A85783:837
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
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, if thy grace be weakened by any blow, given it by any sin committed by thee; there then lies a threefold duty upon thee towards the recovery of it.
First, thou art to renew thy repentance. It is Christs counsel, Rev. 2.5. to Ephesus, Repent, and do thy first works; where it is not only commanded as a duty, but prescribed as a means for her recovery; as if he had said, Repent, that thou mayest do thy first works. So, Hosea 14.2. The Lord sets back-sliding Israel about this work, bidding her take words and turn to the Lord; and, v. 4. he then tells her he'll take her in hand to recover her of her sins, I will heal their back-slidings: a repenting soul is under promise of healing; and therefore (Christian) go and search thy heart, as thou wouldest do thy house, if some thief or murderer lay hid in it, to cut thy throat in the night; and when thou hast found the sin that has done thee the mischief, then labour to fill thy heart with shame for it, and indignation against it, and so go big with sorrow, and cast it forth before the Lord in a heart-breaking confession; better thou do ⟨p. 344⟩this, then Satan do thy errand to God for thee.
First, thou art to renew thy repentance. It is Christs counsel, Rev. 2.5. to Ephesus, Repent, and do thy first works; where it is not only commanded as a duty, but prescribed as a means for her recovery; as if he had said, Repent, that thou mayest do thy first works. So, Hosea 14.2. The Lord sets back-sliding Israel about this work, bidding her take words and turn to the Lord; and, v. 4. he then tells her he'll take her in hand to recover her of her sins, I will heale their back-slidings: a repenting soule is under promise of healing; and therefore (Christian) go and search thy heart, as thou wouldest do thy house, if some thief or murderer lay hid in it, to cut thy throat in the night; and when thou hast found the sin that has done thee the mischief, then labour to fill thy heart with shame for it, and indignation against it, and so go big with sorrow, and cast it forth before the Lord in a heart-breaking confession; better thou do