A85783:173
The Christian in Complete Armour
The Christian in complete armour. Or, A treatise of the saints war against the Devil, wherein a discovery is made of that grand enemy of God and his people, in his policies, power, seat of his empire, wickedness, and chief design he hath against the saints. A magazine opened: from whence the Christian is furnished with spiritual arms for the battle, helped on with his armour, and taught the use of his weapon, together with the happy issue of the whole war. The first part. / By William Gurnall, Minister of the Gospel in Lavenham. Imprimatur, Edmund Calamy.The Christian in compleat armour. Or, A treatise of the saints war against the Devil, wherein a discovery is made of that grand enemy of God and his people, in his policies, power, seat of his empire, wickednesse, and chiefe designe he hath against the saints. A magazin open'd: from whence the Christian is furnished with spiritual armes for the battel, help't on with his armour, and taught the use of his weapon, together with the happy issue of the whole warre. The first part. / By William Gurnall, Minister of the Gospel in Lavenham. Imprimatur, Edmund Calamy.
London: printed for Ralph Smith, 1655
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.
Secondly, the carnal Protestant, who fights in fleshly armour. 2 Cor. 10.3. the Apostle speaks there of warring after the flesh, that is, with weapons or means, which mans carnal wisdom prompts to, and not God commands, and so are weak. How few are clad with other in the day of battle; First, when Satan ⟨p. 63⟩tempts to sin, if he hath not presently a peaceable entrance; yet the resistance commonly made is carnal; the strength carnal they rest on, their own, not Gods; the motives carnal, as the fear of man more then of God. Where one saith, How shall I do this and sin against God? many in their hearts say, How shall I do this and anger man, displease my Master, provoke my Parents, and lose the good opinion of my Minister? Herod feared John, and did many things: had he feared God, he would have laboured to have done every thing. The like may be said of all other motives, which have their spring in the creature, not in God; they are armour which will not out-stand shot. If thy strength lie in a creature-lock, it may be soon cut off; if in God it will hold, as his command; It is written: I cannot do it, but I must set my foot on the Law of my Maker. Or the love of Christ; I cannot come at my lust, but I must go over my bleeding Saviour, and therefore away, foul Tempter, I hate thee and thy motion. This foundation is rock, and will stand; but if it be some carnal respect that balanceth thee, another more weighty may be found of the same kind, which will cast the scales another way. She that likes not the man because of his dress only, may soon be gained when he comes in another habit. Satan can change his suit, and then thy mouth will be stopped when thy carnal argument is taken off. Secondly, when the Word or Conscience rebuke for sin, what is the armour that men commonly cover their guilty souls withal? truly no other then carnal. If they cannot evade the charge that these bring, then they labour to mitigate it, by extenuating the fact. 'Tis true, will they say, I did (I confess) commit such a fault, but I was drawn in; The woman gave me, and I did eat, was Adams fig-leaf armour: 'tis but once or twice, and I hope that breaks no such squares, was this such a great business? I know jolly Christians will do as much as this comes to; I thank God, I cannot be charged for whore or thief: This is the armour that must keep off the blow.
Secondly, the carnal Protestant, who fights in fleshly armour.