A85783:673
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 9 › Section 1
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, pride of gifts hinders the doing of good by them to others, and that upon a threefold account.
First, pride diverts a man from aiming at that end; so far as pride prevails the man prays, preaches, &c. rather to be thought good by others, then to do good to others; rather to enthrone himself then Christ, in the opinions and hearts of his hearers. Pride carries the man aloft, to be admired for the height of his ⟨p. 276⟩parts and notions, and will not suffer him to stoop so low as to speak of plain truths, or if he does, not plainly; he must have some fine lace, though on a plain stuff, such a one may tickle the ear, but very unlikely to do real good to the souls: alas, it is not that he attends.
First, pride diverts a man from aiming at that end; so far as pride prevails the man prayes, preaches, &c. rather to be thought good by others, then to do good to others; rather to enthrone himself then Christ, in the opinions and hearts of his hearers. Pride carries the man aloft, to be admired for the height of his ⟨p. 276⟩parts and notions, and will not suffer him to stoop so low as to speak of plain truths, or if he does, not plainly; he must have some fine lace, though on a plain stuffe, such a one may tickle the eare, but very unlikely to do real good to the soules: alas, it is not that he attends.
Secondly, if this painted Jezebel of pride be perceived to look out at the window in any exercise, whether of preaching, prayer, or conference, it doth beget a disdain in the spirits of those that hear such a one both good and bad. 'Tis a sin very odious to a gracious heart, and oft-times makes the stomach go against the food; though good, through their abhorrency of that pride they see in the instrument. It is indeed their weakness, but woe to them that by their pride lead them into temptation! nay, those that are bad and may be in the same kind, like not that in another which they favour in themselves, and so prejudiced, return as bad as they went.