A20752:391
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.
Let us therefore consider of the several causes of our salvation, and observe what temptations Satan suggesteth in ⟨p. 139⟩our minds against every one of them. The first and principal cause of our salvation is Gods eternal love and immutable goodwill, wherewith he hath loved his creatures from before the foundations of the world were laid; the which love and goodwill in himself did move him to elect them to salvation, whom he so loved without any deserts in themselves: for how could they deserve any thing at Gods hath before they were? or what good could the Lord foresee in them, but that which in his eternal counsel he purposed to bestow and impart unto them?
Let vs therefore consider of the seuerall causes of our saluation, and obserue what temptations Sathan suggesteth in ⟨p. 139⟩our minds against euery one of them. The first and principall cause of our saluation is Gods eternall loue and immutable goodwill, wherewith he hath loued his creatures from before the foundations of the world were laid; the which loue and goodwill in himselfe did moue him to elect them to saluation, whom he so loued without any deserts in themselues: for how could they deserue any thing at Gods hath before they were? or what good could the Lord foresee in them, but that which in his eternall counsaile hee purposed to bestow and impart vnto them?
1First therefore we will speak of those temptations which concern the love of God toward us, which are of two sorts; the first leading us to vain presumption and carnal security; the other, to horror and desperation. For if Satan see men living in carnal security, frozen in the dregs of their sins, so as in truth there is no sign that they are beloved of God; he will persuade them that they are highly in his favour and love, and therefore though they run on in their wicked courses, yet they shall be saved. Doest thou not perceive (will he say) that God dearly loveth thee? Why, consider that he hath made thee one of his chiefest creatures, whereas otherwise he would have made thee a toad or serpent; he hath also like a tender father preserved and nourished thee from thy infancy, and which is more, he hath sent his dearly beloved son to die for thee, and he hath made choice of thee amongst many others to be a member of his Church, where thou enjoyest the preaching of the Gospel, and the use of the Sacraments, to the end thou mayest be assured of thy salvation without all question or doubting. Never therefore take care nor trouble thy self concerning thy salvation, use not such strictness and preciseness of life, but take thy pleasure, and follow those delights which the Lord hath bestowed upon thee as pledges of his love; for thou art not now a slave but a son, and therefore mayest more freely follow thine own desire, and use thy liberty: cast away all servile fear, which maketh thee take such pains in using all means whereby thou mayest be assured of salvation; for thou art assured of the principal, namely of Gods love, and therefore