A20752:910
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.
1But if we think our souls so filthy that he cannot purge them, what do we else but derogate from the virtue of his blood, if we will not go to this heavenly Physician to crave his help, because our sickness is grievous and dangerous, what do we else but call his skill into question? If we will not show our wounds because they are grisly, what do we else but notably detract from the cunning of this our spiritual surgeon, and doubt of the virtue and efficacy of the precious balm of his blood: Whereas on the other side if we see our polluted filthiness, and yet go unto Christ that we may be washed and cleansed, we acknowledge the virtue and excellency of the spiritual laver of his blood? if we plainly discern that our sickness is desperate and yet go to our souls Physician not doubting of recovery, we thereby extol our Physicians skill, if our wounds be in themselves grisly and incurable, & yet we resort to our heavenly Surgeon to be healed of them, we cannot more commend his all sufficient cunning. And therefore seeing it is in these our extremities to our Saviour Christ most honourable and acceptable, and to our selves most profitable and full of comfort, if we come unto Christ not doubting of his help, let us not pretend excuses either because we are unfit, unworthy, or in a desperate state, for by thus aggravating our own remediless misery we extenuate and call into question Gods mercy and Christs all-sufficiency, we spoil him of his honour, glory, & our own souls of all joy & consolation.
1But if we thinke our soules so filthy that he cannot purge them, what doe wee els but derogate from the vertue of his bloud, if we will not goe to this heauenly Phisition to craue his helpe, because our sicknesse is grieuous and dangerous, what doe we els but call his skill into question? If wee will not shew our wounds because they are griesly, what doe we els but notably detract from the cunning of this our spirituall surgeon, and doubt of the vertue and efficacie of the pretious baulme of his bloud: Whereas on the other side if we see our polluted filthinesse, and yet goe vnto Christ that we may be washed and cleansed, we acknowledge the vertue and excellencie of the spirituall lauer of his bloud? if wee plainely discerne that our sicknesse is desperate and yet goe to our soules Physition not doubting of recouery, we thereby extoll our Physitions skill, if our woundes be in themselues griesly and incurable, & yet we resort to our heauenly Surgeon to be healed of them, wee cannot more commend his all sufficient cunning. And therefore seing it is in these our extremities to our Sauiour Christ most honorable and acceptable, and to our selues most profitable and full of comfort, if we come vnto Christ not doubting of his helpe, let vs not pretend excuses eyther because we are vnfit, vnworthy, or in a desperate state, for by thus aggrauating our owne remedilesse misery we extenuate and call into question Gods mercy and Christs al-sufficiency, wee spoyle him of his honour, glorie, & our owne soules of all ioy & consolation.