A20752:281
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.
Now if we would withstand Satan in this his cunning practise, we also are carefully to observe our estates, and to arm our selves against those temptations, to which that estate wherein we live is most subject. In the time of prosperity we are continually to meditate, that whatsoever we have it is the gift of God, bestowed on us not for our deserts, but of his free mercy and goodness, that by the consideration hereof we may be stirred up to true thankfulness, and as often as we look upon the gifts may think upon the giver, and praise his name for his benefits, and employ them to his glory, and the good of our brethren the poor members of Jesus Christ. Let us remember that we are but stewards of these earthly treasures, and therefore must one day be called to an account, and consequently the greater our receipts be, the greater will be our reckoning; that these earthly things are momentany and mutable, and we also mortal, and therefore there is no reason that we should be proud of them, or contemn ⟨p. 80⟩our brethren who want them, seeing in an instant they may abound, and we may be stripped of all we possess.
Now if wee would withstand Sathan in this his cunning practise, wee also are carefully to obserue our estates, and to arme our selues against those temptations, to which that estate wherein we liue is most subiect. In the time of prosperitie we are continually to meditate, that whatsoeuer wee haue it is the gift of God, bestowed on vs not for our desarts, but of his free mercie and goodnesse, that by the consideration hereof we may be stirred vp to true thankfulnes, and as often as wee looke vpon the gifts may thinke vpon the giuer, and praise his name for his benefits, and imploy them to his glorie, and the good of our brethren the poore members of Iesus Christ. Let vs remember that wee are but stewards of these earthly treasures, and therefore must one day be called to an account, and consequently the greater our receipts be, the greater will be our reckoning; that these earthly things are momentanie and mutable, and we also mortall, and therfore there is no reason that wee should be proud of them, or contemne ⟨p. 80⟩our brethren who want them, seeing in an instant they may abound, and we may be stripped of all we possesse.