A85783:399
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.
They, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, 1shall know they had a Prophet among them. Now men soon forget whom and what they hear; ask them what was pressed upon their conscience in such a Sermon, they have forgot; what were the precious truths laid out in another, and they are lost: & well were it for them if their memories were no better in another world: it would ease their torments more then a little. But then they shall know they had a Prophet among them, and what a price they had with him in their hands, though it was in fools keeping. They shall know what he was, and what he said, though a thousand years past, as fresh as if it were done but last night. The more zealous and compassionate, the more painful and powerful he was in his place, the greater shall their sin be found, to break from such holy violence offered to do ⟨p. 163⟩them good. Surely God will have something for the sweat, yea, lives of his servants which were worn out in striving with such rebellious ones. May be yet, sinners, your firmament is clear, no cloud to be seen that portends a storm; but know (as you use to say) winter does not rock in the clouds, you shall have it at last: every threatening which your faithful Ministers have denounced against you out of the Word, God is bound to make good. He confirmeth the Word of his servant, 2and performeth the counsel of his messengers, and that in judgement against sinners, confirming the threatenings, as well as in mercy performing the promises, which they declare as the portion of his children. But it will be time enough to ask such on a sick-bed, or a dying hour, whether the words of the Lord delivered by their faithful Preachers have not taken hold of them. Some have confessed with horror they have, as the Jews, Zech. 1.6. Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, so hath he dealt with us. Secondly, the Spirit strives with men more immediately, when he makes his inward approaches to the consciences of men, debating in their own bosoms the case with them; one while he shows them their sins in their bloody colours, and whether they will surely bring them, if not looked to timely, which he doth so convincingly, that the creature smells sometimes the very fire and brimstone about him, and is at present in a temporary hell;