A85783:134
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.
Thirdly, God may communicate the less of his assisting strength, that he may show the more of his supporting strength, in upholding weak grace: We do not wonder to see a man of strong constitution, that eats his bread heartily, and sleeps soundly, live: But for a crazy body, full of ails and infirmities, to be so patched and shored up by the Physicians Art that he stands to old age, this begets some wonder in the beholders. It may be thou art a poor trembling soul, thy faith is weak, and thy assaults from Satan strong, thy corruptions stirring and active, and thy mortifying strength little, so that in thy opinion they rather gain ground on thy grace, then give ground to it, ever and anon thou art ready to think, thou shalt be cast as a wrack upon the devils shore: and yet to this day thy grace lives, though full of leaks; now is it not worth the stepping aside to see this strange sight? A broken ship with masts and hull rent and torn, thus towed along by Almighty power, through an angry sea, and Armadoes of sins and devils, safely into its harbour. To see a poor dilling or rush candle in the face of the boisterous wind, and not blown out; In a word, to see a weak stripling in grace held up in Gods arms, till he beats the devil craven: This God is doing in upholding thee: thou art one of those babes, out of whose mouth God is perfecting his praise, by ordaining such strength for thee, that thou a babe in grace, shalt yet foil a giant in wrath and power.
Thirdly, God may communicate the lesse of his assisting strength, that he may shew the more of his supporting strength, in upholding weak grace: We do not wonder to see a man of strong constitution, that eats his bread heartily, and sleeps soundly, live: But for a crazie body, full of ailes and infirmities, to be so patcht and shored up by the Physicians Art that he stands to old age, this begets some wonder in the beholders. It may be thou art a poor trembling soule, thy faith is weak, and thy assaults from Satan strong, thy corruptions stirring and active, and thy mortifying strength little, so that in thy opinion they rather gain ground on thy grace, then give ground to it, ever and anon thou art ready to think, thou shalt be cast as a wrack upon the devils shoare: and yet to this day thy grace lives, though full of leaks; now is it not worth the stepping aside to see this strange sight? A broken ship with masts and hull rent and torne, thus towed along by Almighty power, through an angry sea, and Armadoes of sins and devils, safely into its harbour. To see a poore dilling or rush candle in the face of the boisterous winde, and not blown out; In a word, to see a weak stripling in grace held up in Gods armes, till he beats the devil craven: This God is doing in upholding thee: thou art one of those babes, out of whose mouth God is perfecting his praise, by ordaining such strength for thee, that thou a babe in grace, shalt yet foile a giant in wrath and power.