A85783:48
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
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.
Secondly, the Christian is to walk singularly, not after the worlds guise. Rom. 12.2. we are commanded not to be conformed to this world, that is, not to accommodate our selves to ⟨p. 7⟩the corrupt customs of the world. The Christian must not be of such a complying nature, to cut the coat of his Profession according to the fashion of the times, or the humour of the company he falls into, like that Courtier, who being asked how he could keep his preferment in such changing times, which one while had a Prince for Popery, another while against Popery? answered, he was Esalice, non ex quercu ortus: he was not a stubborn oak, but bending osier, that could yield to the wind: No, the Christian must stand sixth to his principles, and not change his habit, but freely show what Country-man he is by his holy constancy in the truth. Now, what an odium, what snares, what dangers doth this singularity expose the Christian to? Some will hoot and mock him, as one in a Spanish fashion would be laughed at in your streets. Thus Michal flouted David. Indeed the world counts the Christian for his singularity of life the only fool; which I have thought gave the first occasion to that nick-name, whereby men commonly express a silly man or a fool: Such a one (say they) is a mere Abraham, that is, in the worlds account a fool. But why an Abraham? because Abraham did that which carnal reason (the worlds idol) laughs at as mere folly; he left a present estate in his fathers house, to go he know not whither, to receive an inheritance he knew not when. And truly luch fools all the Saints are branded for, by the wise world. You know the man and his communication, said Jehu to his companions, asking what that mad fellow came for, who was no other then a Prophet, 2 Kings 9.11. Now this requires courage to despise the shame, which the Christian must expect to meet withal for his singularity. Shame is that which proud nature most disdains,1 to avoid which many durst not confess Christ openly; many lose heaven, because they are ashamed to go in a fools coat thither. Again, as some will mock, so others will persecute to death, merely for this non-conformity in the Christians principles and practices to them. This was the trap laid for the three children; they must dance after Nebuchadnezzars pipe, or burn.