A20752:983
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.
Nay let us assure our selves, that though (our souls being sick in sin, and exceedingly dulled and beaten down with some grievous tentation) we cannot utter any thing but unperfect speeches, yea though we are through the grievousness of our affliction and greatness of our corruption strucken dumb and can utter nothing but groans and sighs, yet if we desire to be freed out of this wretched case and to have the comfort of Gods spirit, the Lord who searcheth the hart and understandeth our secret thoughts will hearken unto us and grant the desires of our hart, at least so far forth as it will stand with his own glory and our everlasting good.
Nay let vs assure our selues, that though (our soules being sicke in sinne, and exceedingly dulled and beaten downe with some grieuous tentation) we cannot vtter any thing but vnperfect speeches, yea though wee are through the grieuousnesse of our affliction and greatnesse of our corruption strucken dumbe and can vtter nothing but grones and sighes, yet if wee desire to be freed out of this wretched case and to haue the comfort of Gods spirit, the Lord who searcheth the hart and vnderstandeth our secret thoughts wil harken vnto vs and graunt the desires of our hart, at least so farre forth as it will stand with his owne glorie and our euerlasting good.
§. Sect. 3 Thirdly whereas others complain that their hearts are so hard and their spirits so dull,1 that they cannot utter unto God a prayer with any earnestness or fervency of spirit, but exceeding coldly and very weakly, and therefore they fear that God will never hear them; they are to remember that the Lord heareth us not nor granteth our requests for the worthiness and excellency of our prayers, but for his son Jesus Christs sake who is our mediator and intercessor ⟨p. 500⟩in whose name we call upon God; and therefore though our prayers be full of infirmities and uttered with much weakness, yet calling upon the Lord in our saviours name he will surely hear us as our saviour hath promised.