A85783:549
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.
First, Satan doth his utmost, that sinners may not have any serious thoughts of the miserable state they are in, while under his rule; or hear any thing from others, which might the least unsettle their minds from his service. Consideration (he knows) is the first step to repentance: He that doth not consider his ways what they are, and whither they lead him, is not like to change them in haste. Israel stirred not, while Moses came, and had some discourse with them about their woeful slavery, and the gracious thoughts of God towards them; and then they begin to desire to be gone. Pharaoh soon bethought him what consequence might follow upon this, and cunningly labours to prevent by doubling their task: Ye are idle, ye are idle, therefore ye say, Let us go, and do sacrifice to the Lord. Go therefore and work, Exod. 5.17, 18. As if he had said, Have you so much spare time to think of gadding into the wilderness, and have you your seditious Conventicles, (Moses and you) to lay your plots together? I'll break the knot, give them more work, scatter them all over the land to gather straw, that they may not meet to entice one another's hearts from my service. Thus Satan is very jealous of the sinner, afraid every Christian that speaks to him, or Ordinance he hears should inveigle him. By his good-will he should come at neither, no, nor have a thought of heaven or hell from one end of the week to the other, and that he may have as few as may be, he keeps him full-handed with work. The sinner grinds, and he is filling the hopper, that the Mill may not stand still. He is with the sinner as soon as he wakes, and fills his wretched heart with some wicked thoughts, which as a morning draught may keep him from the infection of any favour of good, that may be breathed on him by others in the day-time. All the day long he watcheth him, as the Master would do his man, that he fears will run away. And at night he like a careful Jailer locks him up again in his chamber with more bolts and fetters upon him, not suffering him to sleep as he lies on his bed, till he hath done some mischief. Ah, poor wretch! was ever slave so looked to?1 as long as the devil can keep thee thus, thou art his own sure enough. The Prodigal came to himself, ⟨p. 223⟩before he came to his Father.