A85783:241
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. I. Of Satan's subtlety to choose the most advantageous seasons for tempting.
CHAP. I. Of Satans subtilty to choose the most advantagious seasons for tempting.
First, he shows his subtlety in choosing the most proper and advantageous seasons for tempting. To every thing there is a season, Solomon saith, Eccl. 3.1. that is, a nick of time, which taken gives facility and speedy dispatch to a business; And therefore the same Wise man gives this reason why man miscarries so frequently, and is disappointed in his enterprises, because he knows not his time, Eccl. 9.11. He comes when the bird is flown. A hundred soldiers at one time may turn a battle, ⟨p. 94⟩save an army, when thousands will not do at another: Satan knows when to make his approaches, when (if at any time) he is most likely to be entertained. As Christ hath the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season of counsel and comfort, to a doubting drooping soul, so Satan shows his black Art, and hellish skill, in speaking words of seduction and temptation in season, and a word in season is a word on its wheels. I shall give you a view of his subtlety in special seasons, which he chooseth to tempt in.
FIrst, he shews his subtilty in choosing the most proper and advantagious seasons for tempting. To every thing there is a season, Solomon saith, Eccl. 3.1. that is, a nick of time, which taken gives facility and speedy dispatch to a businesse; And therefore the same Wise man gives this reason why man miscarries so frequently, and is disappointed in his enterprizes, because he knowes not his time, Eccl. 9.11