A20752:423
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. 2 So that both by testimonies and examples it is manifest,1 that afflictions are signs rather of Gods love, than of his hatred; and marks of the children of God, rather than of the children of wrath. But here the tempter will demand how this can be, considering that the Lord promiseth to his children all good things; whereas afflictions are evils, and punishments inflicted on the wicked. To this we may answer, that though in their own nature they be evil, yet through the wisdom and gracious providence of our God, they turn to the good of his children; and though to the wicked they are plagues and punishments, yet to the godly they are but trials and fatherly chastisements; for all their sins are punished in Christ, neither will it stand with Gods justice to punish them again in the faithful: and therefore there is no other end of them but the manifestation of Gods glory, and our spiritual good and everlasting salvation. For as they are trials they serve to show unto all the world, and especially to our selves, our faith, hope, patience, obedience, constancy, and the rest of the graces of Gods spirit, to the praise of his glory who hath bestowed them, and to the comfort of our own souls who have received them. And as they are chastisements they serve for sharp eye-salves to clear our dim sight, so as we may see our sins, and truly repent of them. They serve for sour sauces, to bring us out of love with our sweet sins, and for fire and files, whereby we are purged and scoured from the dross and rust of our corruptions. They are sharp pruning knives, to lop and trim us, that we may bring forth plentiful fruits in godliness. They are spurs to prick us forward in the Christian race, and hedges to keep us from wandering out of the way. They ⟨p. 159⟩are sharp salves to draw out our secret corruptions, and bitter potions to cure our desperate diseases. They are that wormwood, whereby the Lord weaneth us from the love of the world, whose pleasing delights we would ever suck without weariness, if our mouths were not distasted with some afflictions. They are rods, wherewith being scourged, we are made more circumspect in our ways, and more careful to perform obedience unto all the commandments of our heavenly Father.
§. Sect. 2 So that both by testimonies and examples it is manifest,1