A85783:584
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.
Better is a poor and wise child, then a foolish King, who will no more be admonished; yea, so happy, that did the Princes of the world understand themselves aright, they would wish themselves in your clothes, how ragged soever they are, rather then be in their own robes; there are better making for you in heaven which you shall put on, when theirs shall be pulled off to their shame: It will not then trouble you that you were, while in the world, poor; but it will torment them that they were so rich and ⟨p. 242⟩great, and so poor to God and beggarly in their souls.
Better is a poor and wise childe, then a foolish King, who will no more be admonish't; yea, so happy, that did the Princes of the world understand themselves aright, they would wish themselves in your clothes, how ragged soever they are, rather then be in their own robes; there are better making for you in heaven which you shall put on, when theirs shall be pull'd off to their shame: It will not then trouble you that you were, while in the world, poor; but it will torment them that they were so rich and ⟨p. 242⟩great, and so poore to God and beggarly in their soules.
Are you rich? Labour for the knowledge of the most high. Solomon had more of the worlds treasure then a thousand of you have, and yet we find him hard at prayer, tugging with God for knowledge, 1 Chron. 1.10. All these outward enjoyments are but vaginae bonorum, as afflictions are vaginae malorum. I am afraid many men think themselves privileged by their worldly greatness from this duty, as if God were bound to save them, because rich. Alas, Sirs, there are not so many of you like to come there. I must confess, it would make one tremble to think what a small number those among the great ones that shall be saved, are summed up into. Not many great, not many rich; Why so few saved? Because so few have saving knowledge. O the Atheism, the ignorance, the sottish barbarism that is to be found even in those that the world applaud, and even worship because of their lands and estates, who yet are not able to give any account of their faith? A poor leather-coat Christian will shame and catechize a hundred of them. If heaven were to be purchased with house and lands, then these would carry it away from the poor Disciples of Jesus Christ, they have their hundreds and thousands lie by them for a purchase always, but this money is not currant in heavens exchange. This is life eternal, to know thee, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.