The Christian Warfare Part 3, Title page – Dedication
THE CONFLICT BETVVEENE THE FLESH and the SPIRIT. OR THE LAST PART OF THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE: Wherein is deſcribed the nature of theſe Combatants, the malice and power of the Fleſh and fleſhly luſts, with the meanes whereby we may ſubdue and ouercome them. By IOHN DOWNAME Batchelar in Diuinitie, and Preacher of Gods Word.
GAL. 5. 17.
For the Fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the Fleſh, and theſe are contrarie the one to the other, ſo that ye cannot doe the thing that ye would.
LONDON, Printed by William Iones, dwelling in Red-croſſe ſtreete, neere Saint Gyles Church without Cripple-gate.
1618.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR FRANCIS BACON, KNIGHT, Lord KEEPER of the Great Seale, I. D. wiſheth all increaſe of grace with true honour in this world, and euerlaſting happineſſe in the life to come.
THere is no time (Right Honorable) for careleſſe ſecuritie, when there is no place free from danger: But whileſt a Chriſtian liueth in this world he is encompaſſed with perils, walketh among ſnares, and is beſet on all ſides with many mighty enemies. For though hee were at peace with all viſible creatures, yet thoſe foreign of which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, doe in all times and places make warre againſt him. Without him there are many legions of wicked ſpirits aſſiſted with the ſtrong aydes of worldly enemies, which beeing farre ſuperiour vntounto him in power and policie doe beſiedge and beſet him on eueryevery ſide, watching all opportunities to worke his deſtruction; within him he harboureth many ſecret traitors euen innumerable fleſhly luſts, which (if hee preuent not the danger by continuall watchfulfulneſſe) are euer ready to open the gates of his ſoule and letting in thoſe forraigne forces, to ioyne vvith them in ſpoiling him of thoſe rich treaſures, Gods ſauing graces, and in making him thc miſerable captiue of ſinne and Sathan. In which regard it becommeth all Chriſtian Souldiours whiles they liue in the Church militant, not to dreame of peace or eaſe, but to ſtand alwaies in their ſtation with vndaunted valour, and vnwearied watchfulneſſe, and to bee armed continually with the whole armour of God that they may reſiſt theſe enemies and obtaine the victory. But eſpecially this courage and care is required of Gods Miniſters, that they may with Timothy foreign 2. Tim. 1. 18.foreign. VntoUnto which is required not onelyonly that they bee valourous in fighting the Lords battailes, but alſo prudent and skilfull in the militarie diſcipline, that they may bee able to teach and traine others in theſe feates of Armes and how to vſe their valure, ſtrength and weapons for their beſt aduantage, ſeeing they are called of God, not to be common Souldiers but Captaines and Leaders of his holy armies The conſideration and conſcience of which dutie hath moued me (the leaſt and vnworthieſt of this number) to intreat of this Chriſtian Warfare, that for the preſent the weake and vnskilfull might hauehave ſome helpe and direction for the ſtrengthening of themſelues and defeating of their enemies, vntill ſome of Gods greateſt Worthies doe vndertake this taske and purtray perfectly this ſpirituall patterne of militarie diſcipline, which I (as I could) hauehave rudely delineated. The finiſhing of which worke in all the parts thereof was when I firſt vndertooke it, in regard of my weakeneſſe and other imployments in the worke of my miniſterie, ſo farre in my conceipt aboue my hopes, that I durſt ſcarce aſpire vntounto it in my higheſt deſires, though in this kinde ambitious aboue my ſtrength. And yet now the Lord who taketh delight to manifeſt his power in the weakeneſſe of his inſtruments, hath enabled me to finiſh the laſt part of this worke. And as in the other parts to deſcribe the Warfare betweene the Chriſtian and his forraigne enemies, the Diuell and the World, with the meanes whereby hee may bee inabled to ouercome; ſo in this, the inteſtine warre that is in our ſelues betweene the Spirit & the Fleſh: wherin if we will get the victorie we muſt after a ſort flee and abandon our ſelues, and if wee will kill our enemies, wee muſt mortifie and crucifie our earthly members. The which my poore labours I humbly offer to your Honours patronage, not becauſe I thinke them worthy your learned view, or ſo perfect that they may merit approbation in your iudicious cenſure, but that paſſing as tolerable in your eſtimate, they may appeare euen commendable to weaker iudgements, and (like meane ſeruants of Honorable Lords) may be more eſteemed and better entertained, when as they come abroad graced with your name. Neither hauehave I offered this Diſcourſe of Chriſtian Warfare to your view (like Phormio to Annibal) as though I thought I could hereby adde any thing to your skill in this militarie diſcipline: but onelyonly that it might finde ſhelter vnderunder ſuch Honourable ſhade againſt the ſtormes of ſeuerer cenſures, knowing that the weaker the pupill is the more neede he hath of a ſtrong Patron and Guardian. Nor dare I ſay that hereby I deſired to honour your name by commending it to poſteritie as truely honourable (although theſe paper monuments are oftentimes more durable then thoſe which are erected of laſting Marble) for what glory can my dimme candle adde to your ſunſhine? And what increaſe can my mite add to your treaſury? And yet though the main Ocean bee neuer the fuller by the acceſſe of ſmall ſprings and little ſtreames; notwithſtanding they run into it, as taking ſome delight to doe their homage; and thoſe who are of meaneſt abilitie to honour their ſuperiours, doe take ſome pleaſure in indeauouring to doe it, becauſe hereby they manifeſt their will, and in their greateſt impotencie expreſſe in ſome ſort their louelove and dutie. The which not onelyonly your perſonall worth may challenge as due from all of my profeſſion, as excelling in thoſe treaſures which we onelyonly acknowledge worth the coueting, the vnvaluable riches of the minde in all kindes, eſpecially thoſe chiefely precious Iewels learning and religion: but alſo the outward exerciſe of theſe excellent endowments for the good of others, by letting heretofore ſome ſtreames (vnualuable in their worth and vnmatchable in their kinde) flowe out in common from the fountaine of your rich minde; and now in place of honour and gouernment by approuing your ſelfe a notable pillar of Gods holy Temple, in profeſſing and vpholding his true Religion, a worthy Maecenas of the Godly learned, and a faithfull and vncorrupted Patron vnderunder his excellent Maieſtie, in the freee beſtowing of Church-preferments vponupon ſuch as you conceiue are worthy to bee preferred. The Lord inrich you more and more with all gifts and graces of his holy Spirit, and make you faithfull vntounto the end in the imploying of his rich talents, which he hath committed ſo bountifully vntounto you, for the aduancement of his glory, and good of his familie; that ſo when you are called to giuegive an account of your Stewardſhip you may doe it with ioy, hearing that bleſſed Euge: Well done thou good and faithfull ſeruant, thou haſt beene faithfull ouer a few things, I will make thee ruler ouer many things: Enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord.
Your Honours in all humble ſeruice to be commanded, IOHN DOWNAME.