A20752:725
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.
And contrariwise, when they set down the destruction of the wicked, they do not ascribe it to any want of their own care and providence, nor to the malice or power of their enemies, nor to blind chance, or other outward accident, but to the hand of God exercising his judgements upon them, and punishing them for their sins. Now if you peruse all other writings, you shall find that they aim at nothing less than Gods glory; for some write to show their eloquence, others to extol their wits and deep learning, others to advance the praise of mortal men above the clouds, some for one end, and some for another, all aiming at their own praise, pleasure or profit, never so much as once respecting Gods glory in their least thought; and hence it is that setting down any victory they ascribe it to the weakness or want of wit, providence or courage of the adverse part, or to the fortitude of the Captains, the resoluteness of the soldiers, the advantages ⟨p. 332⟩of the place, Sun, wind, and such like circumstances, in the mean time excluding the God of battles, as though he had no stroke in this business. So likewise when they speak of any other affairs or accidents which fall out in the government of the world, they ascribe all to outward circumstances, inferior means and subordinate causes, as though God had given over the government of the earth, and had committed the ruling of the stern to blind fortune. Now whence can this exceeding difference proceed, that they should altogether aim at the glory of God, and these wholly at the praise, pleasure, & profit of man? that they should always ascribe the government and disposing of all things to the wise providence of God, and these to outward accidents, natural causes and inferior means? Surely because they were indited by the spirit of God, and therefore themselves are divine, savouring wholly of the author of them: and these by the spirit of man, and therefore all contained in them is merely humane carnal & natural.
And contrariwise, when they set downe the destruction of the wicked, they doe not ascribe it to any want of their owne care and prouidence, nor to the malice or power of their enemies, nor to blind chance, or other outward accident, but to the hand of God exercising his iudgements vpon them, and punishing them for their sinnes. Now if you peruse all other writings, you shall finde that they aime at nothing lesse than Gods glorie; for some write to shew their eloquence, others to extoll their wits and deepe learning, others to aduance the praise of mortall men aboue the clowdes, some for one end, and some for another, all aiming at their owne praise, pleasure or profit, neuer so much as once respecting Gods glorie in their least thought; and hence it is that setting downe any victorie they ascribe it to the weaknesse or want of wit, prouidence or courage of the aduerse part, or to the fortitude of the Captains, the resolutenesse of the souldiers, the aduantages