A85783:474
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 3
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, whose law doest thou freely subject thy self unto? the laws of these Princes are as contrary as their natures; the one a law of sin, Rom. 8.2. the other a law of holiness, Rom. 7.12. and therefore if sin hath not so far bereaved thee of thy wits, as not to know sin from holiness, thou mayest, (except resolve to cheat thy own soul) soon be resolved; confess therefore and give glory to God, to which of these laws doth thy soul set its seal? When Satan sends out his Proclamation, and bids sinner go, set thy foot upon such a command of God, observe what is thy behaviour, doest thou yield thy self, as Paul phraseth it, Rom. 6.16. [Greek or Hebrew], a metaphor from Princes servants or others, who are said [Greek or Hebrew], to present themselves before their Lord, as ready and at hand to do their pleasure, by which the Apostle elegantly describes the forwardness of the sinners heart to come to Satan's foot, when knock or call; Now doth thy soul go out thus to meet thy lust, (as Aaron his brother) glad to see its face in an occasion? thou art not brought over to sin with much ado, but thou likest the command: Transgress at Gilgal, (saith God) this liketh you well, Hos. 4.5. As a Courtier, who doth not only obey, but thank his Prince that he'll employ him. Needest thou be long in resolving whose thou art? did ever any question, whether those were Jeroboam's subjects, who willingly followed his command? Hos. 5.11. Alas, for thee, thou art under the power of Satan, tied by a chain stronger then brass or iron; thou lovest thy lust. A Saint may be for a time under a force, sold under sin, as the Apostle bemoans, and therefore glad when deliverance comes, but thou sellest thy self to work iniquity. If Christ should come to take thee from thy lusts, thou wouldest whine after them, as Micah after his gods.
Secondly, whose law doest thou freely subject thy self unto? the lawes of these Princes are as contrary as their natures; the one a law of sin, Rom. 8.2. the other a law of holinesse,