A85783:489
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 4 › Section 1
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, the devils nature shows his power: 'Tis Angelical. Bless the Lord, ye his Angels, that excel in strength, Psal. 103.20. Strength is put for Angels, Psal. 78.25. They did eat Angels food, Heb. the food of the mighty. In two things the power of Angelical nature will appear; In its Superiority, and in its Spirituality.
Secondly, the devils nature shewes his power: 'Tis Angelical. Blesse the Lord, ye his Angels, that excel in strength, Psal. 103.20. Strength is put for Angels, Psal. 78.25. They did eat Angels food, Heb. the food of the mighty. In two things the power of Angelical nature will appear; In its Superiority, and in its Spirituality.
First, its Superiority, Angels are the top of the Creation; man himself made a little lower then the Angels. Now in the works of Creation, the Superior hath a power over the Inferior; the beasts over the grass and herb, man over the beasts, and Angels over man.
First, its Superiority, Angels are the top of the Creation; man himself made a little lower then the Angels. Now in the works of Creation, the Superiour hath a power over the Inferiour; the beasts over the grasse and herb, man over the beasts, and Angels over man.
Secondly, the Spirituality of their nature. The weakness of man is from his flesh: his soul made for great enterprises, but weighed down with a lump of flesh, is forced to row with a strength suitable to its weak Partner; but now the devils being Angels have no such incumbrance, no fumes from a fleshly part to cloud their understanding, which is clear and piercing; no clog at their heel to retard their motion, which for swiftness is set out by the wind and flame of fire. Yea, being spiritual they