A85783:435
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.
First, to mortify thy own flesh. Flesh only fears flesh: when the soul degenerates into carnal desires and delights, no wonder he falls into carnal fears. Have a care, Christian, thou bringest not thy self into bondage: perhaps thy heart feeds on the applause of men, this will make thee afraid to be evil spoken ⟨p. 178⟩of, as those who shuffled with Christ, John 12.42. owning him in private when they durst not confess him openly, for they loved the praise of men; David saith, the mouth of the wicked is an open Sepulchre; and in this grave hath many a Saints name been buried; but if this fleshly desire were mortified, thou wouldest not pass to be judged by man, and so of all carnal affections. Some meat you observe is aguish; if thou settest thy heart on any thing that is carnal, wife, child, estate, &c. these will incline thee to a base fear of man, who may be Gods messenger to afflict thee in these.
First, to mortifie thy own flesh. Flesh only feares flesh: when the soule degenerates into carnal desires and delights, no wonder he falls into carnal feares. Have a care, Christian, thou bring'st not thy self into bondage: perhaps thy heart feeds on the applause of men, this will make thee afraid to be evil spoken ⟨p. 178⟩of, as those who shuffled with Christ, John 12.42. owning him in private when they durst not confesse him openly, for they loved the praise of men; David saith, the mouth of the wicked is an open Sepulchre; and in this grave hath many a Saints name been buried; but if this fleshly desire were mortified, thou would'st not passe to be judg'd by man, and so of all carnal affections. Some meat you observe is aguish; if thou settest thy heart on any thing that is carnal, wife, childe, estate, &c. these will incline thee to a base feare of man, who may be Gods messenger to afflict thee in these.