A20752:222
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.
CHAP. XII. Of the preparation of the Gospel of peace.
CHAP. XII. Of the preparation of the Gospell of peace.
§. Sect. 1 The third part of our Christian armour is,1 that we have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; where he alludeth to the custom of soldiers in former times, who going into the field, strongly armed their legs and feet with leg-harness, war-greaves or buskins, to preserve them from the injury of the weather, the piercing of briars, thorns, and such other things as might hurt them in their way as they marched, and from the violence also of their enemies blows when they were encountered; for all which uses the Gospel serveth in our spiritual warfare: for they who are armed with the true knowledge thereof, and are assured of the merciful promises therein contained, they will walk and march valiantly in the ways of godliness and Christianity, though they are full of the briars and thorns of afflictions and persecution; preferring the rebuke of Christ before the riches of Egypt, because they have an eye to the recompense of reward, which they shall receive at the end of their journey. And this maketh them little to regard the foulness and unpleasantness of the way; and though Satan trouble them in their march, setting upon and assaulting them, yet they easily resist the fury of his temptations, and go on forward in the profession and practise of Christianity, if they be armed with the knowledge of the Gospel of peace; for it is therefore called the Gospel of peace,2 because it bringeth peace to our souls, not only as it is the embassy of God, whereby we being reconciled unto God,3 have peace with him, from the assurance whereof we have the peace of conscience, but also because if we be armed therewith, we shall obtain a final victory over our spiritual enemies, after which shall follow everlasting peace, which shall not so much as be disturbed with the attempts of any enemies.