A20752:682
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.
1That this effectual calling is proper to those that are elected and shall be saved, it appeareth by the parable of the supper, where many, outwardly invited to the great supper of the king, refuse to come,2 & therefore are excluded from the marriage, Mat. 22.3.8. And Rom. 8▪ 30, the Apostle saith that whom he did predestinate, them also he called, and these also he justifieth. 3So Act. 13.48. it is said that as many as were ordained to everlasting life, believed at the preaching of Paul and Barnabas, 4and therefore these only were effectually called.5 And Joh. 6 45. our Saviour saith, that every one who hath heard and hath learned of the father, cometh unto him. So that, outward hearing is not sufficient to bring us to Christ, unless the father also inwardly instruct us with his holy spirit, opening our deaf ears, enlightening our blind understandings, inclining our wills, and sanctifying our affections, that we may attentively hear, truly understand, and heartily embrace the Gospel preached unto us. And this appeareth in the example of Lydia, 6Act. 16.14. whose heart the Lord is said to have opened, that she might attend unto the things which Paul spake, and be converted: by which speech the holy Ghost implieth thus much, that her heart was (as it were) close shut, and fast locked up, so as he could not receive the word preached, till the Lord had opened it by the inward operation of his holy spirit. Which matter need not seem strange unto us, seeing it is continually confirmed