A20752:608
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. 6 Fourthly,1 they object that it is rash presumption, and proud boldness for any man to search into the mystery of Gods secret counsels, or to take upon him peremptorily to determine that he is one whom God hath elected. For who hath known the mind of the Lord? as it is 1. Cor. 2.16. I answer that it is true indeed, whosoever prieth into Gods hidden counsels and secret decree of predestination, is proud and presumptuous, and shall in the end receive the punishment of both, being given over of God to fall into many errors, and in the end utter desperation: and therefore it is very dangerous, yea, pernicious to our souls, if we labour after the assurance of our election by using these means, and judge of Gods ⟨p. 270⟩decree, according to the conceit of our own reason & doubtful speculations. But yet though the will of God be in it self secret and not to be searched into; this must not hinder us from looking into his will revealed, though we can gather no certainty of our election by searching into his secret decree, yet this is no impediment why we may not gather it out of his word, where he hath revealed his decree and the execution thereof: though we can have no assurance by our own speculations, yet we may attain unto it by the testimony of Gods spirit,2 which witnesseth to our spirits that we are the sons of God, which also searcheth all things, even the deep things of God, and is given unto us that we also might know the things which God hath given us, 3as the Apostle teacheth us, 1. Cor. 2.10.12. and therefore it is no pride or presumption to be certain and assured of that which the Lord hath revealed in his word, to this end that we might be certainly assured thereof. But it may be demanded how this certainty can be gathered out of the Scriptures. I answer, that if we would attain unto it, we must not seek it in the law, where the promises of life and salvation are made upon the condition of our own works and worthiness, which condition we can never perform, and therefore can never be assured of the promise: