A85783:214
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 5 › Section 1
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.
First, Christ commands us to have our Armour on, our grace in exercise, Luke 12.35. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning. Christ speaks, either in a martial phrase as to soldiers, or in a domestic as to servants: If as to soldiers, then let your loins he girded, and your lights burning, is, that we should be ready for a march, having our armour on, (for the belt goes over all,) and our match light, ready to give fire at the first alarm of a temptation. If as to servants, which seems more natural, then he bids us (as our Master that is gone abroad) not through sloth or sleep put off our clothes, and put out our lights, but stand ready to open when he shall come, though at midnight. 'Tis not fit the Master should stand at the door knocking, and the servant within sleeping; indeed there is no duty the Christian hath in charge, but implies this daily exercise;1 Pray, but how? without ceasing: Rejoice, but when? evermore: Give thanks, for what? in every thing. The shield of faith, and helmet of hope, we must hold them to the end. The sum of all which is, that we should walk in the constant exercise of these duties and graces. Where the soldier is placed, there he stands, and must neither stir nor sleep, till he be brought off. When Christ comes, that soul shall only have his blessing, whom he finds so doing.
First, Christ commands us to have our Armour on, our grace in exercise, Luke 12.35. Let your loines be girded about, and your lights burning. Christ speaks, either in a martial phrase as to souldiers, or in a domestick as to servants: If as to souldiers, then let your loynes he girded, and your lights burning, is, that we should be ready for a march, having our armour on, (for the belt goes over all,) and our match light, ready to give fire at the first alarm of a temptation. If as to servants, which seems more natural, then he bids us (as our Master that is gone abroad) not through sloth or sleep put off our clothes, and put out our lights, but stand ready to open when he shall come, though at midnight. 'Tis not fit the Master should stand at the door knocking, and the servant within sleeping; indeed there is no duty the Christian hath in charge, but implies this daily exercise;1