A85783:392
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 1 › 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.
Use 1 First, this may reprove such as wrestle, but against whom? against God, not against sin and Satan. These are bold men indeed, who dare try a fall with the Almighty; yet such there are, and a Woe pronounced against them. Isa. 45.9. Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker. 'Tis easy to tell which of these will be worsted. What can he do, but break his shins that dasheth them against a rock? A goodly battle there is like to be, when thorns contest with fire, and stubble with flame. But where live those giants, that dare enter the list with the great God? what are their names that we may know them, and brand them for creatures above all other unworthy to live? Take heed O thou who askest, that the wretched man whom thou seemest so to defy, be not found in thy own clothes it self. Judas was the Traitor, though he would not answer to his name, but put it off with a Master is it I? and so mayest thou be the fighter against God. The heart is deceitful. Even holy David, for all his anger was so hot against the rich man, that took away the poor mans ewe-Lamb, that he bound it with an oath, the man should not live who had done it, yet proves at last to be himself the man, as the Prophet told him, 2 Sam. 12.
Ʋse 1 First, this may reprove such as wrestle, but against whom? against God, not against sin and Satan. These are bold men indeed, who dare try a fall with the Almighty; yet such there are, and a Wo pronounced against them. Isa. 45.9. Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker. 'Tis easie to tell which of these will be worsted. What can he do, but break his shins that dasheth them against a rock? A goodly battel there is like to be, when thorns contest with fire, and stubble with flame. But where live those giants, that dare enter the list with the great God? what are their names that we may know them, and brand them for creatures above all other unworthy to live? Take heed O thou who askest, that the wretched man whom thou seemest so to defie, be not found in thy own clothes it self. Iudas was the Traitour, though he would not answer to his name, but put it off with a Master is it I? and so mayest thou be the fighter against God. The heart is deceitful. Even holy David, for all his anger was so hot against the rich man, that took away the poor mans ewe-Lamb, that he bound it with an oath, the man should not live who had done it, yet proves at last to be himself the man, as the Prophet told him,