A20752:209
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.
By which we learn not to esteem our spiritual fight as a May-game, but as a time of trouble and adversity, wherein we are assaulted by mighty enemies, and oftentimes foiled and wounded; and therefore we must not voluntarily run into temptations, seeing the time of them is evil and full of trouble; but rather fervently pray unto the Lord that he will not lead us into temptation, considering our own weakness and our enemies power; or if it please him to make trial of us, that he will not suffer us to fall therein, but that he will deliver us from evil, for as much as the kingdom and power and glory is his alone, and therefore he is of power sufficient to save and deliver us.
By which we learne not to esteeme our spirituall fight as a May-game, but as a time of trouble and aduersitie, wherein wee are assaulted by mightie enemies, and oftentimes foyled and wounded; and therefore we must not voluntarily runne into temptations, seeing the time of them is euill and full of trouble; but rather feruently pray vnto the Lord that hee will not leade vs into temptation, considering our owne weaknes and our enemies power; or if it please him to make triall of vs, that he will not suffer vs to fall therein, but that he will deliuer vs from euill, for as much as the kingdome and power and glorie is his alone, and therefore he is of power sufficient to saue and deliuer vs.
1But as we are not securely to rush into the field of temptation against our spiritual enemies, so we are not when our enemies sound the alarm to battle and assault us, cowardly to cast down our weapons and to run away: for the Apostle would not take away from us true valour and Christian fortitude, but carnal security and recklessness; and therefore though our enemies be mighty, and the time of temptation full of trouble, yet he biddeth us not to cast off our armour and to run away, wholly despairing of victory, but he exhorteth us for this cause, to take unto us the whole armour of God, that we may be able to resist in the evil day, and having finished all things may stand fast; that is, having put our enemies to flight and obtained the victory, we may like conquerors stand last in the field, as it were triumphantly insulting over them; whereby he intimateth thus much, that if we will take unto us the whole armour of God, how weak soever we be in our selves, yet shall we be enabled to resist our spiritual enemies in the evil day; and not only so, but also obtain victory and triumph over them.