A85783:681
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 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.
First, consider these spiritual gifts are not thy own, and wilt thou be proud of another's bounty? Is not God the Founder, and can he not soon be the Confounder of thy gifts? thou that art proud of thy gourd, what wilt thou be when it is gone? surely then thou wilt be peevish and angry, and truly thou takest the course to be stripped of them. Gifts come on other terms then grace. God gives grace as a free-hold, it hath the ⟨p. 279⟩promise of this and another world, but gifts come on liking; though a father will not cast off his child, yet he may take away his fine coat and ornaments, if proud of them.
First, consider these spiritual gifts are not thy own, and wilt thou be proud of anothers bounty? Is not God the Founder, and can he not soon be the Confounder of thy gifts? thou that art proud of thy gourd, what wilt thou be when it is gone? surely then thou wilt be peevish and angry, and truly thou takest the course to be strip't of them. Gifts come on other termes then grace. God gives grace as a free-hold, it hath the ⟨p. 279⟩promise of this and another world, but gifts come on liking; though a father will not cast off his childe, yet he may take away his fine coat and ornaments, if proud of them.
Secondly, gifts are not merely for thy self. As the light of the Sun is ministerial, it shines not for it self: so all thy gifts are for others; Gifts for the edifying of the body. Suppose a man should leave a chest of money in your hands to be distributed to others, what folly is it in this man to put this into his own Inventory, and applaud himself that he hath so much money? Poor soul, thou art but Gods Executor, and by that time thou hast paid all the Legacies, thou wilt see little left for thee to brag and boast of.
Secondly, gifts are not meerly for thy self. As the light of the Sun is ministeriall, it shines not for it self: so all thy gifts are for others; Gifts for the edifying of the body. Suppose a man should leave a chest of money in your hands to be distributed to others, what folly is it in this man to put this into his own Inventory, and applaud himself that he hath so much money? Poor soul, thou art but Gods Executour, and by that time thou hast paid all the Legacies, thou wilt see little left for thee to brag and boast of.