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…

So in the time of winter the fruitful trees are so nipped with the cold frosts, and so weatherbeaten with tempestuous storms that they appear naked & bare, not only without fruit but also leaves, so as if we shall judge according to sense & outward appearance we should falsely conclude that they are dead; for by experience we know that they live and suck nourishment out of the earth, even when they are most spoiled of their summer beauty, and though they are tossed with the winds yet hereby they are not hurt but rather take deeper root and so are made capable of more nourishment, and though they be nipped with cold frosts yet hereby they are not made barren nay rather hereby their worms and cankers are killed, and they prepared and made fit to bring forth more fruit in the time of summer, when the comfortable spring approacheth, and the sweet showers and warm sun beams fall and descend upon them. And thus it is with the spiritual graces in the poor christian, in the winter of affliction they are nipped with the cold frosts of fear and doubting, and weatherbeaten with the boisterous blasts of Satan's tentations, so as they seem even dead at the very root if we shall judge according to outward sense & appearance, but yet by experience we find that it is far otherwise, for hereby they are not overturned though they be shaken, and this shaking maketh them to take more deep root in godliness, and though they be nipped and pinched with fears and doubtings yet they perish not, only the canker-worm of pride, sound presumption, and self confidence is mortified and killed; and they hereby are prepared and fitted to bring forth more plentiful fruits of holiness and righteousness, when the spring of true comfort cometh, wherein the sweet showers of Gods holy spirit distil upon them, and the warm sunshine of Gods love and favour again appeareth to them.

So in the time of winter the fruitfull trees are so nipped with the cold frosts, and so weatherbeaten with tempestuous stormes that they appeare naked & bare, not only without fruite but also leaues, so as if wee shall iudge according to sence & outward appearance we should falsely conclude that they are dead; for by experience we know that they liue and sucke nourishment out of the earth, euen when they are most spoiled of their summer beautie, and though they are tossed with the winds yet hereby they are not hurt but rather take deeper roote and so are made capeable of more nourishment, and though they bee nipped with cold frosts yet hereby they are not made barren nay rather hereby their wormes and cankers are killed, and they prepared and made fitt to bring forth more fruite in the time of sommer, when the comfortable spring approacheth, and the sweet showers and warme sunne beames fall and descend vpon them. And thus it is with the spirituall graces in the poor christian, in the winter of affliction they are nipped with the cold frosts of feare and doubting, and weatherbeaten with the boysterous blasts of Sathans tentations, so as they seeme euen dead at the very roote if wee shall iudge according to outwarde sense & appearance, but yet by experience we find that it is farre otherwise, for hereby they are not ouerturned though they be shaken, and this shaking maketh them to take more deepe roote in godlinesse, and though they bee nipped and pinched with feares and doubtings yet they perish not, only the canker-worme of pride, sonde presumption, and selfe confidence is mortified and killed; and they hereby are prepared and fitted to bring forth more plentifull fruites of holinesse and righteousnesse, when the spring of true comfort commeth, wherein the sweete showers of Gods holy spirit distil vpon them, and the warme sunshine of Gods loue and fauour againe appeareth to them.