The Christian in Complete Armour

Use 3 Thirdly, this (Christian) calls for thy loyalty and faithful service to Christ, who hath saved thee from Satan's bondage. Say, O ye Saints, to Christ, as they to Gideon, Come thou and rule over us, for thou hast delivered us from the hand, not of Midian, but of Satan. Who so able to defend thee from his wrath, as he who broke his power? who like to rule thee so tenderly, as he that could not brook another's tyranny over thee? In a word, who hath right to thee besides him, who ventured his life to redeem thee? that being delivered from all thine enemies, thou mayest serve him without fear in holiness all the days of thy life. And we it not pity that Christ should take all this pains to lift up thy head from Satan's house of bondage, and give thee a place among those in his own house, who are admitted to minister unto him, (which is the highest honour the nature of men or Angels is capable of,) and that thou shouldest after all this be found to have a hand in any treasonable practice against thy dear Saviour? surely Christ may think he hath deserved better at your hands, if at none besides. Where shall a Prince safely dwell, if not in the midst of his own Courtiers; and those such who were all taken from chains and prisons to be thus preferred, the more to oblige them in his service? Let devils and devilish men do their own work, but let not thy hand (O Christian) be upon thy dear Saviour. But this is too little to bid thee not play the traitor. If thou hast any loyal blood running in thy veins, thy own heart will smite thee when thou rendest the least skirt of his holy Law; thou canst as well carry burning coals in thy bosom, as hide any treason there against thy dear Sovereign. No, 'tis some noble enterprise I would have thee think upon, how thou mayest advance the Name of Christ higher in thy heart, and world too as much as in thee lies. O how kindly did God take it, that David (when peaceably set in his throne) was casting about, not how he might entertain himself with those pleasures, which usually corrupt and ⟨p. 194⟩debauch the Courts of Princes in times of peace, but how he might show his zeal for God, in building a house for his worship, that had reared a throne for him, 2 Sam. 7. And is there nothing (Christian) thou canst think on, wherein thou mayest eminently be instrumental for God in thy generation?

Ʋse 3 Thirdly, this (Christian) calls for thy loyalty and faithful service to Christ, who hath saved thee from Satans bondage. Say, O ye Saints, to Christ, as they to Gideon, Come thou and rule over us, for thou hast delivered us from the hand, not of Midian, but of Satan. Who so able to defend thee from his wrath, as he who broke his power? who like to rule thee so tenderly, as he that could not brook anothers tyranny over thee? In a word, who hath right to thee besides him, who ventur'd his life to redeem thee? that being delivered from all thine enemies, thou mayest serve him without feare in holinesse all the dayes of thy life. And wee it not pity that Christ should take all this pains to lift up thy head from Satans house of bondage, and give thee a place among those in his own house, who are admitted to minister unto him, (which is the highest honour the nature of men or Angels is capable of,) and that thou shouldest after all this be found to have a hand in any treasonable practice against thy dear Saviour? surely Christ may think he hath deserved better at your hands, if at none besides. Where shall a Prince safely dwell, if not in the midst of his own Courtiers; and those such who were all taken from chains and prisons to be thus preferr'd, the more to oblige them in his service? Let devils and devillish men do their own work, but let not thy hand (O Christian) be upon thy dear Saviour. But this is too litle to bid thee not play the traitour. If thou hast any loyal blood running in thy veines, thy own heart will smite thee when thou rendest the least skirt of his holy Law; thou canst as well carry burning coales in thy bosome, as hide any treason there against thy dear Soveraign. No, 'tis some noble enterprise I would have thee think upon, how thou mayest advance the Name of Christ higher in thy heart, and world too as much as in thee lies. O how kindely did God take it, that David (when peaceably set in his throne) was casting about, not how he might entertain himself with those pleasures, which usually corrupt and