A20752:797
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.
§ Sect. 3 1The second argument to move us to hasten our repentance and turning unto God is taken from the momentany shortness and the mutable uncertainty of our lives; in respect of the shortness of our lives they are compared to a pilgrimage, to the flower and grass of the field, to the wind, a cloud, smoke, vapour, to a dream, a tale told, a span shadow, and the passage of the weavers shuttle, yea it is called vanity it self. And therefore seeing our lives are so short surely they are all to little though they were wholly spent in Gods service; but seeing we have spent a great part of this short time even our whole life before our conversion after the lusts of the gentiles, let us think that enough yea far too much to be so ill bestowed, and from hence for ward let us live (as much time as remaineth in the flesh) not after the lusts of men but after the will of God, as the apostle admonisheth us. 1. Pet. 4.2.3. But though our life were short yet if this short time were certain there were some more show of reason why ⟨p. 379⟩we should defer our conversion; but as it is short so is it most uncertain, for we have not assurance that we shall live one hour, we are tenants at will in these earthly tabernacles, neither do we know how soon our great landlord will turn us out of them; we are the Lords stewards here on earth and we know not how soon our Lord and master will call us to a reckoning and therefore it behoveth us to have our accounts always perfect and the books of our consciences made up in readiness. We are uncertain when death will arrest us and carry us to judgment and therefore we should be prepared for it all times; when we go to bed we are so to lay us down as though we were never to rise till we rise to receive our last sentence, when we rise up in the morning we are so to spend that day as though it were the last of our lives, for how many have gone well to bed who have been dead before the morning? how many have risen (as they thought in perfect health) and yet have been attached by death before the evening? and therefore it behooveth every one who hath any regard of the eternal salvation of his soul to turn speedily unto God, and while today they hear his voice not to harden their hearts.
§ Sect. 3 1