A20752:467
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.
1And thus doth Satan reason in the mind of a carnal man, partly to continue and increase his security in the course of sin, and partly to discredit the holy doctrine of Gods eternal predestination, as though it opened a door to all licentiousness. But if we consider of this temptation aright, and sound it to the bottom, we shall find first that it is most foolish and ridiculous, secondly that it is most false and impious. That it is most foolish it will easily appear, if we use the like manner of reasoning in worldly matters; for it is all one as if a man should thus say: thy time is appointed, and the Lord in his counsel hath set down how long thou shalt live; if therefore it be ordained that thy time shall be short, use what means thou wilt of physic and good diet, yet shalt thou not prolong it one day; but if God hath decreed that thou shalt live to old age, take what courses thou wilt, run into all desperate dangers, use surfeiting and all disorder of diet, nay eat no meat at all, and yet thou shalt live till thou art an old man. Or as if he should say; God hath decreed already whether thou shalt be rich or poor, and if ⟨p. 181⟩he hath appointed thee to be poor, take never so much pains, follow thy calling as diligently as thou wilt, abstain from all wastefulness and prodigality, yet shalt thou never get any wealth: but if thou art preordained to be rich, sell all thou hast and scatter it abroad in the streets, spend thy time in gaming, drinking and whoring, never troubling thy head with care, nor thy hands with work, yet shalt thou be a wealthy man. Now who would not laugh at such absurd manner of reasoning if any should use it? because every man knoweth, that as God hath decreed the time of our life, so he hath decreed also that we should use the means, whereby our lives may be preserved so long as he hath ordained that we should live, namely avoiding of dangers, good diet, and physic; and as he hath decreed that a man should be rich, so he hath decreed also that he should use all good means of attaining unto riches, namely providence and pains in getting, and care and frugality in keeping that he hath gotten; and whosoever use not the means, do make it manifest that they were not ordained unto the end.
1And thus doth Sathan reason in the minde of a carnall man, partly to continue and increase his securitie in the course of sinne, and partly to discredit the holy doctrine of Gods eternall predestination, as though it opened a dore to all licentiousnesse. But if we consider of this temptation aright, and sound it to the bottome, we shall finde first that it is most foolish and ridiculous, secondly that it is most false and impious. That it is most foolish it will easily appeare, if we vse the like manner of reasoning in worldly matters; for it is all one as if a man should thus say: thy time is appointed, and the Lord in his counsaile hath set downe how long thou shalt liue; if therefore it be ordained that thy time shall be short, vse what meanes thou wilt of phisicke and good diet, yet shalt thou not prolong it one day; but if God hath decreed that thou shalt liue to olde age, take what courses thou wilt, runne into all desperate daungers, vse surfetting and all disorder of diet, nay eate no meate at all, and yet thou shalt liue till thou art an old man. Or as if he should say; God hath decreed alreadie whether thou shalt be rich or poore, and if