A85783:939
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 8 › Section 5
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, it reflects sadly on Christs honour, both as he is entrusted with the Saints salvation, and also as he is interested in it. First, as he is entrusted with the Saints salvation. He tells us they are given him of his Father for this very end, that he should give them eternal life, yea, that power which he hath over all flesh; was given him to render him every way able to effect this one business, John 17.2. He accepts the charge, owns them as his sheep, knows them every one, and promiseth, he will give them eternal life, they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand, John 10.27, 28. Now how well do they consult with Christs honour, that say his sheep may die in a ditch of final apostasy notwithstanding all this? ⟨p. 386⟩Secondly, as he is interested in the salvation of every Saint. The life of his own glory is bound up in the eternal life of his Saints. Its true, when Adam fell God did save his stake, but how can Christ who is so nearly united to every believing soul? There was a league of friendship betwixt God and Adam; but no such union as here where Christ and his Saints make but one Christ, for which his Church is called Christ, 1 Cor. 12.12. As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, so is Christ. Christ and his members make one Christ: now is it possible a piece of Christ can be found at last-burning in hell? can Christ be a cripple Christ? can this member drop off and that? 'Tis as possible that all, as any should; and how can Christ part with his mystical members and not with his glory? doth not every member add an ornament to the body, yea, an honour? The Church is called the fullness of him, Eph. 1.23. O how dishonourable is it to Christ that we should think he shall want any of his fullness? and how can the man be full and complete that wants a member?
Secondly, it reflects sadly on Christs honour, both as he is intrusted with the Saints salvation, and also as he is interessed in it. First, as he is intrusted with the Saints salvation. He tells us they are given him of his Father for this very end, that he should give them eternal life, yea, that power which he hath over all flesh; was given him to render him every way able to effect this one businesse,