A85783:683
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.
Thirdly, know (Christian) thou shalt be accountable for these talents; now with what face can a proud soul look on God? Suppose one left an Executor to pay Legacies, and this man should pay them not as Legacies of another, but gifts of his own. Christ at his ascension gave gifts, that his children should receive, thou hast some in thy hand; now a proud soul gives out all, not as the Legacy of Christ, but as his own, he assumes all to himself. O how abominable is this to entitle our selves to Christs honour!
Thirdly, know (Christian) thou shalt be accountable for these talents; now with what face can a proud soul look on God? Suppose one left an Executor to pay Legacies, and this man should pay them not as Legacies of another, but gifts of his own. Christ at his ascension gave gifts, that his children should receive, thou hast some in thy hand; now a proud soul gives out all, not as the Legacy of Christ, but as his own, he assumes all to himselfe. O how abominable is this to entitle our selves to Christs honour!
Fourthly, thy gifts commend thee not to God. Man may be taken with thy expression and notion in prayer: but these are all pared off when thy prayer comes before God; O woman, (saith Christ) great is thy faith! not compt and flourishing▪ thy language. It were good after our duties, to sort the Ingredients of which they are made up, what grace contributed, and what gifts, and what pride, and when all the heterogeneal stuff is severed, you shall see in what a little compass the actings of grace in our duties will lie.
Fourthly, thy gifts commend thee not to God. Man may be taken with thy expression and notion in prayer: but these are all pared off when thy prayer comes before God; O woman, (saith Christ) great is thy faith! not compt and flourishing▪ thy language. It were good after our duties, to sort the Ingredients of which they are made up, what grace contributed, and what gifts, and what pride, and when all the heterogeneal stuffe is sever'd, you shall see in what a little compasse the actings of grace in our duties will lie.