A85783:91
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
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, in the strict command he lays on his people, to give him the glory of his power, Isa. 8. 12, 13. Fear ye not their fear, but sanctify the Lord of hosts himself: that is, in this sad posture of your affairs, when your enemies associate, and you seem a lost people to the eye of Reason, not able to contest with such united Powers, which beset you on every side: Now I charge you sanctify me in giving me the glory of my Almighty Power; believe that your God is able of himself, without any other, to defend you, and destroy them.
First, in the strict command he layes on his people, to give him the glory of his power, Isa. 8. 12, 13. Feare ye not their feare, but sanctifie the Lord of hostes himself: that is, in this sad posture of your affaires, when your enemies associate, and you seem a lost people to the eye of Reason, not able to contest with such united Powers, which beset you on every side: Now I charge you sanctifie me in giving me the glory of my Almighty Power; believe that your God is able of himself, without any other, to defend you, and destroy them.
Secondly, in his severity to his dearest children, when they stagger in their faith, and come not off roundly (without reasoning and disputing the case) to rely on his Almighty Power: Zechariah did but ask the Angel, How shall I know this, because I am an old man, and my wife stricken in years; yet for bewraying therein his unbelief, had a sign indeed given him, but such a one as did not only strengthen his faith, but severely punish his unbelief, for he was struck dumb upon the place. God loves his children should believe his Word, not dispute his power; so true is that of Luther, Deus amat curristas nonquaeristas. That which gave accent to Abraham's faith, Rom. 4.21. was that he was fully persuaded, that what God had promised, he was able to perform.