A85783:340
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. VIII. Of the Saints victory over their subtle enemy, and whence it is that creatures so overmatched should be able to stand against Satan's wiles.
CHAP. VIII. Of the Saints victory over their subtile enemy, and whence it is that creatures so overmatch't should be able to stand against Satans wiles.
The second Branch of the Apostles Argument follows, to excite them the more vigorously to their arms; and that is from the possibility, yea, certainty of standing against this subtle enemy, if thus armed, That ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. So that this gives the Apostles argument its due temperament: for he meant not to scare them into a cowardly flight, or sullen despair of victory, when he tells them their enemy is so subtle and politic: but to excite them to a vigorous resistance, from the assured hope of strength to stand in battle, and victoriously after it; which two I conceive are comprehended in that phrase, (standing against the wiles of Satan. Sometimes to stand implies a fighting posture; so verse 14. Sometimes a conquering posture, Job 19.25. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. That earth which was the field, where all the bloody battles were fought betwixt him and Satan, on it shall he stand, when not an enemy shall dare to show his head. So that taking both these in: the Observation is,
THe second Branch of the Apostles Argument followes, to excite them the more vigourously to their armes; and that is from the possibility, yea, certainty of standing against this subtile enemie, if thus arm'd, That ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. So that this gives the Apostles argument its due temperament: for he meant not to scare them into a cowardly flight, or sullen despaire of victory, when he tells them their enemy is so subtile and politick: but to excite them to a vigourous resistance, from the assured hope of strength to stand in battel, and victoriously after it; which two I conceive are comprehended in that phrase, (standing against the wiles of Satan. Sometimes to stand implies a fighting posture; so verse 14. Sometimes a conquering posture,