The vvhole-armor of God: or A Christians spiritual furniture, to keepe him safe from all the assaults of Satan First preached, and now the second time published and enlarged for the good of all such as well vse it:whereunto is also added a treatise of the sinne against the Holy Ghost. By VVilliam Gouge B.D. and preacher of Gods Word in Blacke Fryers London. ...

§. 7. Of manfull standing.

HEere then are two duties to bee obserued of all such as haue taken vnto them the whole Armour o•• God.

1 That stoutly they stand against their enemies,* 1.1 and bid them defiance: Hereof wee shall speake more on the first word of the next verse.

2 That they giue no place vnto them.* 1.2 This is a duty which thec 1.3 Apostle in expresse words commandeth.d 1.4 Oft it is implied vnder this word that is here vsed.e 1.5 A worthy patterne wee haue hereof in the example of our Lord and Generall,* 1.6 Christ Iesus, who still withstood Satan in euery assault, and would not yeeld any whit at all in any of his temptations.

Our arch-enemy is both crafty as a Fox,* 1.7 and cruell as a Lyon: his craft will make him soone espie and take an ad∣uantage: his cruelty will make him follow it to the vtter∣most.

Great is their follie who first yeeld a little,* 1.8 and then thinke well enough to acquit themselues: they much de∣ceiue themselues: for after they haue once yeelded, they haue neither will nor power to stand, as they had before. For as Satan is subtill, so isa 1.9 sinne deceitfull: who once hath tasted of it, will scarce content himselfe with a taste, but will still more and more hunger after it. Thousands are deceiued therewith, and by small yeeldings at first, at length cleane ouerthrowne. An especiall point of wis∣dome it is duly to consider our owne folly and weake∣nesse together with the Diuels craft and power, how in our selues (without this Armour) there is no comparison betwixt vs and our enemies: yea, also to consider the na∣ture of sinne, and our pronenesse thereunto; that so we may resolutely set our selues against all temptations, not yeelding any whit at all to any. Who almost findeth not by wofull experience that a little yeelding hath caused a great ouerthrow?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Doct. 3. Stand stoutly.
• * 1.2

  Doct. 4. Giue no place to the enemy.
• c 1.3

  Chap. 4. v 27
• d 1.4

  Iam. 4. 7.
• e 1.5

  Mat. 4 3. &c.
• * 1.6

  1 Pet. 5. 9.
• * 1.7

  Reason.
• * 1.8

  Vse Great folly to yeeld a little.
• a 1.9

  Heb. 3. 13.