A85783:432
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 2 › Section 2
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.
Is it wisdom? the same grave rhat covers thy body, shall bury all that, (the wisdom of thy flesh I mean) all thy thoughts shall perish, and goodly plots come to nothing. Indeed, if a Christian, thy thoughts as such shall ascend with thee, not one holy breathing of thy soul lost. Is it thy blood and birth? whoever thou art, thou art base-borne till borne again, the same blood runs in thy veins, with the beggar in the street, Acts 17.26. All Nations there we find made of the same blood, in two things all are alike, we come in and go out of the world alike; as one is not made of finer earth, so not resolved into purer dust.
Is it wisdome? the same grave rhat covers thy body, shall bury all that, (the wisdome of thy flesh I mean) all thy thoughts shall perish, and goodly plots come to nothing. Indeed, if a Christian, thy thoughts as such shall ascend with thee, not one holy breathing of thy soule lost. Is it thy blood and birth? whoever thou art, thou art base-borne till borne againe, the same blood runs in thy veines, with the beggar in the street, Asts 17.26. All Nations there we finde made of the same blood, in two things all are alike, we come in and go out of the world alike; as one is not made of finer earth, so not resolved into purer dust.
Use. 2 Secondly, Is man flesh? trust not in man; Cursed be he that makes flesh his arm. Not the mighty man; robes may hide and garnish, they cannot change flesh, Psal. 146. Put not your trust in Princes; alas, they cannot keep their crowns on their own heads, their heads on their own shoulders, and lookest thou for that which they cannot give themselves? Not in wise men, whose designs recoil oft upon themselves, that they cannot perform their enterprise.—Amphora coepit institui current rot â cur urceus exit. Mans carnal wisdom intends one thing, but God turns the wheel, and brings forth another. Trust not in holy men, they have flesh, and so their judgement not infallible, yea, their way sometimes doubtful. His mistake may lead thee aside, and though he returns, thou mayest go on and perish. Trust not in any man, in all men, no not in thy self, thou art flesh. He is a fool, (saith the Wise man) that trusts his heart. Not in the best thou art or doest, the garment of thy righteousness is spotted with the flesh; all is counted by Saint Paul, confidence in the flesh, besides our rejoicing in Christ,