A20752:407
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 whereas Satan objecteth that we are miserable sinners, unworthy altogether of Gods love, and most worthy of his wrath and heavy displeasure; that God is infinitely just, and therefore cannot nor will not love us being notoriously wicked: we are to answer, that indeed we are in our selves unworthy the least dram of Gods love, by reason of our original corruption, and actual transgression; and therefore if our assurance of Gods favour, had no other foundation but our own deserts, we had great reason not only to doubt, but also utterly to despair of Gods love ⟨p. 149⟩towards us. But the love of God is not grounded upon our worthiness which is nothing,2 but upon his own good will and pleasure, which is infinite as himself is infinite; and therefore though in our selves we are most miserable and wretched, yet this is no reason why we should distrust or in the least degree doubt of Gods love, seeing it ariseth not from any thing in us, but from himself who is unchangeable.
1First therefore whereas Sathan obiecteth that we are miserable sinners, vnworthie altogether of Gods loue, and most worthie of his wrath and heauie displeasure; that God is infinitly iust, and therefore cannot nor will not loue vs being notoriously wicked: we are to answere, that indeede we are in our selues vnworthie the least dram of Gods loue, by reason of our originall corruption, and actuall transgression; and therefore if our assurance of Gods fauour, had no other foundation but our owne deserts, we had great reason not onely to doubt, but also vtterly to despaire of Gods loue ⟨p. 149⟩towards vs. But the loue of God is not grounded vpon our worthines which is nothing,2 but vpon his owne good will and pleasure, which is infinit as himselfe is infinit; and therefore though in our selues we are most miserable and wretched, yet this is no reason why we should distrust or in the least degree doubt of Gods loue, seeing it ariseth not from any thing in vs, but from himselfe who is vnchangeable.