A85783:548
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 5 › 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.
Answ. The difficulty of this great work lies not in prevailing with Christ to receive thee for his subject, who refuseth none that in truth of heart desire to come under his shadow. It doth not stand with his design to reject any such. Do Physicians use to chide their Patients away? Lawyers their Clients? or Generals discourage those who fall off from the enemy, and come to their side? surely no. When David was in the field, 'tis said, 1 Sam. 22.2. Every one that was in distress, in debt, or in discontent gathered themselves to him, and he became a Captain over them. And so will Christ be to every one that is truly discontented with Satan's Government, and upon an inward dislike thereof repairs to him. But the main business will be to take thee off from thy engagements to thy lusts and Satan, till which be done, Christ will not own thee as a subject, but look on thee as a Spy. It fares with sinners as with servants. There may be fallings out between them and their Masters, and high words pass between them, that you would think they would take up their pack and be gone in all haste: but the fray is soon over, and by next morning all is forgot, and the servants are as hard at their work as ever. O how oft are sinners taking their leave of their lusts, and giving warning to their old Masters, they will repent and reform, and what not? but in a few days they have repented of their repentance, and deformed their reformings, which shows they were drunk with some passion, when they thought or spake this; and no wonder they reverse all when they come to their true temper. Now because Satan has many policies, by which ⟨p. 222⟩he useth to keep his hold of sinners; I shall discover some of them, which if thou canst withstand, it will be no hard matter to bring thee out of his power and rule.
Answ. The difficulty of this great work lies not in prevailing with Christ to receive thee for his subject, who refuseth none that in truth of heart desire to come under his shadow. It doth not stand with his designe to reject any such. Do Physicians use to chide their Patients away? Lawyers their Clients? or Generals discourage those who fall off from the enemy, and come to their side? surely no. When David was in the field, 'tis said, 1 Sam. 22.2. Every one that was in distresse, in debt, or in discontent gathered themselves to him, and he became a Captain over them. And so will Christ be to every one that is truly discontented with Satans Government, and upon an inward dislike thereof repairs to him. But the maine businesse will be to take thee off from thy engagements to thy lusts and Satan, till which be done, Christ will not own thee as a subject, but look on thee as a Spy. It fares with sinners as with servants. There may be fallings out between them and their Masters, and high words passe between them, that you would think they would take up their pack and be gone in all haste: but the fray is soon over, and by next morning all is forgot, and the servants are as hard at their work as ever. O how oft are sinners taking their leave of their lusts, and giving warning to their old Masters, they will repent and reform, and what not? but in a few dayes they have repented of their repentance, and deformed their reformings, which shewes they were drunk with some passion, when they thought or spake this; and no wonder they reverse all when they come to their true temper. Now because Satan has many policies, by which