A85783:335
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 7 › Section 4
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. IV.
Fourthly, be careful to keep thy old receipts which thou hast had from God for the pardon of thy sins. There are some gaudy ⟨p. 135⟩days, and Jubilee-like Festivals, when God comes forth clothed with the robes of his mercy, and holds forth the Sceptre of his grace more familiarly to his children then ordinary, bearing witness to their faith, sincerity, &c. and then the firmament is clear, not a cloud to be seen to darken the Christians comfort. Love and joy are the souls repast and pastime, while this feast lasts. Now when God withdraws, and this cheer is taken off, Satan's work is how he may deface and wear off the remembrance of this testimony, which the soul so triumphs in for its spiritual standing, that he may not have it as an evidence when he shall bring about the suite again, and put the soul to produce his writings for his spiritual state, or renounce his claim. It behoves thee therefore to lay them up safely; such a testimony may serve to non-suit thy accuser many years hence; one affirmative from Gods mouth for thy pardoned state, carries more weight (though of old date) then a thousand negatives from Satans. Davids Songs of old spring in with a light to his soul in his midnight-sorrows.
Fourthly, be careful to keep thy old receits which thou hast had from God for the pardon of thy sins. There are some gaudy ⟨p. 135⟩dayes, and Jubilee-like Festivals, when God comes forth clothed with the robes of his mercy, and holds forth the Scepter of his grace more familiarly to his children then ordinary, bearing witnesse to their faith, sincerity, &c. and then the firmament is clear, not a cloud to be seen to darken the Christians comfort. Love and joy are the soules repast and pastime, while this feast lasts. Now when God withdrawes, and this chear is taken off, Satans work is how he may deface and weare off the remembrance of this testimony, which the soule so triumphs in for its spiritual standing, that he may not have it as an evidence when he shall bring about the suite again, and put the soule to produce his writings for his spiritual state, or renounce his claim. It behoves thee therefore to lay them up safely; such a testimony may serve to non-suit thy accuser many yeares hence; one affirmative from Gods mouth for thy pardoned state, carries more weight (though of old date) then a thousand negatives from Satans. Davids Songs of old spring in with a light to his soule in his midnight-sorrowes.