A85783:504
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 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.
Secondly, this considered, would meeken and quiet the soul, when troubled by Satan within, or his instruments without; 'Tis Satan buffets, man persecutes me, but God who gives them both power. The Lord (saith David) bids him curse. The Lord (saith Job) hath given, and the Lord hath taken. This kept the Kings peace in both their bosoms. O Christian, look not on the Jailer that whips thee, may be he is cruel, but read the warrant, who wrote that, and at the bottom thou shalt find thy Fathers hand.
Secondly, this considered, would meeken and quiet the soule, when troubled by Satan within, or his instruments without; 'Tis Satan buffets, man persecutes me, but God who gives them both power. The Lord (saith David) bids him curse. The Lord (saith Iob) hath given, and the Lord hath taken. This kept the Kings peace in both their bosomes. O Christian, look not on the Jayler that whips thee, may be he is cruel, but reade the warrant, who wrote that, and at the bottome thou shalt finde thy Fathers hand.
Secondly, Satan's power is limited, and that two ways; he cannot do what he will, and he shall not do what he can.
Secondly, Satans power is limited, and that two ways; he cannot do what he will, and he shall not do what he can.
First, he cannot do what he will. His desires are boundless, they walk not only to and fro here below, but in heaven it self, where he is pulling down his once fellow-Angels, knocking down the carved-work of that glorious Temple, as with axes and hammers, yea, unthroning God, and setting himself in his place, this fool saith in his heart, There is no God; but he cannot do this, nor many other things which his cankered malice stirs him up to wish; he is but a creature, and so hath the length of his Tether to which he is staked and cannot exceed; and if God be safe then thou also, for thy life is hid with Christ in God; If I live (saith Christ) you shall live also. You are engraven on the table of his heart, if he plucks one away, he must the other also.