A20752:982
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.
and he knows our thoughts long before we think them, as the psalmist speaketh Psal. 139.2.1 He is a spirit yea an all-seeing spirit, and therefore our prayers unto him are the desires of the heart, neither doth our words serve to persuade him, but to stir up our own dull spirits, and to keep us from disorderly wandering thoughts.2 So that if we can with Moses lift up our hearts unto God with earnest desires, this will be a strong cry in the ears of the Lord, and he will surely hear it. If we can unfeignedly say with the prophet David. 3Psal. 38.9. Lord I pour my whole desire before thee, and my sighing is not hid from thee, we may be assured he will hear us and grant our request, ⟨p. 499⟩for he heareth the desire of the poor, he prepareth their hart and bendeth his ear unto them. 4as it is psal. 10.17. yea he doth not only hear them and in some sort incline to their request, but he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he will hear their cry and save them. as the same prophet speaketh. Psal. 145.19.5 We know that a kind loving father if he see his son exceeding sick will be very careful and tender over him, to provide all things necessary for him which may do him good, and though with a faltering tongue and unperfect speech he ask any thing which is profitable for him to receive, yet how readily will he hearken unto him and grant his desire? yea if his sickness so increase that he becometh speechless uttering nothing but deep groans, even this language moves him to no less care in using all means which may do him good. Shall then we daily observe such fruits of love in sinful man, and shall we doubt of finding less in the Lord, who is infinite in love, mercy, and goodness, far be it from us.