From The Christian in Complete Armour, by William Gurnall
The shield doth not only defend the whole body, but is a defence of the soldier’s armour also. It keeps the arrow from the helmet as well as head, from the breast and breast-plate also.
Use makes heavy things light. We hardly feel the weight of our clothes, because fitted to us, and worn daily by us, whereas the same weight on our shoulder troubles us.
Christ counts it his honour that he is a king of a willing people, and not of slaves.
Engage God by prayer to stand at thy back. God is in a league offensive and defensive with thee, but he looks to be called.
He is a better workman, who drives one nail home with reiterated blows, than he which covets to enter many.
No duty can be performed without wrestling. The Christian needs his sword as much as his trowel.
Faith is the grace that makes him, whoever hath it, the devil’s match. Satan hath not so much advantage of the Christian by the transcendency of his natural abilities, as he hath of Satan in this cause and this his weapon.
A battered helmet is next to no helmet in point of present use.
Love refuseth nothing that love sends.
He that bids thee pray without ceasing; he that bids thee hear, bids thee wait at the posts of wisdom. Thou wouldst reason thus, God hath set me on duty, and here I will stand, till God takes me off.
It is not the weight or worth of the gift, but the desire of a man in his kindness.
The Christian by his sorrow shows himself a conqueror of that sin which even now overcame him; while the hypocrite by his pride shows himself a slave to a worse lust than that he resists.
True grace, when weakest, is stronger than false when strongest. There is a principle of divine life in it which the other hath not.
The Christian’s life is a continual wrestling with sin and Satan from thy spiritual birth to thy natural death.
God suffers sometimes the infirmities of his people to be known by the wicked, who are ready to check and frump them for them, for the end of humbling his people.
Satan hath not only a general malice against the army of saints, but a spite against thee personally.
Faith hath two hands; with one it pulls off its own righteousness and throws it away, as David did Saul’s armour; with the other it puts on Christ’s righteousness over the soul’s shame.
Cling therefore about thy God for strength; get him with thee, and then, though a worm, thou shalt deal with this serpent.
It is faith stills the storm which sin had raised—faith that changed his doleful note into joy and gladness. Happy man he was, that had such skilful chirurgeons so near him, who could direct him the nearest way to a cure.
He that enables thee in one condition, will in another. God learns his servants their whole trade.
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