July 12, 2018

The Christian in Complete Armour - Gurnall - LXX - Direction Eleventh continued

Required readingThe Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Direction Eleventh by reading the Second Distinction of Branch First of Division Second of the Second General Part.


My summary
Today we continue the Second Division of the Second General Part of Direction Eleventh on prayer from: 'Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." (Eph. 6:18) 

As we've noted earlier, the Second General Part makes up an excellent directory to perform the duty of prayer while the Second Division is about the Kinds of Prayer.  And the First Branch looks at 'all prayer' as showing the diverse manner of prayer.

Last week we saw the First Distinction of the manner of prayer: ejaculatory prayer.  This week we focus on the Second Distinction: composed secret prayer.

Firstly Gurnall teaches us that secret prayer is a duty incumbent upon us due to who God is and who we are.

Then he explains that secret prayer implies:
(i)  the condescending love of God, in stooping to hold any communion with his poor creatures, while they are clad with rags of mortality, and those besmeared also with many sinful pollutions;
(ii) that this blots their names from among the number of saints that were never acquainted with this duty;
(iii) we should be exhorted to hold up our secret acquaintance with God.

What grabbed me

I liked this illustration: 'The true lover delights to visit his friend when he may find him alone, and enjoy privacy with him; and I have read of a devout person who, when the set time for his private devotions were come, would, whatever company he was in, break from them with this handsome speech, 'I have a friend that stays for me, farewell!' It is worth parting with our best friends on earth, to enjoy communion with the God of heaven. One called his friends thieves, because they stole time from him. None worse thieves than they who rob us of our praying seasons.'

Conversation with the invisible one takes precedence over conversation with the visible ones.

Next week's reading
Continue Direction Eleventh by reading the Third Distinction of Branch First of Division Second of the Second General Part.

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



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