A20752:397
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 And thus you see the manner of Satan's temptations,1 whereby he laboureth to persuade us that we are out of the love and favour of God; against which we must most carefully arm our selves, as being most odious and injurious unto God, and most pernicious unto our own souls. It is most injurious unto God, if we doubt of his love towards us, seeing he hath given us innumerable pledges and most certain testimonies thereof, and omitted nothing which might do us good. He hath created us after his own image, he hath continually preserved and sustained us, giving us our meat in due season, and oft time hath succoured and defended us before we craved his help; but which is more, he hath given his dearly beloved son to dye a bitter death, ⟨p. 143⟩to redeem us out of the hands of our spiritual enemies: and to the end we should be made partakers of Christ and all his benefits, he hath given us his word, and made his covenant with us, that in Christ he will be our God, and we his people, he our father, and we his children: And least yet there should be any place left to doubting, he hath added to his word, his sacraments, which like seals may assure us of his love and favour. What injury therefore shall we offer unto God, if notwithstanding all this we doubt of his good will, of which he hath assured us by so many pledges, testimonies and seals? We know that a kind friend will take it most unkindly, if after he hath heaped upon a man innumerable benefits, and showed all testimonies of true love, he notwithstanding doubt of his good will, and suspect his friendship: and so surely the Lord will take it ill at our hands; and think himself much abused, if after he hath bestowed such infinite benefits, even his dearly beloved son to dye for us, we now suspect his good will, and grow jealous of his love; if we doubt of his love, who is love it self, as the Apostle speaketh, 1. John 4.8.
§. Sect. 4 And thus you see the manner of Sathans temptations,1 whereby he laboureth to perswade vs that we are out of the loue and fauour of God; against which we must most carefully arme our selues, as being most odious and iniurious vnto God, and most pernicious vnto our owne soules. It is most iniurious vnto God, if we doubt of his loue towards vs, seeing he hath giuen vs innumerable pledges and most certaine testimonies thereof, and omitted nothing which might doe vs good. He hath created vs after his owne image, he hath continually preserued and sustained vs, giuing vs our meate in due season, and oft time hath succoured and defended vs before we craued his helpe; but which is more, he hath giuen his dearely beloued sonne to dye a bitter death,