A85783:368
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 9 › 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.
Secondly, consider but the way how God communicates his love after his Saints falls, not in sinning, or for sinning, but in mourning and humbling their souls for their sins. Indeed did God smile on them, while acting sinfully, this might strengthen their sin, as wine in a fever would the disease; but when the fit is off, the venom of the disease spent, and breathed out in a kindly humiliation, now the creature lies low. Gods wine of comfort is a cordial to the drooping spirit, not fuel for sin. When David was led into temptation first, he must be clad in sack-cloth and mourning, and then God takes it off, and puts on the garment of joy and praise, 1 Chron. 21.10, 15. Job, though he expressed so much courage and patience, yet (bewraying some infirmities after he was baited long by so many fresh dogs, men and devils) he must cry peccavi, and abhor himself in dust and ashes, before God will take him into his arms, Job 42.6. and the same way God takes with all his children. Now to his Saints in such a posture, God may with safety to his honour and their good, give a larger draught of his love then ordinary; their fears and sorrow which their sin hath cost them, will serve instead of water to dash this strong wine of joy, and take away its headiness, that it neither fume up into pride, nor occasion them to reel backward into Apostasy.
Secondly, consider but the way how God communicates his love after his Saints falls, not in sinning, or for sinning, but in mourning and humbling their souls for their sins. Indeed did God smile on them, while acting sinfully, this might strengthen their sin, as wine in a feaver would the disease; but when the fit is off, the venome of the disease spent, and breathed out in a kindly humiliation, now the creature lies low. Gods wine of comfort is a cordial to the drooping spirit, not fuel for sin. When David was led into temptation first, he must be clad in sack-cloth and mourning, and then God takes it off, and puts on the garment of joy and praise, 1 Chron. 21.10, 15. Job, though he exprest so much courage and patience, yet (bewraying some infirmities after he was baited long by so many fresh dogs, men and devils) he must cry peccavi, and abhor himself in dust and ashes, before God will take him into his armes,