A20752:650
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
Book 2 › Chapter 15: That all who are redeemed are also sanctified.
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.
But if we continue in our sins without repentance, ⟨p. 290⟩and commit them with delight and greediness, then let us brag as much as we will that we are redeemed by Christ, yet we are still in the bondage of the devil;1 for Christ appeared not only to free us out of his captivity, but also that he might loose the works of the devil, as appeareth 1. Joh. 3.8. He hath redeemed us out of the thraldom of Satan, that we might become his own servants, whom he will rule and govern by his word and spirit; and therefore if we have not this spirit to lead us,2 we are none of his, as it is Rom. 8.9. if we will not submit our selves to the sceptre of his word, we are none of his subjects, but continue still the servants of sin and Satan. Seeing then it is manifest by Gods word, that whosoever are redeemed are also sanctified, and whomsoever Christ hath washed with his blood, from the guilt and punishment of sin, he doth also purge and cleanse them by virtue of the same blood, from the sins and corruptions themselves; and seeing he hath redeemed us out of the hands of our spiritual enemies, to the end we should become his servants, worshipping him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life: let us never be persuaded by Satan's temptations, foolishly to imagine that we may the more securely live in our sins, because Christ Jesus hath paid a sufficient price of our redemption: for, first, what horrible ingratitude is this unto God, to take occasion by this inestimable benefit the more to offend him? what a blasphemous imagination is this against Jesus Christ, to think that he came into the world, to be a bolster whereupon we may more securely sleep in sin; and that he shed his precious blood to purchase liberty for us, that we may live in all wickedness; that he reconciled us unto his father by his death that we might the more freely offend him; that he hath redeemed us out of the bondage of Satan, that we may more diligently serve him; that he hath with his blood washed us from the filth of sin, that we may more securely wallow in this stinking puddle again? for, what were this but to make Christ another Sisyphus, who as soon as he hath ended his labour is new to begin again? what is it but every day to crucify the Lord of life afresh, and to tread his precious blood under our feet as an unholy thing?