A20752:417
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.
Seeing therefore Gods love is not grounded upon our own worthiness, seeing he electeth, redeemeth, calleth, justifieth, sanctifieth, and finally saveth us of his mere mercy and free goodwill, without any respect of our own merits or good works, let us not restrain the infinite love of God to our deserts, nor measure his unmeasurable goodwill by the short ell of our own merits; but as the Lord hath freely loved us, so let us acknowledge his free and undeserved love, and rely wholly thereupon, notwithstanding our unworthiness, seeing our worthiness is no cause of his love, but it is his love which maketh us, and will surely make us worthy to be beloved, if we rest wholly upon him in Christ by a true and lively faith. For, so much as we despair in respect of our own unworthiness, so much would we ascribe to our own worthiness; and look how much we attribute unto our selves in the work of our salvation, so much we detract from Gods free mercy and Christs merit: and therefore let us humbly acknowledge our own unworthiness, and become nothing in our own eyes, that we may wholly rely upon God, that he may be all in all. For well worthy are we to thirst if we leave the fountain of living waters, and dig unto our selves broken cisterns which will hold no water;1 well worthy are we to fall into the gulf of despair, if we forsake the firm pillar of our salvation Gods mercy and Christs merit, relying and resting upon the broken staff of our own righteousness; well worthy are we to be damned, if we envy the Lord the praise and glory of our salvation, desiring rather to ascribe it unto our selves.
Seeing therefore Gods loue is not grounded vpon our owne worthinesse, seeing he electeth, redeemeth, calleth, iustifieth, sanctifieth, and finally saueth vs of his meere mercie and free goodwill, without any respect of our owne merits or good workes, let vs not restraine the infinite loue of God to our deserts, nor measure his vnmeasurable goodwill by the short ell of our owne merits; but as the Lord hath freely loued vs, so let vs acknowledge his free and vndeserued loue, and relie wholy thereupon, notwithstanding our vnworthinesse, seeing our worthinesse is no cause of his loue, but it is his loue which maketh vs, and will surely make vs worthie to be beloued, if we rest wholy vpon him in Christ by a true and liuely faith. For, so much as we despaire in respect of our own vnworthinesse, so much would wee ascribe to our owne worthinesse; and looke how much we attribute vnto our selues in the worke of our saluation, so much wee detract from Gods free mercie and Christs merit: and therefore let vs humbly acknowledge our owne vnworthinesse, and become nothing in our own eyes, that we may wholy rely vpon God, that hee may bee all in all. For well worthie are we to thirst if wee leaue the fountaine of liuing waters, and dig vnto our selues broken cesternes which will hold no water;