A85783:181
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.
CHAP. III. Showeth that the Armour we use for our defence against Satan, must not only be divine by Institution, but constitution also.
CHAP. III. Sheweth that the Armour we use for our defence against Satan, must not only be divine by Institution, but constitution also.
Secondly, the Christians Armour must be Armour of God, in regard of its make and constitution. My meaning is, 'tis not only God, that must appoint the weapons and arms the Christian useth for his defence: but he must also be the efficient of them, he must work all their work in them and for them. Prayer is an appointment of God, yet this is not armour of proof, except it be a Prayer of God flowing from his Spirit. Hope, that is the helmet the Saint by command is to wear, but this hope must be Gods creature; who hath begotten us to a lively hope. 1Faith that's another principal piece in the Christians furniture, but it must be the faith of Gods Elect. He is to take righteousness and holiness for his breast-plate:2 but it must be true holiness, Eph. 4.24. Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Thus you see,3 it is not armour as armour, but as armour of God, that makes the soul impregnable. That which is borne of God overcometh the world. A faith borne of God, a hope borne of God, but the spurious adulterous brood of duties and graces, being begot of mortal seed, cannot be immortal.
SEcondly, the Christians Armour must be Armour of God, in regard of its make and constitution. My meaning is, 'tis not only God, that must appoint the weapons and armes the Christian useth for his defence: but he must also be the efficient of them, he must work all their work in them and for them. Prayer is an appointment of God, yet this is not armour of proof, except it be a Prayer of God flowing from his Spirit. Hope, that is the helmet the Saint by command is to wear, but this hope must be Gods creature; who hath begotten us to a lively hope.