A55301:125
Armatura Dei, or, A preparation for suffering in an evil day showing how Christians…Armatura Dei, or, A preparation for suffering in an evil day shewing how Christians…
Armatura Dei, or, A preparation for suffering in an evil day showing how Christians are to bear sufferings, and what graces are requisite thereunto : suited for all good Christians in this present time / by Edward Polhil ..., Esq.Armatura Dei, or, A preparation for suffering in an evil day shewing how Christians are to bear sufferings, and what graces are requisite thereunto : suited for all good Christians in this present time / by Edward Polhil ..., Esq.
London: printed for Tho. Cockerill, 1682
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.
The eighth Direction is this, if we would be in a fit posture for Suffering, we must labour after humility of mind. It is the direction of our Saviour to Christians, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, 1Math. 11.29. St. Austin upon those words gives an excellent Rule; Cogitas magnam fabricam construere celsitudinis, de fundamento prius cogita humilitatis: Thou thinkest to build a great high Fabric, but first think to make a low Foundation: The higher the Building is, the lower must be the Foundation. If we would build our Christianity as high as Suffering for Religion, we had need lay a deep Foundation in Humility for it. Our Saviour Christ was not only a Pattern of Suffering, but of Humility too: St. Peter tells us, that ⟨p. 102⟩he suffered, leaving us an example, 2. Pet. 2.21. St. Paul tells us, how he came to Suffer; he emptied himself, or made himself of no Reputation, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, the death of the Gross. Phil. 2.7, 8. He laid by his Robes of Majesty, and became, as it were, nothing, that he might suffer for us: If we would follow Christ in Suffering, we must put off our Ornaments, and lay by our proud Plumes; we must empty our selves of all our Self-excellencies, and become vile; yea, nothing in our own eyes, that we may endure the trial.2 St. Paul was a great Sufferer For Christ, but withal he was one of the humblest that ever lived: Indeed before his Conversion he was a Saul, a proud Persecutor; but after it he was a Paul, persecuted, and little in his own eyes. Athanasius, who suffered so much under the Arians, had this Character given him by Nazianzen, That he was high in worth, and humble in heart. There are four things to be noted in Humility; each of which tend to prepare us for Suffering.
THe eighth Direction is this, if we would be in a fit posture for Suffering, we must labour after humility of mind. It is the direction of our Saviour to Christians, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart,