A20752:947
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
Book 2 › Chapter 37: How we may know whether we be effectually called or no.
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 1But here the tempter will object, that by this it plainly appeareth that we are not yet effectually called nor separated from the world, because we still love the world affecting ⟨p. 475⟩and desiring the vain pleasures, honours, & riches thereof, yea and also love those who are mere worldlings, and on the other side the world also loveth us, giving us good countenance and performing other duties unto us. For the answering of which suggestion we must distinguish between our selves and our selves; for whilst we continue in this life we are partly flesh and partly spirit, and as there is great enmity between the spirit and the world, so is there great amity between the world and the flesh. So far forth therefore as we are still carnal and corrupt fleth the world loveth us, but as much as is spiritual and regenerate so much the world hateth and abhorreth. Moreover we may generally be considered as men, or more specially as we are Christian men; in the first respect, the world that is wicked worldlings may love us for some natural parts or mere moral virtues, or else in common humanity as members of the same civill or politic body: but as we are Christians who have given our names unto God & devoted our selves to his worship and service, the world hateth us and our profession, religion, and all the fruits and exercises of sanctification and holiness, so that though in other natural, worldly, and more civill respects it loveth us, yet in regard of our regeneration and the fruits thereof it cannot endure us, and our company and conversation is exceeding tedious, irksome and unpleasant. So on the other side whereas Satan objecteth that we love the world that is carnal worldly men, we may answer that even as we are regenerate, it is lawful to love them in the same respects which they love us, namely as they are men & the excellent creatures of God, as they are endued with excellent natural gifts or moral virtues, as they are of the same civill body or kindred, or as they have been used of God as his instruments for the bestowing of any his benefits upon us: in which respects loving them, we may notwithstanding with a true zeal hate & abhor their vices, their carnal worldliness, profane irreligion, and wicked conversation.
§. Sect. 6 1But here the tempter will obiect, that by this it plainely appeareth that wee are not yet effectually called nor seperated from the world, because we still loue the world affecting