A85783:291
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
A TREATISE Of the whole Armour Of God. › Introduction › Chapter 5 › Section 3
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.
SECT. III.
Thirdly, another wile of Satan lies in cavilling at the Christians duties and performances, by which he puts him to much toil and trouble. He is at Church as soon as thou canst be, Christian, for thy heart, yea, he stands under thy closet-window, and hears what thou sayest to God in secret, all the while studying ⟨p. 119⟩how he may commence a suit against thee from thy duty; like those that come to Sermons to carp and catch at what the Preacher saith, that they may make him an offender for some word or other mis-placed; or like a cunning Opponent in the Schools, while his adversary is busy in reading his position, he is studying to confute it; and truly Satan hath such an Art at this, that he is able to take our duties in pieces, and so disfigure them that they shall appear formal, though never so zealous, hypocritical, though enriched with much sincerity. When thou hast done thy duty, Christian, then stands up this Sophister to ravel out thy work, there (will he say) thou playedst the hypocrite, zealous, but serving thy self, here wandering, there nodding; a little further puffed up with pride, and what wages canst thou hope for at Gods hands, now thou hast spoiled his work, and cut it all out into chips? Thus he makes many poor souls lead a weary life, nothing they do but he hath a fling at, that they know not whether best pray or not, hear or not; and when they have prayed and heard, whether it be to any purpose or not: Thus their souls hang in doubt, and their days pass in sorrow, while their enemy stands in a corner, and laughs at the cheat he hath put upon them; as one, who by putting a counterfeit spider into the dish, makes those that sit at table either out of conceit with the meat, that they dare not eat, or afraid of themselves if they have eaten, lest they should be poisoned with their meat.
Thirdly, another wile of Satan lies in cavilling at the Christians duties and performances, by which he puts him to much toil and trouble. He is at Church assoon as thou canst be, Christian, for thy heart, yea, he stands under thy closet-window, and heares what thou sayest to God in secret, all the while studying