A20752:408
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.
The truth hereof manifestly appeareth by the scriptures, where it is said that the Lord hath loved us not for our excellency and worthiness, but of his free grace and loving kindness. So Hos. 14.5. I will heal their rebellion; 1I will love them freely, &c. And the Apostle John telleth us that herein Gods love appeareth, in that when we loved not him, he so dearly loved us,2 that he sent his son to be a reconciliation for our sins; 1. Joh. 4.10. And Paul saith, that hereby God setteth out his love towards us, seeing that whilst we were yet sinners,3 Christ died for us, and when we were enemies God reconciled us unto himself by the death of his son. Rom. 5.8.10. If therefore the Lord loved us when we were enemies unto him and dead in our sins; how much more will he love us now being reconciled in Christ, and in some measure purged from our corruption, and quickened by his spirit to newness of life? If when we were most unworthy, he freely showed such exceeding favour towards us: how much more having by his spirit and the graces thereof made us more worthy, will he continue his love unto us? If he hath hitherto loved us not for any deserts of ours, but of his free mercy, because he is love it self, as John calleth him,4 1. Joh. 4.8. and the God of grace, as Peter maketh him, 1. Pet. 5.10: why should we doubt of Gods love in respect of our unworthiness, seeing his love hath not his ground upon our worthiness, but upon his own nature which is immutable, and therefore whom he once loveth, he loveth them unto the end, though in themselves they are miserable and wretched. Joh. 13.1.