A20752:984
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. 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.2 Joh. 16.23. Verily, verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name he will give it you. Moreover we are to know that we do not offer up our prayers immediately unto God the father, but by the mediation of Jesus Christ, who putting our prayers into the golden vials which are full of the precious odours of his merits, thereby perfumeth them and maketh them an offering of sweet smelling savour unto God;3 & by washing them in his own most precious blood he purgeth them from all their corruptions and perfecteth all their wants and imperfections, so as now though not in themselves yet in him they will be acceptable unto God and he will mercifully grant our petitions.
§. Sect. 3 Thirdly whereas others complaine that their hartes are so harde and their spiritts so dull,1 that they cannot vtter vnto God a prayer with any earnestnesse or feruencie of spirit, but exceeding coldly and verie weakely, and therefore they feare that God will neuer heare them; they are to remember that the Lord heareth vs not nor graunteth our requests for the worthinesse and excellencie of our prayers, but for his sonne Iesus Christs sake who is our mediatour and intercessour ⟨p. 500⟩