A85783:586
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.
Quest. But how may an ignorant soul attain to knowledge?
Quest. But how may an ignorant soule attaine to knowledge?
Answ. First, Be deeply affected with the ignorance. Some are blind, as Laodicea, and know it not. Rev. 3.17. As Ignorance blinds the mind, so pride is a blind before their ignorance, that they know it not. These have such a high opinion of themselves, that they take it ill any should suspect them as such; these of all men are most out of the way, to knowledge they are too good to learn of man as they think, and too bad to be taught of God. The gate into Christs School is low, and these cannot stoop. The Master himself is so humble and lowly, that he will not teach a proud Scholar. Therefore first become a fool in thy own eye. A wiser man then thy self hath confessed as much, Prov. 30.2, 3. I am more brutish then any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the Holy. When thou art come to thy self to own and blush at the brutish ignorance of thy mind, thou art fit to ⟨p. 243⟩be admitted into Christs School. If they be ashamed, then show them the pattern of the house, Ezek. 43.10.
Answ. First, Be deeply affected with the ignorance. Some are blind, as La•dicea, and know it not. Rev. 3.17. As Ignorance blinds the minde, so pride is a blind before their ignorance, that they know it not. These have such a high opinion of themselves, that they take it ill any should suspect them as such; these of all men are most out of the way, to knowledge they are too good to learne of man as they think, and too bad to be taught of God. The gate into Christs Schoole is low, and these cannot stoop. The Master himselfe is so humble and lowly, that he will not teach a proud Scholar. Therefore first become a foole in thy owne eye. A wiser man then thy selfe hath confessed as much,