A20752:363
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.
If therefore we would have our desires acceptable to God, they must be joined with an holy endeavour to obtain those spiritual graces which we do desire, they must be constant, earnest, and proceed from a true sense and feeling of our own want, and be referred as well to the means, as to ⟨p. 122⟩the end, and then the desire of grace is the grace it self; the desire of faith is faith; the desire of repentance is repentance; not in it own nature, but in Gods acceptation, who accepteth the will for the deed.
If therefore wee would haue our desires acceptable to God, they must be ioyned with an holy indeuour to obtaine those spirituall graces which we doe desire, they must be constant, earnest, and proceede from a true sence and feeling of our owne want, and be referred as well to the meanes, as to ⟨p. 122⟩the ende, and then the desire of grace is the grace it selfe; the desire of faith is faith; the desire of repentance is repentance; not in it owne nature, but in Gods acceptation, who accepteth the will for the deede.
§ Sect. 4 And in truth this is the chief perfection of our righteousness,1 when as we feel our imperfections, and labour earnestly after more perfection: for, Christiani sumus potius affectu quàm effectu: We are Christians rather in our affections and desires, than in our works and abilities: neither doth the Lord bestow upon his children the full measure of his spirit and the graces thereof in this life, but only the first fruits, which are as it were but an handful of corn in respect of the whole field; and the earnest to assure us of the rest, which is but as a penny in respect of many thousands, which are confirmed unto us thereby,2 as the Apostle speaketh