The Christian in Complete Armour - Gurnall - LXXX - Direction Twelfth commenced

Required readingThe Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Direction Twelfth by reading Branch First and Second.

My summary

Today we begin the twelfth (and final!) direction: "And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." (Eph. 6:19-20)

We start with Gurnall's First Branch in which he teaches us that the words 'And for me' are an exhortation for all ministers of the gospel.  Accordingly, we note that:

(i) people are to be taught the duty they owe to their minister as well as to others;

(ii) it is not only our duty to pray for others, but also to desire the prayers of others for ourselves;

(iii) the ministers of the gospel are, in an especial manner, to be remembered in the saints' prayers.

Then in the Second Branch, Gurnall looks at the matter of Paul's request: 'that utterance may be given unto me'.  Gurnall observes:

(i) the spirituality of his desire;

(ii) the public concernment of that he begs prayers for.

What grabbed me

I really enjoyed the reminder of the importance of prayer for ministers.

This point in particular: 'It is a laborious work. 'Know them which labour among you...and admonish you,' I Thes. 5:12; those who labour in the word and doctrine—which labour to weariness. He that preaches as he should, shall find it a work, and not play. Not a work of an hour while speaking in the pulpit, but a load that lies heavy on his shoulders all the week long; a labour that spends the vitals, and consumes the oil which should feed the lamp of nature; such a labour, in a word, as makes old age and youth oft meet together. The Jews took Christ to be about fifty years old when he was little above thirty, John 8:57. I find some give this reason of it, because Christ had so macerated his body with labour in preaching, fasting, and watching, that it aged his very countenance and made him look older than he was. Other callings are, many of them, but as exercise to nature; they blow off the ashes from its coal, and help to discharge nature of those superfluities which oppress it. Who eats his bread more heartily, and sleeps more sweetly, than the ploughman? But the minister's work debilitates nature. It is hard for him to eat and work too. Like the candle, he wastes while he shines. Whatever work is thought harder than other, we have it borrowed to set forth the minister's labour. They are called soldiers, watchmen, husbandmen, yea, their work is set out by the pangs of a woman in travail. Some of them indeed have easier labours than other—those who find more success of their ministry than their brethren; but who can tell the throes that their souls feel who all the time of their ministry go in travail and bring forth dead children at last?'

Who is sufficient for these things? Apart from Christ, no one. A minister needs prayer!

Next week's reading

Continue Direction Twelfth by commencing Branch Third and reading the First Observable.

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