A20752:285
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. 4 But beloved,1 if we would not be subdued by Satan, let us be most careful in withstanding this dangerous assault: for there is not any one temptation wherewith Satan prevaileth more, than by persuading men to content themselves with a civill kind of honesty, which is destitute of religion and the true fear of God. And to this end let us consider, that civill honesty severed from true piety is but glorious iniquity: for when we have attained to as great a measure thereof, as possibly we can in this age of corruption, we shall come short in divers duties of many of the Heathens, who have excelled in these moral and civill virtues: and consequently when we are at the best we shall be but honest Infidels and good natured worldlings, if we do not join thereunto the duties of piety. And how goodly a show soever our works make in the eyes of men, yet are they odious in Gods sight, if they be not done in knowledge, and grounded on Gods word and commandment, but in ignorance and according to our own inventions and the fond conceit of our blind understanding; if they proceed not from the true love of God, which is the only fountain of all acceptable obedience, but from the love of our selves and other carnal respects; if they be not the fruits of a lively faith, but done in ignorance and infidelity; for, what soever is not done in faith, is sin, 2as it is Rom. 14.23. and therefore cannot please God, Heb. 11.6. By which we are not to understand an historical faith, whereby we know and are assured that those works we do are commanded in Gods word; but a true justifying faith which doth apply unto us Christ Jesus, and all Gods merciful promises made in him. For, that our works may be acceptable before God, there is required first that our persons be acceptable unto him, neither can any thing we do please him, so long as we remain his enemies, in which state we are by nature, till we are reconciled in Christ our Mediator, as appeareth Rom. 5.10.3 Now unless we have faith, we cannot apply unto us Christ nor his merits and righteousness, by whom only we are reconciled unto God, and consequently we remain Gods enemies, who can do nothing pleasing in his sight.