A55301:156
Armatura Dei, or, A preparation for suffering in an evil day showing how Christians…Armatura Dei, or, A preparation for suffering in an evil day shewing how Christians…
Armatura Dei, or, A preparation for suffering in an evil day showing how Christians are to bear sufferings, and what graces are requisite thereunto : suited for all good Christians in this present time / by Edward Polhil ..., Esq.Armatura Dei, or, A preparation for suffering in an evil day shewing how Christians are to bear sufferings, and what graces are requisite thereunto : suited for all good Christians in this present time / by Edward Polhil ..., Esq.
London: printed for Tho. Cockerill, 1682
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.
Having laid down Directions in order to suffering, I will shut up all with a few Considerations, which may serve as Motives to induce us at Gods call to suffer any thing rather than part with the pure Religion, which is a Jewel incomparably more worth than all those things, which we can lose for it.
HAving laid down Directions in order to suffering, I will shut up all with a few Considerations, which may serve as Motives to induce us at Gods call to suffer any thing rather than part with the pure Religion, which is a Jewel incomparably more worth than all those things, which we can lose for it.
1. Pious Sufferers do glorify God in a very signal eminent manner: What is said of St. Peter's death, That it was a glorifying of God, Joh. 21.19. The same may be said of the death of all other Martyrs; we glorify God by offering Praise; much more by offering our lives for him: We glorify him by giving some of our Estates in Charity, much more by giving our blood ⟨p. 134⟩for his Name: We glorify, him, when we present our Bodies a living sacrifice to him in Active Obedience, much more when we present them a dying one in Passive: Much of the glory of God breaks forth in his Suffering Saints; Free-grace shines out in the raising up Witnesses to his Truth in a contradicting persecuting World; Power admirably appears in bearing of them up with holy Joy and Pleasure in the midst of all the Torments, which men and Devils can invent against them. Excellent is that of the Apostle; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness, Col. 1.11. Gods power is glorious in other things, but in his suffering Saints it lets out itself in a most illustrious manner: The Persecutors have all Torments, all kinds of Death, but the Martyrs have all might, all patience, and long-suffering with joyfulness: As it was with Christ, his Power appeared in Miracles, but above all, in that he triumphed over Principalities and Powers upon the Cross; so it is with Christians, the Divine Power appears in other Graces, but above all in that patient suffering which overcomes the World: The Truth of God is in Martyrs practically proved to be exceeding precious. The Fathers, in the first