The Christian in Complete Armour - Gurnall - XXXV - Direction Seventh continued

Required reading
The Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue the Second General Part of Direction Seventh by reading up to the heading 'Use or Application. [A reproof to three sorts of persons.]'.

My summary

Today we continue Direction Seventh, 'And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace'.

Gurnall now teaches us about the peace of conscience.  He considers two particulars to demonstrate the truth of peace of conscience.

Firstly, he inquires 'What is the argument that is able to pacify conscience thoroughly awakened?'  The argument that is able to pacify tells you that your sins are all pardoned and your God is reconciled to you.

Secondly Gurnall examines the power required to apply this argument as to give peace to the conscience.  Ultimately, it is the power of the Spirit of God.

What grabbed me

I liked the vivid description of an unhappy conscience: 'When Adam sinned, he dissolved another manner of jewel than Cleopatra did, he drank away this sweet peace of conscience in one unhappy draught, which was worth more to him than the world he lived in, Heb. 10:2. No wonder that it rose in his conscience as soon as it was down his throat—'they saw that they were naked.' Their consciences reproached them for cursed apostates. That therefore which brings peace to conscience must prostrate this Goliath—throw this troubler overboard —pluck this arrow out of the soul—or else the war will not end, the storm will not down, the wound will not close and heal which conscience labours under. Now the envenomed head of sin's arrow, that lies burning in conscience, and, by its continual boking [to nauseate, to vomit, to belch] and throbbing there, keeps the poor sinner out of quiet—yea, sometimes in unsupportable torment and horror—is guilt. By it the creature is alarmed up to judgment, and bound over to the punishment due to his sin; which, being no less than the infinite wrath of the eternal living God, must needs lay the poor creature into a dismal agony, from the fearful expectation thereof in his accusing conscience.'

A troubled conscience is one of the worst experiences in this world.  Thankfully there is an antidote in the gospel.

Next week's readingContinue the Second General Part of Direction Seventh by reading up to the heading 'Third kind of peace'.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.