A20752:730
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.
& have bin so much affected with the words, that in the mean time we would have neglected the matter; but when this treasure is brought unto us but in an earthen vessel, when this beautiful feature is clothed in mean attire, and the divine wisdom of God set forth in an humble and simple stile, we leave shadows and behold the substance, neither do we rest in the outward letter, but search after the inward truth. So also if the Lord had in the penning of the Scriptures used enticing eloquence, or affected humane learning, men would have been ready to have said, that by the force thereof so many were drawn or enticed, to embrace religion and to spend ⟨p. 336⟩their lives in Gods service; but when as in outward show there is nothing but unpolished plainness and simple rudeness, by which nevertheless the hearers understanding is more enlightened, his will more powerfully inclined, his affections more strongly ruled, than by all the eloquent persuasions which wit and learning can invent, they are driven to confess that the wisdom of God is hidden under this simplicity, his power under this outward weakness, and that the Scriptures have their virtue and force, not from the enticing speech of mans wisdom and excellency of words, but from the power and plain evidence of Gods spirit, who was the author and inditer of them.
& haue bin so much affected with the words, that in the meane time we would haue neglected the matter; but when this treasure is brought vnto vs but in an earthen vessell, when this beautifull feature is cloathed in meane attire, and the diuine wisedome of God set foorth in an humble and simple stile, wee leaue shadowes and behold the substance, neither doe we rest in the outward letter, but search after the inward truth. So also if the Lord had in the penning of the Scriptures vsed inticing eloquence, or affected humane learning, men would haue been readie to haue said, that by the force thereof so many were drawne or inticed, to embrace religion and to spend ⟨p. 336⟩their liues in Gods seruice; but when as in outward shew there is nothing but vnpolished plainnesse and simple rudenesse, by which neuerthelesse the hearers vnderstanding is more inlightened, his wil more powerfully inclined, his affectiōs more strongly ruled, than by all the eloquent perswasions which wit and learning can inuent, they are driuen to confesse that the wisedome of God is hidden vnder this simplicitie, his power vnder this outward weaknes, and that the Scriptures haue their vertue and force, not from the inticing speech of mans wisedome and excellencie of words, but from the power and plaine euidence of Gods spirit, who was the author and inditer of them.