A20752:566
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.
The second sign of true love is forgiving, when as we are ⟨p. 244⟩ready for Gods sake and in obedience to his commandment to remit and pardon those injuries which are offered us; for, love is not provoked to anger, 1and therefore much less to revenge; it suffereth all things, it endureth all things, as it is 1. Cor. 13.5, 7. Nay, it doth not only not render evil for evil, but it overcometh evil with goodness,2 leaving revenge unto God, and to his deputies and vicegerents the Magistrates, as we may see in the example of our Saviour Christ, and the blessed Martyr Steven, who prayed for their persecutors; whose example we are to imitate, as the Apostle exhorteth Rom. 12.14. Bless them that persecute you; 3bless I say and curse not. And so shall we have a certain sign of true love, and an undoubted note of Gods spirit dwelling in us, of the remission of our sins, and consequently of our election and salvation. For naturally we are Wolves, Leopards, Lions, yea Cockatrices who kill with their looks,4 as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 11.6, 8. and like brute and savage beasts willing to offer all injuries, but impatient of suffering any: and therefore when our savage cruelty is turned into charity, and we become as meek and harmless, as the lamb, calf, or little child, it is a manifest sign that our stout courages are abated and beaten down with the rod of Christs mouth, that we are borne anew and quickened by his spirit, and that now we are seated in the mountain of his holiness, and shall be heirs of his kingdom of glory. So also hereby we are assured of the remission of our sins, when we find our selves ready and willing to forgive our neighbours; for our Saviour Christ hath promised,5