The Christian Completely Armed, Title page – To the reader
ΓΑΝΟΓΛΙΑ.
Univerſa Arma. Hieron.
OR, The Chriſtian Compleatly Armed: BEING A Treatiſe of the Chriſtians Armour, clearly opening every part thereof, both preſsing to the putting of it on, and inſtructing us ſo to uſe it, as we may not be foyled in time of Temptation.
Delivered by that late Reverend, and faithfull Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, Mr. Ralph Robinſon, Paſtor of Mary Woolnoth, London, to his Congregation there, in ſeveral Lectures: And now publiſhed for the further benefit of the Church of God.
1 Pet. 5. 8. Be ſober, be vigilant: becauſe your Adverſary the Devil, as a roaring Lyon, wulketh about ſeeking whom he may devour, foreign, whom he may drink up at one draught.
Juſtus ex fide vivit, ſides tua juſtitia tua, quâ uti que ſi credis, caves; ſi autem caeves conaris, & conatum tuum novit Deus, & voluntatem tuam inſpicit, & luctam cum carne conſiderat, & hortatur ut pugnes, & adjuvat ut vincas, & certamen ſpectat, & deficieniem ſublevat, & vincentem Coronat. Auguſt. ſuper Pſal. 32.
Jan. 21. 1655.
Imprimatur,
Joſeph Caryl.
LONDON: Printed by John Streater, for John Sims, at the Croſs-keys in the New-Building in Pauls Church-yard; and Eliſha Wallis, at the three Black Lyons in the Old-Bayley, 1656.
To the Reader.
Chriſtian Reader,
AMong many other priviledges confer'd upon thee, by the good hand of thy God, this is not the leaſt, that thou mayſt enjoy the Labours of his Servants, as ſtanding Monuments of their fidelity, when they themſelves are removed out of the Land of the Living. Of which, the worthy Author of this Treatiſe, whom the Lord was pleaſed to cut off, in the midſt of his dayes; yea, in the flower of his age, was not the meaneſt. What Solomon ſaith of the vertuous woman, (Prov. 31. 31. Her Workes praiſe her in the Gates) may be truly applyed to him. This part of his Works, ſpeaks him both learned and pious; not a Novice in the things of God, nor a Work-man that needed to be aſhamed; but a man of God, throughly furniſht to every good work. He was eminent for Prayer, in Meditation frequent, and in Temptation much experienced: One that alwayes valued his Peoples ſoules above his own life; And, like a Candle, he quickly ſpent himſelf, to give light to them. It was one of his Swan-like Expreſſions, (when on his Death-bed) that he loved Praying and Faſting Dayes with all his heart: The which, he declared abundantly, in his Practice, whileſt he lived, being frequent therein, both in publike, and private. As for the Subject here treated on, it's true, that there are many others that have written thereon; yet, we know, that the commoneſt Meats do yield the moſt wholeſome nouriſhment, whereas newfound Diſhes do but clog the ſtomack, and fill the body with unwholeſome Humours. Beſides, if the ſound and new manner of handling common things, may commend them, (as it ever did, foreign) then I hope this Work will be welcome to thee. For, by reading, thou ſhalt find a vaſt difference between him and others herein. Many Caſes of Conſcience are herein clearly reſolved, and many Objections fully anſwered, that others have omitted; & all in ſo plain a ſtyle, that the meaneſt Capacity may underſtand it. At which, it may be, ſome may take diſtaſte: But I anſwer, It was intended for the Pulpit, not for the Preſs; where, Mores non verba compoſuit, & animis dixit non auribus, The ſcope of his Labours was his Auditors Inſtruction, not his own applauſe: nor did he care ſo much to pleaſe, as to profit, 1 Cor. 14. 19. The many wayes and wiles whereby Satan labours to beguile the unſtable, and to wound and diſcourage the weak ſoul, are here unfolded; together, with ſeveral directions for the waving of them: wherein thou ſhalt find the Author ſtill keeping himſelf to the Metaphor in the Text, and therein diſcovering much, both of a ſound Head, and ſanctified Heart. Like an able and skilfull Phyſitian, he doth firſt unbowel the Diſeaſe, and then applies his healing Medicines. Like an experienced Commander, he firſt diſcovers the ſtratagems of this old and ſubtil Adverſary, and then inſtructs thee how to wave them. Like a judicious Pilot, he fore-ſees the many Shelvs and Rocks, on, or againſt which, the Pirat labours to gravel or ſplit the ſhip of thy Soul; and then ſets up his Land-marks, whereby thou mayſt avoid them. Bleſs God for theſe Helps, and learn from them to fight the good fight of Faith, till thou have finiſhed thy courſe, and obtained thy Crown. It behoveth thee now (if ever) to ſtand upon thy guard, thy Enemy being heated with rage, becauſe he knows his time is ſhort: yet deſpond not, for the God of Peace will ſhortly tread him under thy feet. Sceva, at the ſiege of Dyrrcahium, reſiſted Pompey's Army ſo long alone, that he had two hundred and twenty Darts ſticking in his Shield, and loſt one of his eyes; and yet he gave not over, till Caeſar came to his reſcue. A greater then Caeſar is on thy ſide, O Chriſtian: Jeſus Chriſt (the Captain of thy Salvation) hath conquered him for thee, (We are more then Conquerors, through him that loved us, Rom. 8. 37.) and in due time thou ſhalt divide the ſpoyl. Be not faithleſs, but believing; and thereby give glory to God. Buckle on thy Armour, and David-like go out againſt this Goliah, in the name of the Lord. It's both approved, and compleat. Approved it is, and (like Joſephs Bow, Gen. 49. 24.) abiding in its full ſtrength, neither Age nor Uſe can impair it. It is alſo compleat, Capa-pe, anſwerable to the many Darts of thy Enemy. Here's a Helmet for thy head, a Breaſt-plate for thy heart, a Sword for thy hand, Shooes for thy feet, and an indiſſoluble Bond, or Girdle, to faſten all together. I conclude all in the Apoſtles Exhortation, 1 Cor. 16. 13. Watch ye, ſtand faſt in the Faith, quit you like men: Be ſtrong, and the Lord be with you. So prayeth,
He that wiſheth to thine, as to his own Soul, Eternall Happineſs, M. H.