A85783:202
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
A TREATISE Of the whole Armour Of God. › Introduction › Chapter 4 › Section 3
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.
SECT. III.
Thirdly, the entireness of the Saints armour may be taken not only for every part and piece of the Saints furniture, but for the completeness and perfection of every piece. As the Christian is to endeavour after every grace, so is he to press after the advance and increase of every grace, even to perfection itself; as he is to add to his faith virtue, so he is to add faith ⟨p. 78⟩to faith; he is ever to be completing of his grace. It is that which is frequently pressed upon believers, Mat. 5.48. Be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. And purify your selves, as God is pure. Where we have an exact copy set, not as if we could equalize that purity and perfection which is in God, but to make us strive the more, when we shall see how infinitely short we fall of our copy, when we write the fairest hand. So James 1.3. Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be entire, wanting nothing, or wanting in nothing. Thou who makest a hard shift to carry a little burden with thy little patience, wouldest sink under a greater, therefore there is need that patience should be ever perfecting, lest at last we meet a burden too heavy for our weak shoulders. Take a few reasons why the Christian should thus be completing of his grace.
Thirdly, the entirenesse of the Saints armour may be taken not only for every part and piece of the Saints furniture, but for the compleatnesse and perfection of every piece. As the Christian is to endeavour after every grace, so is he to presse after the advance and increase of every grace, even to perfection itself; as he is to adde to his faith vertue, so he is to adde faith ⟨p. 78⟩to faith; he is ever to be compleating of his grace. It is that which is frequently prest upon believers,