A20752:560
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. 7 The seventh sign of the child of God is new obedience,1 when as he applies his heart to the keeping of Gods commandments, desiring and endeavouring to serve the Lord in holiness and newness of life; for if any man keepeth Gods word, in him is the love of God perfect in deed, and hereby we know that we are in him, as it is 1. John 2.5. And whosoever abideth in him sinneth not, whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither hath known him, 2as it is chap. 3. ver. 6. So vers. 10. In this are the children of God known and the children of the devil, whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, &c. So that our new obedience is a sign of the child of God, and the neglect thereof a mark of the child of darkness. But we are not to understand this of that exact obedience which is required in the Law; for thereby none living can have any assurance of their election and ⟨p. 241⟩salvation, but rather of reprobation and damnation; but it is to be understood of an evangelical obedience, which consisteth in an holy desire and earnest endeavour of keeping all Gods commandments; with which the children of God are so wholly possessed, that after their true conversion it is impossible that they should fall into any known sin, with full consent of will and with their whole hearts. And this is the obedience which the Gospel requireth, and of which the Apostle speaketh, and thus we never sin but keep all Gods commandments, namely, in respect of our desire and earnest endeavour. This is that righteousness which is accepted, as though it were perfect before God, who spareth us as a man spares his son whom he tenderly loveth,3 as he professeth Mal. 3.17. and therefore measureth our obedience not according to our actions, but according to our affections, and accepteth of the will for the deed, as before I have showed.
§. Sect. 7 The seuenth signe of the childe of God is new obedience,