A20752:373
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.
The Lord is our shepherd,1 and we his flock and the sheep of his pasture; as it is Psal. 23.1. and Joh. 10. Now if a sheep be entangled in the briars, so as he cannot follow the shepherd, though he hear his voice calling unto him, yet if he struggle and strive to come out to the uttermost of his power, and bleat for the shepherds help, when he cannot help himself, hereby it appeareth that he is one of his flock, which the good shepherd will not suffer to be lost; whereas indeed if he want not power alone, but will also to be freed and to follow after, it is clear that he belongeth to another sheepfold: so if when we are entangled in the briars of our corruptions, and so hindered with our imperfections, that we cannot follow the great shepherd of our souls Jesus Christ in the path of righteousness, which leadeth to the sheepfold of everlasting happiness, though we hear his voice calling unto us; yet if with the silly sheep we struggle and strive to ⟨p. 128⟩be freed from the snares of sin, and when we cannot free our selves by our power, do as it were bleat, and after our sheepish manner implore the help of our careful shepherd; crying out with the Apostle Paul, (that blessed sheep of Christ) Wretched man that I am, 2who shall deliver me from the body of this death, as it is Rom. 7.24. then will our loving shepherd Jesus Christ in his good time come and loose us, and if with struggling in the briars of sin we are so disabled that we cannot go, he will take us like the strayed sheep upon his shoulders, and carry us by the ways of righteousness into his sheepfold of everlasting happiness. Neither can it possibly be that our heavenly shepherd, who of purpose came into the world to seek us whilst we were lost, and spent three and thirty years in following and finding us, who were wandering and strayed sheep, crying and calling unto us even till he became hoarse with loud cries, and passing through the thorny ways of troubles and persecution, till he had shed his precious blood, and finally laid down his life for our sakes; should now turn away his eyes and stop his ears when his sheep desire to follow him, and earnestly implore his help, finding their own weakness and unabilitie to come so swiftly to him as they should.