A85783:565
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 4
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.
Use 1 This speaks to you that are Parents, see what need you have of instructing your children, and training them up betimes in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Till these ⟨p. 230⟩chains of darkness be knocked off their minds, there is no possibility of getting them out of the devils prison; he hath no such tame slave as the ignorant soul: such a one goes before Satan (as the silly sheep before the butcher) and knows not who he is, nor whither he carries him; and can you see the devil driving your children to the shambles and not labour to rescue them out of his hands? Bloody parents you are, that can thus harden your bowels against your own flesh. Now the more to provoke you to your duty, take these considerations.
Ʋse 1 This speaks to you that are Parents, see what need you have of instructing your children, and training them up betimes in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Till these ⟨p. 230⟩chaines of darknesse be knockt off their mindes, there is no possibility of getting them out of the devils prison; he hath no such tame slave as the ignorant soul: such a one goes before Satan (as the silly sheep before the butcher) and knows not who he is, nor whither he carries him; and can you see the devil driving your children to the shambles and not labour to rescue them out of his hands? Bloody parents you are, that can thus harden your bowells against your own flesh. Now the more to provoke you to your duty, take these considerations.
1. Your relation obligeth you to take care of their precious souls. 'Tis the soul is the child rather then the body: and therefore in Scripture put for the whole man. Abraham and Lot went forth with all the souls they had gotten in Haran, Gen. 12. so All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, that is, all the persons. The body is but the sheath; and if one should leave his sword with you to be kept safely for him, would you throw away the blade, and only preserve the scabbard? And yet parents do commonly judge of their care and love to their children by their providing for the outward man, by their breeding, that teaching them how to live like men (as they say) when they are dead and gone, and comport themselves to their civil place and rank in the world, These things indeed are commendable, but is not the most weighty business of all forgotten in the mean time, while no endeavour is used that they may live as Christians, and know how to carry themselves in duty to God and man as such? and can they do this without the knowledge of the holy rule they are to walk by? I am sure David knew no means effectual without this, and therefore propounds the question, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? and he resolves it in the next words, By taking heed thereto according to thy word,