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…

And therefore having with Elihu long waited to see if those who were more ancient, better experienced, and more richly furnished with Gods gifts and graces than my self, would undertake this work, which is to God most acceptable, and to his saints and children so profitable and necessary: at length after others long silence, I resolved to speak, and no longer to conceal such true comforts as God hath revealed unto me; to the end that hereby I might relieve and comfort those who are poor in spirit, and humbled in the sight of sin; or at least by offering willingly to this use my small mite, I might give an occasion unto others better able, to unlock and open their rich treasuries, that they may bestow upon their poor brethren their great talents and gifts of better value. The which my labours as I did not rashly undertake them, so I have not suddenly finished them; for almost three years since I purposed to take this ⟨image 4⟩work in hand, which I have now by Gods assistance finished; but at the first (I confess) I intended not that it should come in to public view; but only (as others before me) propounded as the end of my labours, the comforting and raising up of a most faithful servant of God, and my most dear friend, who hath bound me with many benefits to the performance of all christian duties. But afterwards finding it to grow to such a volume that it was too great to pass in a written copy, and hoping that that which was profitable for one might be beneficial unto many, at length I resolved to make my labours public by committing them to the press. The principal things that I propounded to my self in this treatise are these; first and especially I endeavour to comfort those who are afflicted in conscience, in the sight and sense of their sins, by offering unto them certain assurance, that their sins are remitted, and that themselves are elected to eternal life, in the state of grace, reconciled unto God in Christ and received in his love and favour. Secondly, I labour to lead the christian in an even course, unto the haven of eternal happiness; that he may not run aside, neither on the right hand, and so falling upon the rocks of presumption make shipwreck of his soul, nor yet on the left hand, and so plunge himself into the gulf of desperation.

And therefore hauing with Elihu long waited to see if those who were more auncient, better experienced, and more richly furnished with Gods gifts and graces than my selfe, would vndertake this worke, which is to God most acceptable, and to his saints and children so profitable and necessarie: at length after others long silence, I resolued to speake, and no longer to conceale such true comforts as God hath reuealed vnto me; to the end that hereby I might releeue and comfort those who are poore in spirit, and humbled in the sight of sinne; or at least by offering willingly to this vse my small mite, I might giue an occasion vnto others better able, to vnlocke and open their rich treasuries, that they may bestow vpon their poore brethren their great talents and gifts of better valew. The which my labors as I did not rashly vndertake them, so I haue not suddenly finished them; for almost three yeeres since I purposed to take this