A85783:595
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.
First, Look thou beest a wakeful hearer. Is it any wonder he should go away from the Sermon no wiser then he came, that sleeps the greatest part of it away, or hears betwixt sleeping and waking? It must be in a dream sure, if God reveals any thing of his mind to him. So indeed God did to the Fathers of old, but it was not as they profanely slept under an Ordinance. O take heed of such irreverence. He that composeth himself to sleep (as some do) at such a time, or he that is not humbled for it, and that deeply; both of them betray a base and low esteem they have of the Ordinance. Surely thou thinkest but meanly of what is delivered, if it will not keep thee awake, yea, of God himself, whose message it is. See how thou art reproved by the awful carriage of a Heathen, and that a King. Ehud did but say to Eglon, I have a message from God unto thee, And he arose out of his seat, Judge 3.20. And thou clapest down on thy seat to sleep; O how darest thou put such an affront upon the great God? How oft did you fall asleep at dinner, or telling your money? And is not the Word of God worth more then these? I should wonder if such Sermon-sleepers do dream of any thing but hell-fire. 'Tis dangerous you know to fall asleep with a candle burning by our side; some have been so burnt in their beds; but more dangerous to sleep while the candle of the Word is shining so near us. What if you should sink down dead like Eatychus? here is no Paul to raise you as he had; and that you shall not, where is your security?
First, Look thou beest a wakefull hearer. Is it any wonder he should go away from the Sermon no wiser then he came, that sleeps the greatest part of it away, or heares betwixt sleeping and waking? It must be in a dreame sure, if God reveales any thing of his mind to him. So indeed God did to the Fathers of old, but it was not as they prophanely slept under an Ordinance. O take heed of such irreverence. He that composeth himselfe to sleep (as some do) at such a time, or he that is not humbled for it, and that deeply; both of them betray a base and low esteeme they have of the Ordinance. Surely thou thinkest but meanly of what is delivered, if it will not keep thee awake, yea, of God himselfe, whose message it is. See how thou art reproved by the awfull carriage of a Heathen, and that a King. Ehud did but say to Eglon, I have a message from God unto thee, And he arose out of his seate, Judge 3.20. And thou clapest downe on thy seat to sleep; O how darest thou put such an affront upon the great God? How oft did you fall asleep at dinner, or telling your money? And is not the Word of God worth more then these? I should wonder if such Sermon-sleepers do dreame of any thing but hell-fire. 'Tis dangerous you know to fall asleep with a candle burning by our side; some have been so burnt in their beds; but more dangerous to sleep while the candle of the Word is shining so neare us. What if you should sinke downe dead like Eatychus? here is no Paul to raise you as he had; and that you shall not, where is your security?