A85783:463
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 2 › Section 2
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, he obtained it by Conquest, as he won his crown; so he wears it by power and policy. But conquest is a cracked title. A thief is not the honester, because able to force the traveller to deliver his purse; and a thief on the throne is no better then a private one on the road, or Pirate in a Pinnace, as he boldly told Alexander. Neither doth that prove good with process of time, which was evil at first: Satan indeed hath kept possession long, but a thief will be so as long, as he keeps his stolen goods; He stole the heart of Adam from God at first, and doth no better to this day. Christs Conquest is good, because the ground of the war righteous, to recover what was his own, which Satan cannot say of the meanest creature, 'Tis my own.
First, he obtained it by Conquest, as he won his crown; so he weares it by power and policy. But conquest is a crack't title. A thief is not the honester, because able to force the traveller to deliver his purse; and a thief on the throne is no better then a private one on the road, or Pyrate in a Pinnace, as he boldly told Alexander. Neither doth that prove good with processe of time, which was evil at first: Satan indeed hath kept possession long, but a thief will be so as long, as he keeps his stollen goods; He stole the heart of Adam from God at first, and doth no better to this day. Christs Conquest is good, because the ground of the war righteous, to recover what was his own, which Satan cannot say of the meanest creature, 'Tis my own.
Secondly, Satan may lay claim to his Principality by Election; 'Tis true he came in by a wile, but now he is a Prince elect, by the unanimous voice of corrupt nature; Ye are of your father the devil, saith Christ, and his lusts ye will do. But this also hath a flaw in it, for man by law of Creation is Gods subject, and cannot give away Gods right; by sin he loseth his right in God, as a Protector; but God loseth not his right as a Sovereign. Sin disabled man to keep Gods Law, but it doth not enfranchise or dis-oblige him that he need not keep it.
Secondly, Satan may lay claim to his Principality by Election; 'Tis true he came in by a wile, but now he is a Prince elect, by the unanimous voice of corrupt nature; Ye are of your father the devil, saith Christ, and his lusts ye will do. But this also hath a flaw in it, for man by law of Creation is Gods subject, and cannot give away Gods right; by sin he loseth his right in God, as a Protectour; but God loseth not his right as a Soveraign. Sin disabled man to keep Gods Law, but it doth not enfranchise or dis-oblige him that he need not keep it.