A85783:189
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.
Obj. ⟨p. 71⟩But is all armour that is of God thus mighty? we read of weak grace, little faith, how can this then be a trial of our armour, whether of God or not?
Obj. ⟨p. 71⟩But is all armour that is of God thus mighty? we reade of weak grace, little faith, how can this then be a trial of our armour, whether of God or not?
Answ. I answer, the weakness of grace is in respect of stronger grace, but that weak grace is strong and mighty in comparison of counterfeit grace: Now I do not bid thee try the truth of thy grace by such a power as is peculiar to stronger grace, but by that power which will distinguish it from false; true grace, when weakest, is stronger then false when strongest. There is a principle of divine life in it, which the other hath not; Now life, as it gives excellency (a flea or fly by reason of its life is more excellent then the Sun in all its glory) so it gives strength. The slow motion of a living man (though so feeble that he cannot go a furlong in a day) yet coming from life, imports more strength then is in a ship, which (though it sails swiftly) hath its motion from without: Thus possibly an hypocrite may exceed the true Christian in the bulk and out-side of a duty, yet because his strength is not from life, but from some wind and tide abroad that carries him, and the Christians is from an inward principle, therefore the Christians weakness is stronger then the hypocrite in his greatest enlargements. I shall name but two acts of grace when weakest, whereby the Christian exceeds the hypocrite in all his best array. You will say, then grace is at a weak stay indeed, when the Christian is persuaded to commit a sin, a great sin, such a one as possibly a carnal person would not have it said of him for a great matter, so low may the tide of grace fall, yet true grace at such an ebb will appear of greater strength and force then the other.