A20752:934
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.
§. Sect. 6 1In like manner in the time of our saviour Christ the same Jews most wickedly rebelled against the Lord; for when the Lord in his rich mercy sent the promised Messiah, to deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, they would not receive him, nay they continually afflicted and persecuted him, they mocked and reviled him, they haled him before the judgment seat, and caused him to be condemned who came to justify and acquit them; they buffeted and whipped him, and preferred a wicked murderer before him, who preferred their salvation before his own life, lastly in most ignominious sort they crucified and killed him. After all which outrageous wickedness offered against the Lord of life, they continued in their hardness of heart and impenitency, never acknowledging their fault not desiring pardon, nay rather as they had persecuted the head our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, so when they could offer no more wrong unto him in his own person, they were ready to satisfy and glut their malicious rage in persecuting his poor members. Now what more hellish impiety was ever committed? what more outrageous sin was ever heard of; who would ever have imagined that there was any hope of ⟨p. 467⟩pardon for such rebellious bloody wretches? but O the infinite and bottomless depth of Gods mercy, whilst their wickedness was fresh in memory, and their hands still imbrued in the guiltless blood of this innocent Lamb: when as they continued in their course, and ran headlong forward in their wickedness without any sense of sin or desire of pardon; the Lord sent his apostles unto them to bring them to repentance, and to assure them that their sins were pardoned.2 Seeing therefore these obtained the remission of their sins, who needs to doubt of pardon who earnestly desires it? for did the Lord graciously offer forgiveness to such rebellious wretches, and will he not grant it to less offenders if they desire it? did he offer them mercy before they sought it, and will he deny mercy unto any who earnestly seek and sue for it? Doth he seek to draw men to repentance and to turn unto him; and will he not receive them when they do repent? was he so exceeding merciful in times past, and shall we now think his arm shortened or his mercy abated?
§. Sect. 6