A20752:392
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.
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 ⟨p. 140⟩thou needest not to doubt of the rest, nor to debar thy self of thy pleasures, spending thy time in fear and care, to the end thou mayest get the assurance of that which thou needest not to call into question.
1First therefore we will speake of those temptations which concerne the loue of God toward vs, which are of two sorts; the first leading vs to vaine presumption and carnall securitie; the other, to horrour and desperation. For if Sathan see men liuing in carnall securitie, frozen in the dregges of their sinnes, so as in truth there is no signe that they are beloued of God; he will perswade them that they are highly in his fauour and loue, and therefore though they runne on in their wicked courses, yet they shall be saued. Doest thou not perceiue (will he say) that God dearely loueth thee? Why, consider that hee hath made thee one of his chiefest creatures, whereas otherwise hee would haue made thee a toade or serpent; he hath also like a tender father preserued and nourished thee from thy infancie, and which is more, he hath sent his dearely beloued sonne to die for thee, and hee hath made choise of thee amongst many others to be a member of his Church, where thou inioyest the preaching of the Gospell, and the vse of the Sacraments, to the end thou maist be assured of thy saluation without all question or doubting. Neuer therefore take care nor trouble thy selfe concerning thy saluation, vse not such strictnes and precisenes of life, but take thy pleasure, and follow those delights which the Lord hath bestowed vpon thee as pledges of his loue; for thou art not now a slaue but a sonne, and therefore maist more freely follow thine owne desire, and vse thy libertie: cast away all seruile feare, which maketh thee take such paines in vsing all meanes whereby thou maist be assured of saluation; for thou art assured of the principall, namely of Gods loue, and therefore