A20752:846
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.
For who can imagine that the Lord who is most infinite in wisdom, should unadvisedly bestow his benefits upon such, as finding no want of them, do not desire them; when they are without them, nor esteem them though they had them, and consequently will never be truly thankful for that which they neither want, desire, nor esteem; who can in reason conceive that he will offer himself to be a Saviour, to such as do not think themselves lost and condemned, or to be their redeemer who will not acknowledge that they are in captivity, or that he will bestow the riches of his righteousness upon such proud beggars, as find no need thereof, being righteous enough themselves in their own conceits, that he will vainly spend his precious blood in washing of those who think themselves clean already, and need no such purging, that he will in compassion ease those of the burden of their sins who were never troubled with bearing of them; that he will offer them any physic who will not acknowledge themselves sick; or to give life to ⟨p. 413⟩those who will not confess that they are dead in sin; and who can imagine that the Lord will ever show to those his mercy, who will never show to the Lord their wretched misery.
For who can imagine that the Lord who is most infinite in wisedome, should vnaduisedly bestow his benefits vpon such, as finding no want of them, do not desire them; when they are without them, nor esteeme them though they had them, and consequently will neuer be truely thankefull for that which they neither want, desire, nor esteeme; who can in reason conceiue that he will offer himselfe to bee a Sauiour, to such as doe not thinke themselues lost and condemned, or to be their redeemer who will not acknowledge that they are in captiuitie, or that he will bestow the riches of his righteousnesse vpon such proud beggers, as find no need thereof, being righteous inough themselues in their owne conceipts, that hee will vainely spend his precious bloud in washing of those who thinke themselues cleane already, and need no such purging, that he will in compassion ease those of the burthen of their sinnes who were neuer troubled with bearing of them; that hee will offer them any physicke who will not acknowledge themselues sicke; or to giue life to ⟨p. 413⟩those who will not confesse that they are dead in sinne; and who can imagine that the Lord will euer shewe to those his mercy, who will neuer shew to the Lord their wretched miserie.