A20752:582
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.
1These two therefore may well stand together: for the more we distrust our own weakness, the more firmly we rest upon the power and assistance of God, and the more we rely upon him, the more sure we are of standing unto the end: the surer we are of Gods love and favour, the more we love him again; and the more we love him, the more fearful we are to displease him: the more we see our proneness to sin, the more we fear least we should fall into it; and the more we suspect our selves, the more earnestly we implore the assistance of Gods spirit, whereby we are enabled to withstand temptations. And therefore David joineth these together, Psal. 2.11. Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in trembling; 2noting thereby that Gods children fear, yea, even tremble in regard of their own infirmities and corruptions, and yet at the same time they rejoice and are filled with consolation, in respect of that full assurance which they have of Gods love and favour, and their election and salvation. And as he joineth them in precept, so also in his own practise,3 Psalm. 5.7. I will (saith he) come into thine house in the multitude of thy mercy; and in thy fear will I worship towards thy holy temple: so that at the same time, when as he was encouraged by the consideration of Gods great mercy, to go boldly and with a lively faith unto the throne of grace; he was also touched with a godly fear in regard of his unworthiness and imperfections; not that he doubted least he should not be accepted of God, but least in worshipping of God he should bewray his corruption, and not do it in that manner and measure which God requireth.
1These two therefore may well stand together: for the more we distrust our owne weakenesse, the more firmely we rest vpon the power and assistance of God, and the more we rely vpon him, the more sure we are of standing vnto the end: the surer we are of Gods loue and fauour, the more we loue him againe; and the more we loue him, the more fearefull we are to displease him: the more we see our pronenesse to sinne, the more we feare least we should fall into it; and the more we suspect our selues, the more earnestly we implore the assistance of Gods spirit, whereby wee are inabled to withstand temptations. And therefore Dauid ioyneth these together,