A20752:266
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.
For example, if he find a man ambitiously affected, then he covereth his hook with the bait of honours: and thus he tempted Abimelech to murder all his worthy brethren,1 that he might obtain the sovereignty: thus he tempted Joab to stab traitorously Abner and Amasa, that he might still be Captain General: thus he tempted Absalom to usurp the kingdom,2 though it were by the utter destruction of his own father. And thus he tempted our Saviour Christ to worship him, by offering him all the kingdoms of the world, thinking belike that he was inclined to ambition, seeing he professed himself a great King, and had no worldly kingdom in his possession. So in our days he tempteth the ambitious subject to aspire, without just title, to the Crown of their lawful Princes; and those who are Kings already to affect a Monarchy, by usurping wrongfully their neighbour kingdoms: so he tempteth the Spirituality to come by Church-preferments, rather commended by the gifts of the purse than of the mind; and the Laity to buy great offices at so high a rate that they cannot live of them, unless they sell justice by taking bribes to betray the innocent, and their honesty also by using all extortion.
For example, if he finde a man ambitiously affected, then he couereth his hooke with the baite of honours: and thus he tempted Abimelech to murther all his worthie brethren,1 that hee might obtaine the soueraigntie: thus hee tempted Ioab to stab traiterously Abner and Amasa, that hee might still be Captaine Generall: thus he tempted Absalon to vsurp the kingdome,2 though it were by the vtter destruction of his owne father. And thus he tempted our Sauiour Christ to worship him, by offering him all the kingdomes of the world, thinking belike that he was inclined to ambition, seeing hee professed himselfe a great King, and had no worldly kingdome in his possession. So in our daies he tempteth the ambitious subiect to aspire, without iust title, to the Crowne of their lawfull Princes; and those who are Kings alreadie to affect a Monarchie, by vsurping wrongfully their neighbour kingdomes: so hee tempteth the Spiritualtie to come by Church-preferments, rather commended by the gifts of the purse than of the minde; and the Laytie to buy great offices at so high a rate that they cannot liue of them, vnlesse they sell iustice by taking bribes to betray the innocent, and their honestie also by vsing all extorsion.