A85783:400
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.
another while he falls a parleying and treating with them, making gracious overtures to the sinner, if he will return at his reproof, presents the grace of the Gospel, and opens a door of hope for his recovery, yea, falls a wooing and beseeching of him to throw down his rebellious arms, and come to Christ for life, whose heart is in a present disposition to receive and embrace the first motion the returning sinner makes for mercy. Now when the Spirit of God follows the sinner from place to place, and time to time, suggesting such motions, and renewing his old suit, and the creature shall fling out of the Spirits hands thus striving with him re infectâ, as far from renouncing his lusts, or taking any liking to Christ as ever: This is to resist the Spirit to his face, and it carries so much malignity in it, that (even where it hath not been final) poor humbled souls have been so over-set with the horror of it, that they could not for a long time be persuaded, but that it was the unpardonable sin. Take heed therefore ⟨p. 164⟩sinners, how you use the Spirit when he comes, knocking at the door of your hearts: Open at his knock, and he will be your guest, you shall have his sweet company; repulse him, and you have not a Promise he'll knock again. And if once he leave striving with thee, unhappy man, thou art lost for ever; thou liest like a ship cast up by the waves upon some high rock, where the tide never comes to fetch it off. Thou mayest come to the Word, converse with other Ordinances, but in vain. 'Tis the Spirit in them, which is both tide and wind, to set the soul afloat, and carry it on, or else it lies like a ship on dry ground which stirs not.
another while he falls a parlying and treating with them, making gracious overtures to the sinner, if he will return at his reproof, presents the grace of the Gospel, and opens a door of hope for his recovery, yea, falls a wooing and beseeching of him to throw down his rebellious armes, and come to Christ for life, whose heart is in a present disposition to receive and embrace the first motion the returning sinner makes for mercy. Now when the Spirit of God follows the sinner from place to place, and time to time, suggesting such motions, and renewing his old suit, and the creature shall fling out of the Spirits hands thus striving with him re infectâ, as far from renouncing his lusts, or taking any liking to Christ as ever: This is to resist the Spirit to his face, and it carries so much malignity in it, that (even where it hath not been final) poor humbled soules have been so over-set with the horrour of it, that they could not for a long time be perswaded, but that it was the unpardonable sin. Take heed therefore