercise and increase their faith, hope and patience; or that he may show these his graces to the praise of his glory who hath bestowed them, both to others and the parties themselves; or that he may move us more thankfully to receive and highly to esteem his benefits, after by long suite we have obtained them, which we would not so greatly regard if he bestowed them at the first motion. A notable example hereof we have in the Canaanitish woman, both for our comfort and imitation,