The Christian in Complete Armour - Gurnall - LXXIV - 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 Part of Prayer (Gratulatory) of Branch Second of Division Second of the Second General Part.

My summary

Today we continue on with 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) 

Last week we examined petitionary (requesting) part of prayer.  This week we turn to the second kind of prayer, gratulatory (thanksgiving).

Firstly Gurnall shows us what we are to return praises and thanks to God for:

(i) mercies either ordinary or extraordinary;

(ii) mercies complete or imperfect;

(iii) mercies received in this life or reserved for the next;

(iv) mercies bitter and sweet;

(v) mercies personal or in partnership with others.

Secondly Gurnall gives us directions on how to frame our thanksgivings:

(i) Be sure the thing thou prayest God for be found among the good things of the prom­ise;

(ii) Let all your praises be offered up in Christ;

(iii) Stay not in generals, but descend to the particular instances of God's mercy towards thee in thy thanksgivings;

(iv) Excite thy praising graces;

(v) Content not thyself with a bare narrative, but give every mercy its proper accent according to the enhancing circumstances thereof;

(vi) Distinguish between mercy and mercy; let the choicest mercies have thy highest praises;

(vii) Let not thy praises be transient;

(viii) Thou must not only continue, but grow in thy praises;

(ix) Let thy praises be real.

Then to conclude, Gurnall gives reproof to the world and exhortation to the saints.

What grabbed me

I appreciated the encouragement to remember the Lord's mercies and give him thanks.

I particularly enjoyed this illustration: 'The reason why so little praise is given for such great works of mercy, is because men see not the lovingkindness of God in them; and they see not this because they observe not those; and they observe not those because they have not wisdom.  It is not a library that makes a scholar, but wisdom to observe and gather the choice notions out of his books.  None want mercies to bless God for.  Divine providence is a large volume, written thick and close with mercies from one end of our life to the other; but few, alas! have a heart to read in it, and fewer have wisdom to collect the choice passages of it for such a holy purpose as this is.'

Take and read of the mercies of God and give him praise!

Next week's reading

Continue Direction Eleventh by reading Branch First of Division Third of the Second General Part.

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