A20752:530
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.
nay contrariwise he will not stick to affirm, that the hearing of the word too often is the cause that troubleth mens minds and afflicteth their consciences, moving them to doubt of Gods mercy, which before they never called into question: and why is this, but because hereby men are roused out of their sleep of security, and have ⟨p. 223⟩their confident presumption beaten down. If then we are careful to use all holy means ordained of God to assure us of our salvation; that assurance and testimony which followeth is the testimony of Gods spirit: otherwise it is nothing else but fond presumption. Thirdly, presumption is most confident, and never doubteth nor maketh any question of his election & salvation who thus presumeth; but this testimony of the spirit is much assaulted with doubting, and oftentimes thereby so exceedingly weakened that we cannot hear the voice thereof: as we may see in the example of Job, David, the father of the possessed child, the two Disciples who journeyed to Emmaus, and in all Gods children who have not yet attained unto fullness of persuasion, unto which none can come but by degrees. And therefore if we can brag with secure worldlings, and say with the proud Pharisee, I never was troubled I thank God with any doubting of mine election & salvation, as many are; but always have had a strong belief that I am in Gods love and shall undoubtedly be saved: we may assure our selves that this is the voice of presumption, and not the testimony of Gods spirit. Fourthly, presumption is joined with worldliness and profaneness, but the testimony of Gods spirit is never severed from sanctification, or at least from an earnest desire and holy endeavour of serving the Lord in holiness and righteousness: for (as I said) the testimony of the spirit in the conscience is never contrary to the testimony of the spirit in the word, neither doth it bear witness that those are in Gods love and elected to salvation, which the Scriptures witness to be in Gods displeasure and in the state of condemnation, namely, all unrepentant sinners continuing in their unrepentancie:
nay contrariwise he will not sticke to affirme, that the hearing of the word too often is the cause that troubleth mens mindes and afflicteth their consciences, moouing them to doubt of Gods mercie, which before they neuer called into question: and why is this, but because hereby men are rouzed out of their sleepe of securitie, and haue ⟨p. 223⟩