A85783:215
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.
Secondly, Satan's advantage is great when grace is not in exercise. When the devil found Christ so ready to receive his charge, and repel his temptation, he soon had enough, it is said, He departed for a season, 1as if in his shameful retreat he had comforted himself with hopes of surprising Christ unawares, at another season more advantageous to his design; and we find him coming again, in the most likely time indeed to have attained his end, had his enemy been man, and not God. Now if this bold fiend did thus watch and observe Christ from time to ⟨p. 83⟩time, doth it not behove thee to look about thee, lest he take thy grace at one time or other napping? what he misseth now by thy watchfulness, he may gain anon by thy negligence. Indeed he hopes thou wilt be tired out with continual duty: Surely, saith Satan, (when he sees the Christian up, and fervent in duty) this will not hold long. When he finds him tender of conscience, and scrupulous of occasions to sin, This is but for a while, ere long I shall have him unbend his bow, and unbuckle his armour, and then have at him. Satan knows what orders thou keepest in thy house and closet, and though he hath not a key to thy heart, yet he can stand in the next room to it, and lightly hear what is whispered there: He hunts the Christian by the sent of his own feet, and if once he doth but smell which way thy heart inclines, he knows how to take the him; if but one door be unbolted, one work unmanned, one grace of its carriage here is advantage enough.
Secondly, Satans advantage is great when grace is not in exercise. When the devil found Christ so ready to receive his charge, and repel his temptation, he soon had enough, it is said, He departed for a season, 1as if in his shameful retreat he had comforted himself with hopes of surprising Christ unawares, at another season more advantagious to his designe; and we finde him coming again, in the most likely time indeed to have attained his end, had his enemy been man, and not God. Now if this bold fiend did thus watch and observe Christ from time to ⟨p. 83⟩time, doth it not behove thee to look about thee, lest he take thy grace at one time or other napping? what he misseth now by thy watchfulnesse, he may gain anon by thy negligence. Indeed he hopes thou wilt be tired out with continual duty: Surely, saith Satan, (when he sees the Christian up, and servent in duty) this will not hold long. When he findes him tender of conscience, and scrupulous of occasions to sin, This is but for a while, ere long I shall have him unbend his bowe, and unbuckle his armour, and then have at him. Satan knows what orders thou keepest in thy house and closet, and though he hath not a key to thy heart, yet he can stand in the next room to it, and lightly hear what is whispered there: He hunts the Christian by the sent of his own feet, and if once he doth but smell which way thy heart enclines, he knows how to take the him; if but one door be unbolted, one work unmann'd, one grace of its carriage here is advantage enough.