A85783:841
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.
Secondly, if upon enquiry thou findest that thy Armour decays, rather for want of scouring, then by any blow from sin presumptuously committed, (as that is most common and ordinary, rust will soon spoil the best armour, and negligence give grace its bane, as well as gross sins,) then apply thy self to the use of those means which God hath appointed for the strengthening grace; if the fire goes out by taking off the wood, what way to preserve it but by laying it on again?
Secondly, if upon enquiry thou findest that thy Armour decays, rather for want of scouring, then by any blow from sin presumptuously committed, (as that is most common and ordinary, rust will soon spoil the best armour, and negligence give grace its bane, as well as grosse sins,) then apply thy self to the use of those means which God hath appointed for the strengthening grace; if the fire goes out by taking off the wood, what way to preserve it but by laying it on again?
First, I shall send thee to the Word of God, be more frequently conversant with it. David tells us, where he renewed his spiritual life, and got his soul so oft into a heavenly heat, when grace in him began to chill. The Word (he tells us) quickened him. This was the Sunny bank he fate under. The Word draws forth the Christians grace, by presenting every one with an object suitable to act upon, this is of great power to rouse them up; as the coming in of a friend, makes us (though sleepy before) shake off all drowsiness to enjoy his company. Affections they are actuated when their object is before them; if we love a person, this is excited by sight of him, or anything that minds us of him; if we hate one our blood riseth much more against him when before us. Now the Word bring the Christian graces and their object together. Here love may delight her self with the beholding Christ, who is set out to life there in all his love and loveliness; here the Christian may see his sins in a glass that will not flatter him; and can there any godly sorrow be in the heart, any hatred of sin, and not come forth, while the man is reading what they cost Christ for him?