A85783:621
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 6 › Section 2
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.
Some have invented new opinions, Monstrous errors, and God hath suited their monstrous errors with births as monstrous of their own body.
Secondly, they were not only the inventers of sin, but are still the chief tempters to, and promoters of sin in the world, therefore called [Greek or Hebrew], the tempter; and sin called the work of the devil, whoever commits it; as the house goes by the name of the Master-workman, though he useth his servants hands to build it. O take heed of soliciting others to sin; thou takest the Devils office (as I may say) out of his hand: let him do it himself if he will; make not thy self so like him. To tempt another is worse then to sin thy self. It speaks sin to be of great growth in that man, that doth it knowingly and willingly. Herbs and flowers shed not their seed till ripe, creatures propagate not, till of stature and age. What do those, that tempt others, but diffuse their wicked opinions and practices, and as it were raise up seed to the devil; thereby-to keep up the name of their infernal Father in the world? this shows sin is mighty in them indeed. Many a man though so cruel to his own soul as to be drunk or swear, yet will not like this in a child or servant; what are they then but devils incarnate, who teach their children the devils Catechism, to swear and lie, drink and drab? If you meet such, be not afraid to call them (as Paul did Elymas, when he would have perverted the Deputy) children of the devil, full of all subtlety and mischief, and enemies of all righteousness. O do you not know what you do, when you tempt? I'll tell you. you do that, which you cannot undo by your own repentance; thou poisonest one with error, initiatest another in the devils School, (Alehouse I mean) but afterwards may be thou seest thy mistake, and recantest thy error, thy folly, and givest over thy drunken trade; art thou sure now to rectify and convert them with thy self? alas poor creatures! this is out of thy power, they may be will say as he (though he did it upon a better account) that was solicited to turn back to popery by him, who had before persuaded him to renounce the same, You have given me one turn, but shall not give me another. And what a grief to thy spirit will it be, to see these going to hell on thy errand,