A85783:919
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 8 › Section 4
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.
SECT. IV.
Secondly, A soul void of divine armour cannot persevere.1 What this divine armour is I have shown, and the Apostle here doth in the several pieces of it. The sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit are this Armour. One that hath not these wrought in him, will never hold out to pass all the stages of this Christian race, to fight all the battles that are to be fought before victory is to be had. Common gifts of the Spirit, such as illumination, ⟨p. 378⟩conviction, sudden pangs and flushing heats of affection may carry out the creature for a while with a goodly appearance of zeal for God, and forwardness in Profession, but the strength these afford is soon spent. Johns hearers mentioned, John 5.35. got some light and heat by sitting under his burning Ministry, but how long did it last? Ye were willing to rejoice for a season. They were very beautiful colours that were drawn on them, but not laid in oil, and therefore soon washed off again. The foolish Virgins made as great a blaze with their lamps, and did expect as good a day when Christ should come, as the wise Virgins, but (alas!) their lamps are out before he appeared, and as good never a whit as never the better. The stony ground more forward then the best soil, the seed comes up immediately, as if a crop should soon have been reaped, but a few nipping frosts turns its hue, and the day of harvest proves a day of desperate sorrow. All these instances, and many more in Scripture do evince, that nothing short of solid grace, and a principle of divine life in the soul will persevere. How forward soever Formalists and slighty Professors are, to promise themselves hopes of reaching heaven, they will find it too long a step for their short-breathed souls to attain. The reasons are,