A20752:206
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.
1Now we are to speak of the last means which we are to use in our preparation immediately before our combat; that is, we are to arm our selves against the encounter: and to this end (because we are but fresh-water-soldiers & of small experience) let us take the counsel and advice of the Apostle Paul, one of Gods chief champions and expert soldiers, as he setteth it down,2 Eph. 6.11, 12, 13, 14, &c. where first he describeth the quality, and as it were the metal of our armour; in which respect he telleth us, that we must put on the armour of God which is spiritual, and that our weapons and armour must not be carnal.3 For being of this nature, though they were never so strong, they were to no purpose, seeing our enemy is spiritual; neither do we wrestle against flesh & blood, but against principalities, 4powers and spiritual wickednesses, as it is Eph. 6.12. In vain therefore it were with the Papists to seek to defend our selves with holy water, or Crucifixes, or rags and relics of Saints, from the violent assaults of this our enemy; or else with desperate hacksters to trust in our sword, buckler and spear: for well is that verified of this spiritual Leviathan, which the Lord speaketh of the earthly Leviathan, Job. 41.17.20. When the sword doth touch him, he will not rise up, 5and he laugheth at the shaking of the spear. And therefore when we are to encounter this great Goliath, we are to ⟨p. 45⟩lay aside the carnal weapons of Saul, 6which are altogether unfit for a Christian, serving rather to burden and so hinder him, than to defend and further him in this spiritual combat; and we are to go against him in the name of the Lord, strengthened in the power of his might, putting on us the armour of God, that is, such divine and spiritual armour as the Lord hath given and appointed us to use. For it is not sufficient that we prepare us this armour, if we let it lie by us, or suffer it (as it were) to hang upon the walls, there to rust without use; but we are to put it on, and keep it fast buckled unto us both night and day, that we may be always in readiness to endure the assault of our enemies.