A20752:537
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.
1The like may be said of Gods eternal love, wherewith he hath loved us in Christ; for God loving us, hath imprinted the image of his love in our hearts, whereby we love him again: and when this heavenly heat of Gods love hath descended on us, and warmeth our cold hearts, frozen in the dregs of sin, then do we reflect some of those beams of Gods love towards him again. And this the Apostle John plainly showeth 1. Joh. 4.19. where he saith that we love God because he loved us first; 2that is, by that eternal love wherewith God loved us in Christ, there is imprinted in our hearts the love of God.3 And hence it is that he saith vers. 7. that love cometh from God: because we can neither love God, nor our neighbours aright, till his love towards us having shined upon us, hath inflamed our hearts. So the Apostle Paul saith, Rom 5.5. that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, 4by the holy Ghost which is given unto us, whereby love towards God is begotten in us. If therefore the love of God be in our hearts, we may be assured that it is but an impression which is made in us, by the seal of his love towards us, but a little spark kindled by this heavenly flame, and a small model or little counterfeit resembling the infinite love of God, wherewith from all eternity he hath loved us in Christ. Thus also Gods eternal election, whereby before all worlds he hath chosen us in Christ, doth make an impression, and sealeth in our hearts the form or image thereof, whereby we make choice of the true God Jehovah, amongst all the Gods of the nations to be our only God, whom we will serve and worship. And therefore if we have made this election, and dedicated our selves wholly to Gods worship and service alone, it is a most certain sign of our election, whereby God hath chosen us: for our choosing of God is an effect of his choosing of us, and an impression or print wherewith by his election he hath sealed us.
1The like may be said of Gods eternall loue, wherewith he hath loued vs in Christ; for God louing vs, hath imprinted the image of his loue in our hearts, whereby wee loue him againe: and when this heauenly heate of Gods loue hath descended on vs, and warmeth our cold hearts, frozen in the dregges of sinne, then doe we reflect some of those beames of Gods loue towards him againe. And this the Apostle Iohn plainely sheweth