A85783:696
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, thou malignest the goodness of God. It troubles thee, it seems, that God hath a heart to do good to any besides thy self: thy eye is evil because his is good. Wouldest not thou have God be good? you had as good speak out and say, you would not have him God, he can as soon cease to be God as to be good.
Secondly, thou malignest the goodnesse of God. It troubles thee, it seems, that God hath a heart to do good to any besides thy selfe: thy eye is evil because his is good. Wouldest not thou have God be good? you had as good speak out and say, you would not have him God, he can assoon cease to be God as to be good.
Thirdly, thou art an enemy to the glory of God, as thou defacest that which should set it forth. Every gift is a ray of divine excellency; and as all the beams declare the glory of the Sun, so all the gifts God imparts declare the glory of God: Now envy labours to deface and fully the representations of God; it hath ever something to disparage the excellency of another withal. God showed Miriam her sin by her punishment, she went to bespatter Moses, that shone so eminently with the gifts and graces of God, and God spits in her face, Numb. 12. yea, fills her all over with a noisome scab. Doest thou cordially wish well to the honour of God? why then hangest thou thy head, and doest not rather rejoice to see him glorified by the gifts of others? Could a Heathen take it so well, when himself was passed by, and others chosen to places of honour and government, that he said, he was glad his City could find so many more worthy then himself? and shall a Christian repine that any are found fit to honour God besides himself?
Thirdly, thou art an enemy to the glory of God, as thou defacest that which should set it forth. Every gift is a ray of divine excellency; and as all the beams declare the glory of the Sunne, so all the gifts God imparts declare the glory of God: Now envy labours to deface and fully the representations of God; it hath ever something to disparage the excellency of another withal. God shewed Miriam her sin by her punishment, she went to bespatter Moses, that shone so eminently with the gifts and graces of God, and God spits in her sace,