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

Required reading
The Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude the First Doctrine of the Third General Part of Direction Seventh by reading up to the heading 'Second Doctrine'.

My summary

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

Last time we saw the third part of the direction is about 'preparation' and so our first doctrine is to be always prepared and ready to meet with any trial.

Gurnall now expands on this doctrine by giving us three uses:

(i) the Christian must stand shod in readiness to march at the call of God in any way or weather;

(ii) the Christian must be ready to suffer because suffering may overtake you suddenly and because you will receive an inheritance for suffering;

(iii) the Christian must remember the directions that help put on the spiritual shoe (i.e. obey, pray, meditate, resign oneself to the will of God, make self-denial, mortify sin).

What grabbed me

I loved the encouragement to pray for a suffering spirit: 'Second Direction. Pray for a suffering spirit. This is not a common gift, which every carnal gospeller and slighty professor hath. No; it is a peculiar gift, and bestowed on a few sincere souls. 'Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake,' Php. 1:29. All the parts and common gifts that a man hath will never enable him to drink deep of this cup for Christ. Such is the pride of man's heart. He had rather suffer any way than this; rather from himself, and for himself, than from Christ or for Christ. You would wonder to see sometimes, how much a child will endure at his play, and never cry for it—this fall, and that knock, and no great matter is made of it, because got in a way that is pleasing to him. But, let his father whip him, though it puts him not to half the smart, yet he roars and takes on, that there is no quieting of him. Thus, men can bring trouble on themselves, and bite in their complaints. They can, one play away his estate at cards and dice, and another whore away his health, or cut off many years from his life by beastly drunkenness; and all is endured patiently. Yea, if they had their money and strength again, they should go the same way. They do not repent of what their lusts have cost them, but mourn they have no more to bestow upon them. Their lusts shall have all they have, to a morsel of bread in their cupboard and drop of blood in their veins; yea, they are not afraid of burning in hell, as their sins' martyrs. But come, and ask these that are so free of their purse, flesh, soul, and all, in lust's service, to lay their estate or life for a few moments at stake in Christ's cause and his truth's, and you shall see that God is not so much beholden them. And therefore pray and pray again for a suffering spirit in Christ's cause. Yea, saints themselves need earnestly to plead with God for this. Alas! they do not find suffering work follow their hand so easily. The flesh loves to be cockered, not crucified. Many a groan it costs the Christian before he can learn to love this work. Now prayer, if any means, will be helpful to thee in this particular. He that can wrestle with God, need not fear the face of death and danger. Prayer engageth God's strength and wisdom for our help. And what is there too hard for the creature, that hath God at his back for his help, to do or suffer? We are bid to 'count it all joy, when we fall into divers temptations,' James 1:2—not temptations to sin, but for righteousness. He means troubles for Christ and his gospel. Ah! but might the poor Christian say, it were cause of more joy to be able to stand under these temptations, than to fall into them. Little joy would it be to have the temptation, and not the grace to endure temptation. True indeed; but, for thy comfort,Christian, he that leads thee into this temptation stands ready to help thee through it. Therefore, ver. 5, there is a gracious si quis —if any one—set up; 'If any of you'—i.e. you suffers chiefly—'lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.' This, methinks, should not much strain our faith to believe. There are not many masters so disingenuous to be found, that would twit and upbraid their servant for asking humbly their counsel in a work of peril and difficulty, which they cheerfully undertake out of love to their persons and obedience to their command. How much less then needest thou fear such dealing from thy God? If thou hast so much faith and love as to venture at his command upon the sea of suffering, he will, without doubt, find so much mercy as to keep thee from drowning, if, feeling thyself begin to sink, thou criest earnestly as Peter did to him, 'Lord, save me.' Wert thou even under water, prayer would buoy thee up again. The proverb indeed is, 'He that would learn to pray, let him go to sea.' But I think it were better thus, 'He that would go to sea—this I mean of suffering—let him learn to pray before he comes there.' But, if thou beest not a man of prayer before suffering work come, thou wilt be able to do little at that weapon then.'

Far too often we run from the gift of suffering!

Next week's reading
Read the Second Doctrine of the Third General Part of Direction Seventh.

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