A Call to Arms - The Christian in Complete Armour
There is a book that is still Gathering Interest of which I would like to draw your attention to. It was written in the 17th Century by William Gurnall and is considered his magnum opus, "The Christian in Complete Armour."
I was first drawn to it when I heard several pastors talking about the book on the radio about three years ago. It was originally presented in a multi-volume set, but now is easily obtained in a single book at about 600 pages of writings that focus on the fact that the believer is called to be a soldier and must wear the armour of God in order to survive the onslaught of Satan. I was so impressed with what they said, that I ordered a copy through my favorite book dealer.
Folks, this is not some dry puritanical writing that takes some serious effort to get through. It's the type of book, where you can open to almost any spot and receive blessings that will greatly encourage your heart!
Logos is making this book available and we need just a couple more people to sign up for it in order to get it into production. The book is an excellent resource, and should be in the library of everyone who loves the Word of God.
Please, if you have not done so, allow me to encourage you to prayerfully consider signing up for this resource.
Here are some quotes taken from his book:
"Paul was Nero's prisoner, but Nero was much more God's. (I:9)
No, the Christian must stand fixed to his principles, and not change his habit; but freely show what countryman he is by his holy constancy in the truth. (I:14)
Take heart therefore, O ye saints, and be strong; your cause is good, God himself espouseth your quarrel, who hath appointed you his own Son, General of the field, called 'the Captain of our salvation,' Heb 2:10. (I:16)
Blind zeal is soon put to a shameful retreat, while holy resolution, built on fast principles, lifts up its head like a rock in the midst of the waves. (I:17)
O take heed of this squint eye to our profit, pleasure, honour, or anything beneath Christ and heaven; for they will take away your heart ... that is, our love, and if our love be taken away, there will be little courage left for Christ. (I:18)
We must not confide in the armour of God, but in the God of this armour, because all our weapons are only 'mighty through God,' 2 Cor 10:4 (I:53)
Thus you see it is not armour as armour, but as armour of God, that makes the soul impregnable. (I:54)
I do not bid thee try the truth of thy grace by such a power as is peculiar to stronger grace, but by that power which will distinguish it from false [grace]. (I:57)
Whihle the Christian commits a sin he hates it; whereas the [hypocrite] loves it while he forbears it. (I:57)
If thou beest never so exact in thy morals, and not a worshipper of God, then thou art an atheist. (I:60)
In heaven we shall appear, not in armour, but in robes of glory. But here these are to be worn night and day; we must walk, work, and sleep in them, or else we are not true soldiers of Christ. (I:64)
The longer a soul hath neglected duty, the more ado there is to get it taken up.... (I:65)
Grace is of a stirring nature, and not such a dead thing, like an image, which you may lock up in a chest, and none shall know what God you worship. No, grace will show itself; it will walk with you into all places and companies; it will buy with you, and sell for you; it will have a hand in all your enterprises .... (I:69)
And doth not God deserve the best service thou canst do him in thy generation? (I:70)
Therefore it should be our care, if we would not yield to the sin, not towalk by, or sit at, the door of the occasion. (I:74)
Truth with self-denial [is] a better pennyworth, than error with all its flesh-pleasing. (I:82)
As you love your peace, Christian, be plain-hearted with God and man, and keep the king's highway. (I:83)
The proper seat of sin is the will, of comfort the conscience. (I:85)
It is true, Christian, the debt thou owest to God must be paid in good and lawful money, but, for thy comfort, here Christ is thy paymaster. (I:89)
Love refuseth nothing that love sends. (I:89)
A rent garment is catched by every nail, and the rent made wider. Renew therefore thy repentance speedily, whereby this breach may be made up, and worse prevented... (I:95)
Again, [Satan] will ask the Christian what was the time of his conversion. Art thou a Christian, will he say, and dost thou not know when thou commencedst? Now ... content thyself with this, that thou seest the streams of grace, ....; you may know the sun is up, though you did not observe when it rose. (I:96)
Behold therefore thy God at work, and promise thyself that what he is about, will be an excellent piece. (I:110)
Love cannot think any evil of God, nor endure to hear any speak evil of him, but it must take God's part.... (I:118)
Mercy should make us ashamed, wrath afraid to sin. (I:118)
Few are made better by prosperity, whom afflictions make worse. (I:118)
It is no policy to let thy lusts have arms, which are sure to rise and declare against thee when thine enemy comes. (I:124)
Take heed thou makest not the least child thine enemy by offering wrong to him; God will right the wicked even upon the saint. (I:126)
Thou hast no life to lose, because thou hast given it already to Christ, nor can man take away that without God's leave. (I:127)
Sin disabled man to keep God's law, but it doth not enfranchise or disoblige him that he need not keep it. (I:132)
His subject thou art whom thou crownest in thy heart, and not whom thou flatterest with thy lips. (I:134)
Christ will bear no equal, and Satan no superior; and therefore, hold in with both thou canst not. (I:134)
No, it is some noble enterprise I would have thee think upon, how thou mayst advance the name of Christ higher in thy heart, and [in the] world too, as much as in thee lies. (I:138)
Therefore tremble, O man, at any power thou hast, except thou usest it for God. Art [thou] strong in body; who hath thy strength? God, or thy lusts? (I:144)
When Satan finds the good man asleep, then he finds our good God awake; therefore thou art not consumed, because he changeth not. (I:146)
Bid faith look through the key-hole of the promise, and tell thee what it sees there laid up for him that overcomes; bid it listen and tell thee whether it cannot hear the shout of those crowned saints, as of those that are dividing the spoil, and receiving the reward of all their services and sufferings here on earth. (I:150)
Christ counts it his honour, that he is a king of a willing people, and not of slaves. (I:155)
All his commands are acts of grace, it is a favour to be employed about them. (I:155)
How can God stoop lower than to come and dwell with a poor humble soul? which is more than if he had said, such a one should dwell with him; for a beggar to live at court is not so much as the king to dwell with him in his cottage. (I:161)
O if once our hearts were but filled with zeal for God, and compassion to our people's souls, we would up and be doing, though we could but lay a brick a day, and God would be with us. (I:167)
And when God comes to reckon with his workmen, the ploughman and the sower shall have his penny, as well as the harvest-man and the reaper. (I:167)"
[Source]
Comments
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John Calvin Hall said:
The book is an excellent resource, and should be in the library of everyone who loves the Word of God.
I agree John. I started reading with a highlighter to mark all the quotables or the points where my heart and mind are stirred with faith and gave up because I was merely coloring in the pages. No joke.
I'm broke and I've signed up. [y]
Sarcasm is my love language. Obviously I love you. 0 -
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I have the 3 volume print version published by Banner of Truth which I read about 10 years ago. It's a truly wonderful resource and I highly recommend this book.
Terry Cook
sDg
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Okay I'm in on this one too.
In Christ,
Ken
Lenovo Yoga 7 15ITL5 Touch Screen; 11th Gen Intel i7 2.8Ghz; 12Gb RAM; 500Gb SDD;WIN 11
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