A85783:132
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, God may deny further degrees of strength to put thee on the exercise of that thou hast more carefully. As a mother doth by her child, that is learning to go, she sets it down, and stands some distance from it, and bids it come to her, the child feels its legs weak, and cries for the mothers help, but the mother steps back on purpose, that the child should put forth all its little strength in making after her: When a poor soul comes and prays against such a sin, God seems to step back and stand at a distance; the temptation increaseth, and no visible succour appears, on purpose that the Christian, though weak, should exercise that strength he hath. Indeed we shall find the sense ⟨p. 46⟩of a souls weakness, is an especial means to excite it into a further care and diligence: One that knows his weakness, how prone he is in company to forget himself, in passion how apt he is to fly out, if there be a principle of true grace, this will excite him to be more fearful and watchful, then another that hath obtained greater strength against such great temptations. As a child that writes for money to his father, none comes presently, this makes him husband that little he hath the better, not a penny now shall be laid out idly; Thus when a Christian hath prayed against such a sin again and again, and yet finds himself weak, prone to be worsted, O how careful will this, should this make such a one of every company, of every occasion? Such a one had not need give his enemy any advantage.
First, God may deny further degrees of strength to put thee on the exercise of that thou hast more carefully. As a mother doth by her childe, that is learning to go, she sets it down, and stands some distance from it, and bids it come to her, the childe feels its legs weak, and cries for the mothers help, but the mother steps back on purpose, that the childe should put forth all its little strength in making after her: When a poor soul comes and prayes against such a sin, God seems to step back and stand at a distance; the temptation increaseth, and no visible succour appears, on purpose that the Christian, though weak, should exercise that strength he hath. Indeed we shall finde the sense ⟨p. 46⟩of a soules weaknesse, is an especial meanes to excite it into a further care and diligence: One that knowes his weaknesse, how prone he is in company to forget himself, in passion how apt he is to flie out, if there be a principle of true grace, this will excite him to be more fearful and watchful, then another that hath obtained greater strength against such great temptations. As a childe that writes for money to his father, none comes presently, this makes him husband that little he hath the better, not a penny now shall be laid out idly; Thus when a Christian hath prayed against such a sin again and again, and yet finds himself weak, prone to be worsted, O how careful will this, should this make such a one of every company, of every occasion? Such a one had not need give his enemie any advantage.