How many, alas, of the precious saints of God must we shut out from being believers, if there is no faith but what amounts to assurance. . . . shall we say their faith went away in the departure of their assurance? How often then in a year may a believer be no believer? Even as often as God withdraws and leaves the creature in the dark. Assurance is like the sun-flower, which opens with the day and shuts with the night. It follows the motion of God’s face; if that looks smilingly on the soul, it lives; if that frowns or hides itself, it dies. But faith is a plant that can grow in the shade, a grace that can find the way to heaven in a dark night. It can “walk in darkness, and yet trust in the name of the Lord.”
—William Gurnall
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, Daily Quote, William Gurnall by on Jun 30th, 2010. Comment. 
If the understanding be clear in its apprehension of truth and the will sincere, vigorous, and fixed in its purposes for that which is holy and good, then he
is a strong Christian… Satan comes as a serpent in the persons of false teachers [or] as a lion in the persons of bloody persecutors… To defend us against this, we need to have truth girt about us, so that with a holy resolution we may maintain our profession in the face of death and danger.
—William Gurnall “Christian in Complete Armour”
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, Daily Quote, William Gurnall by on May 5th, 2010. 1 Comment.
Why is hope compared to a helmet? The helmet defends the head… from dint of bullet and sword… This hope defends the soul… whereby no dangerous or deadly impression can by Satan or sin
be made on it.. As the helmet defends the soldier’s head from wounding, so his heart also from swooning. It makes him bold and fearless in battle.
A man cannot drown so long as his head is above water. Now it is the proper function of hope to do this for the Christian in times of danger… Two things make the head hang down–fear and shame. Hope eases the Christian’s heart of both.. and so forbids him to give any sign of a desponding mind by a dejected countenance.
—William Gurnall “The Christian in complete Armour”
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, Daily Quote, William Gurnall by on Mar 10th, 2010. 2 Comments.
If the understanding be clear in its apprehension of truth, and the will sincere, vigorous, and fixed in its purposes for that which is holy and good, then he is a strong Christian… Satan comes as a serpent in the persons of false teachers, [or] as a lion in the persons of bloody persecutors… To defend us against this, we need to have truth girt about us, so that with a holy resolution we may maintain our profession in the face of death and danger.
—William Gurnall “The Christian in complete Armour”
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, Daily Quote, William Gurnall by on Feb 1st, 2010. Comment.
The Christian’s state in this life is one of combat… He needs his sword as much as his trowel… The Christian is assailed on every side by his enemy. How can it be otherwise, when the seeds of war are laid deep within the natures of both, and can never be rooted up until the devil cease to be a devil, sin to be sin, and saint to be saint?… Sin will lust against grace, and grace draw upon sin, whenever they meet.
William Gurnall “The Christian in Complete Armour”
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, Daily Quote, William Gurnall by on Jan 19th, 2010. Comment.
The Saint’s enemy is the devil… a very subtle enemy. The Christian is endangered most by his policy and craft… His first main design is to draw into sin. The second main design is to accuse, vex, and trouble the saint for sin… molesting the saint’s peace and disquieting the saint’s spirit… Satan is first a tempter, and then a troubler.
—William Gurnall “Christian in Complete Armour”
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, Daily Quote, William Gurnall by on Jan 8th, 2010. Comment.
Holiness is necessary to the true peace and repose of the soul… Holiness has a mighty influence upon others: it stops the mouths of the ungodly… and is a means to open their very hearts to the embracing of Christ and his grace.
—William Gurnall “Christian in Complete Armour”
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, Daily Quote, William Gurnall by on Dec 26th, 2009. Comment.
A truly sanctified heart dares not skip or blot one word God has written, but desires to be a faithful executor to perform the whole will of God.
—William Gurnall “Christian in Complete Armour.”
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, Daily Quote, William Gurnall by on Dec 1st, 2009. Comment.
Prayer is a channel of grace, for the conveying of blessings from God… a means of worship, whereby we are to do our homage to God and give him the glory of his deity… a humble appeal from our impotency to God’s omnipotence.
In prayer we do not only beg mercy of God, but vow praise to God for the mercies we beg… [so that] we wear with thankfulness what we win with prayer.
—William Gurnall “Christian in complete Armour”
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, Daily Quote, William Gurnall by on Nov 29th, 2009. Comment.
It is not a man’s morality and philosophical nature that will repel a temptation sent with full charge from Satan’s canon..The graces of Christ—these are armour…To be without Christ is to be without armour …unfit to fight Christ’s battles against sin and Satan.
—William Gurnall “The Christian in complete armour.”
Filed under A Puritan at Heart, Daily Quote, William Gurnall by on Oct 29th, 2009. Comment.
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