A20752:370
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 It may be that the work of mortification and regeneration doth go slowly forward,1 and the Lord may for a time let our corruptions bear great sway in us, to the end he may hereby truly humble us with the sight of our infirmities, and take away from us all self-confidence, presumption and cause of boasting, and cause us wholly to rely upon his mercy and Christs merits: but though it go on slowly, yet it shall go surely, because it is not begun and continued by our selves, for we cannot so much as think a good thought; but all our sufficiency is of God, as it is 2. Cor. 3.5.2 neither can we so much as will and desire that which is acceptable in Gods sight, for it is he that worketh in us the will and the deed,3 even of his good pleasure, as it is Phil. 2.13. And therefore these ⟨p. 126⟩holy desires, which are the beginnings and first fruits of regeneration, being the work of Gods spirit; he will finish and perfect that which he hath begun, till at last we be fully freed from our corruption, and endued with unspotted holiness and sanctification.4 According to that Phil. 1.6. I am persuaded of this same thing, that he who hath begun this good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. For as with the Lord himself there is neither change nor shadow of change, 5Jam. 1.17. Mal. 3.6. so also are his gifts and calling without repentance: as it is