A85783:578
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.
Secondly, by his negligence. Its all one if the Nurse hath no milk in her breasts, or having, draws it not forth to her child. There is a woe to the Idol-shepherd, Zech. 11. such as have mouths, but speak not; lips, but not to feed the people with knowledge. It shall be the peoples sin, if they feed not when bread is before them, but woe to us if we give them not meat in due season. O Sirs, what shall we say to our Lord that trusts us, if those abilities which he hath given us as market-money to buy bread for our people, be found wrapped up in a napkin of sloth? if that time wherein we should have been teaching and instructing them, shall appear to be wasted in our pleasures, or employed about our carnal profits. That servant shall have but a sad welcome of his Master when he comes home, that shall be found out of the way with the Key, and the family starving in the mean time for want of provision.
Secondly, by his negligence. Its all one if the Nurse hath no milk in her breasts, or having, drawes it not forth to her childe. There is a wo to the Idol-shepherd, Zech. 11. such as have mouthes, but speak not; lips, but not to feed the people with knowledge. It shall be the peoples sin, if they feed not when bread is before them, but wo to us if we give them not meat in due season. O Sirs, what shall we say to our Lord that trusts us, if those abilities which he hath given us as market-money to buy bread for our people, be found wrapt up in a napkin of sloth? if that time wherein we should have been teaching and instructing them, shall appear to be wasted in our pleasures, or employed about our carnal profits. That servant shall have but a sad welcome of his Master when he comes home, that shall be found out of the way with the Key, and the family starving in the mean time for want of provision.
Thirdly, by his unedifying preaching, when he preacheth unsound doctrine, which doth not perfect the understanding, but corrupt it. Better he did leave them in simple ignorance, then colour their minds with a false die; or when that he preacheth is frothy and flashy, no more fit to feed their souls, then husks the Prodigals belly, which when they know they are little the wiser for their souls good. Or when his discourses are so high flown, that the poor people stand gazing, as those who have lost the sight of their Preacher, and at the end of the Sermon cannot tell what he would have. Or those who preach only truths,