A85783:693
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.
First, call in help from heaven. No sooner hath the Apostle set forth, how big and teeming full the heart of man is with envy, but he shows where a fountain of grace is infinitely exceeding that of lust; The Spirit within us lusteth to envy, but he giveth more grace, v. 5. And therefore sit not down tamely under this sin, it is not unconquerable. God can give thee more grace then thou hast sin, more humility then thou hast pride. Be but so humble as cordially to beg his grace, and thou shalt not be so proud, as wickedly to envy his gifts or grace in others.
First, call in help from heaven. No sooner hath the Apostle set forth, how big and teeming full the heart of man is with envy, but he shews where a fountain of grace is infinitely exceeding that of lust; The Spirit within us lusteth to envie, but he giveth more grace, v. 5. And therefore sit not down tamely under this sin, it is not unconquerable. God can give thee more grace then thou hast sin, more humility then thou hast pride. Be but so humble as cordially to beg his grace, and thou shalt not be so proud, as wickedly to envy his gifts or grace in others.
Secondly, make this sin as black and ugly as thou canst possibly to thy thought, that when it is presented to thee thou mayest abhor it the more. Indeed there needs no more then its own ⟨p. 283⟩face, (wouldest thou look wishly on it) to make thee out of love with it. For first, this envying of others gifts, casts great contempt upon God, and that more ways then one.
Secondly, make this sin as black and ugly as thou canst possibly to thy thought, that when it is presented to thee thou mayest abhor it the more. Indeed there needs no more then its own ⟨p. 283⟩face, (wouldest thou look wishly on it) to make thee out of love with it. For first, this envying of others gifts, casts great contempt upon God, and that more wayes then one.