A20752:896
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 the first, namely that the promises of the gospel are indefinite, and generally made to all who repent and believe it, shall manifestly appear if we consider the particulars. Esa. 55.1. the Lord calleth all unto him indefinitely, saying, to every one who thirsteth come to the waters, and ye that have no silver come, buy and eat; Come I say buy wine and milk with out silver and without money; so that though we have no worthiness and righteousness of our own, yet if we thirst after the mercy of God and righteousness of Christ, and come unto God by unfeigned repentance, and unto our saviour by a lively faith, our thirst shall be satisfied and all our wants supplied. So Ezech. 33.11. the Lord solemnly sweareth that he will not the death of a sinner, but that they turn from their wicked ways and live; where he speaketh not of this or that sinner, but of all without exception who turn unto him. Our saviour Christ likewise maketh this indefinite promise Mark 16.16. that whosoever shall believe and be baptised shall be saved. and John 3.14. he saith, that as Moses lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lift up 15. that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have ⟨p. 443⟩eternal life. So that as all who were stung of the fiery serpent were healed if they looked upon the brazen serpent, neither was their any exception or distinction between those who were deeply, or but a little pierced with the sting, for if they were stung they died, if they used not the remedy ordained of God, though their wound were but small and shallow, but if they looked up to the brazen serpent according to God ordinance, they were cured though their wound were never so deadly and desperate, so those who look not upon Christ Jesus hanging on the cross with the eye of faith, are sure to fall into everlasting death and damnation, be their sins never so few, and on the other side, they who lay hold upon Christ and believe in him, are sure to be saved though their sins be never so many and grievous. So in the 16. verse it is said, that God so loved the world, that he hath given his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. and ve. 36. He that believeth in the son hath everlasting life. &c.