A85783:691
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 3
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.
Secondly, this kind of pride appears in a forwardness to expose it self to view.1 Davids brethren were mistaken in him in deed, but oft the pride and naughtiness of the heart breaks out at this door. Christs carnal friends bid Christ show himself; pride loves to climb up, not as Zaecheus, to see Christ, but to be seen himself. The fool (Solomon tells us) hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover it self, Prov. 18.2. Pride would be some body, and therefore comes abroad to court the multitude, whereas humility delights in privacy; as the leaves do cover and shade the fruits, that some hand must gently lift up them before they can see the fruit: so should humility and a holy modesty conceal the perfections of the soul, till a hand of Providence by some call invites them out. There is a pride in naked gifts as well as in naked breasts and backs: humility is a necessary veil to all other graces; and therefore first, Christian, look whenever thou comest forth to public duty, that thou hast a call; it is obedience to be ready to answer, when God calls thee forth, but it's pride to run before God speaks. Secondly, when called earnestly implore divine strength against this enemy: shun not a duty for fear of pride, thou ⟨p. 282⟩mayest show it in the very seeming to escape it, but go in the strength of God against it; there is more hope of overcoming it by obedience then disobedience.
Secondly, this kinde of pride appears in a forwardnesse to expose it self to view.1 Davids brethren were mistaken in him in deed, but oft the pride and naughtinesse of the heart breaks out at this door. Christs carnal friends bid Christ shew himselfe; pride loves to climbe up, not as Zaecheus, to see Christ, but to be seen himself. The fool (Solomon tells us) hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover it self, Prov. 18.2. Pride would be some body, and therefore comes abroad to court the multitude, whereas humility delights in privacy; as the leaves do cover and shade the fruits, that some hand must gently lift up them before they can see the fruit: so should humility and a holy modesty conceal the perfections of the soule, till a hand of Providence by some call invites them out. There is a pride in naked gifts as well as in naked breasts and backs: humility is a necessary veile to all other graces; and therefore first, Christian, look whenever thou comest forth to publike duty, that thou hast a call; it is obedience to be ready to answer, when God calls thee forth, but it's pride to run before God speaks. Secondly, when call'd earnestly implore divine strength against this enemy: shun not a duty for feare of pride, thou