A20752:729
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 yet if they examine the Scriptures in the balance of a true judgement, they may find food therein contained fit for their own palate and taste; for under this humility they shall discern more majesty, under this simplicity more deep wisdom, under this unpolished plainness more powerful persuasions to work upon and incline the affections, than in all humane writings whatsoever. Thirdly, humane eloquence and witty sharp conceits, are not only unfitting the grave majesty of our heavenly King, but also needless in respect ⟨p. 335⟩of the Scriptures themselves; for what are they but Gods truth, and what is more agreeable and beseeming truth, than plainness and simplicity? For what needs beauty the help of painting, or a precious Diamond much art to polish it, seeing they are glorious in their own nature? And what needs the truth of God, which in it self shineth clearly like the Sun in his chiefest brightness, the goodly ornaments of humane eloquence which would but darken the beams thereof? Or what needs that which is heavenly and divine, any help from that which is earthly and carnal to commend it to mans judgement? No, no, the flowers of Rhetoric and help of witty Sophistry, is more fit for Tullies orations, whereby oft times a good cause is made bad, and a bad one good, right wrong, and wrong right, than for Gods divine truth, which like the Sun shineth most gloriously when it is bare & naked. Lastly, it is to be observed that the Lord in his wisdom doth manifest his power in weakness, his majesty in baseness; and his wisdom in foolishness, to the end that weakness baseness, and folly, may serve as foils to make his power, majesty, and wisdom appear to us more glorious, though in truth in themselves they are infinite, and nothing can be added to their excellency. But because we lie grovelling on the earth, and are ready to ascribe all to the inferior means, and nothing unto God: therefore the Lord chooseth weak and simple means, that his own power and wisdom may be in them more manifest. For example, if the Lord had penned the Scriptures in such an eloquent stile as would have ravished the readers with delight, we would like fools have stood admiring at the curious work of the casket, and never opened it to look upon the precious jewel therein contained;
And yet if they examine the Scriptures in the balance of a true iudgement, they may finde food therein contained fit for their owne pallat and taste; for vnder this humilitie they shall discerne more maiestie, vnder this simplicitie more deepe wisedome, vnder this vnpolished plainnesse more powerful perswasions to work vpon and incline the affections, than in all humane writings whatsoeuer. Thirdly, humane eloquence and wittie sharpe conceits, are not onely vnfitting the graue maiestie of our heauenly King, but also needlesse in respect