A85783:869
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, the day of affliction is an evil day, as it is an unwelcome remembrancer of what sinful evils have passed in our lives. It revives the memory of old sins, which it may be, were buried many years ago in the grave of forgetfulness. The night of affliction is the time when such ghosts use to walk in mens consciences; and as the darkness of the night adds to the horror of any scareful object, so doth the state of affliction (which is it self uncomfortable) add to the terror of our sins then remembered. Never did the Patriarchs sin look so ghastly on them, as when it recoiled upon them in their distress, Gen. 42.21. The sinner then hath more real apprehensions of wrath then at another time; affliction approximates judgement, yea, it is interpreted by him, as a Pursuivant sent to call him presently before God, and therefore must needs beget a woeful confusion and consternation in his spirit. O that men would think, of this, how they could bear the sight of their sins, and a Rehearsal Sermon of all their ways in that day! That is the blessed man indeed, who can with the Prophet then look on them, and triumph over them. This indeed is a dark parable, as he calls it, few can skill of it, as Ps. 94.3, 4. I will open my dark saying upon the harp; wherefore should I fear in the day of evil, when the iniquity of my heels compasseth me about?
Secondly, the day of affliction is an evil day, as it is an unwelcome remembrancer of what sinful evils have passed in our lives. It revives the memory of old sins, which it may be, were buried many years ago in the grave of forgetfulnesse. The night of affliction is the time when such ghosts use to walk in mens consciences; and as the darknesse of the night addes to the horrour of any scareful object, so doth the state of affliction (which is it self uncomfortable) adde to the terrour of our sinnes then remembred. Never did the Patriarchs sin look so ghastly on them, as when it recoil'd upon them in their distresse, Gen. 42.21. The sinner then hath more real apprehensions of wrath then at another time; affliction approximates judgement, yea, it is interpreted by him, as a Pursevant sent to call him presently before God, and therefore must needs beget a woful confusion and consternation in his spirit. O that men would think, of this, how they could bear the sight of their sins, and a Rehearsal Sermon of all their wayes in that day! That is the blessed man indeed, who can with the Prophet then look on them, and triumph over them. This indeed is a dark parable, as he calls it, few can skill of it, as