Christian in Complete Armour: Volume 1 PB

The Christian in Complete Armour is certainly one of the greatest of all the Puritans’ practical writings. This first volume in the 3-volume paperback set is a modernized abridgement of the Puritan Classic by William Gurnall.

"Gurnall’s work is peerless and priceless; every line is full of wisdom; every sentence is suggestive. I have often resorted to it when my own fire has been burning low, and I have seldom failed to find a glowing coal upon Gurnall’s hearth.’– C.H. SPURGEON

‘A beautiful feature in Gurnall’s book is its richness in pithy, pointed, and epigrammatical sayings. You will often find in a line and a half some great truth, put so concisely, and yet so fully, that you really marvel how so much thought could be got into so few words. Solid scriptural theology, like that contained in these pages, should be valued and studied in the church. Books in which Scripture is reverently regarded as the only rule of faith and practice – books in which Christ and the Holy Ghost have their rightful office – books in which justification, and sanctification, and regeneration, and faith, and grace, and holiness are clearly, distinctly, and accurately delineated and exhibited – these are the only books which do real good. Few things need reviving more than a taste for such books as these among readers.’– J.C. RYLE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

   Page

Preface                   15

Biographical sketch of the Author             17

Chapter 1: The Saint’s Call to Arms           23

1. THE CHRISTIAN’S CALL TO COURAGE 24

Cowardice vs. Courage  25

Sources of Christian Courage      27

1. An established knowledge of God’s truth 28
2. A heart set in the right direction 29
3. THE CHRISTIAN’S CALL TO SERVICE 29

Directives Issued              29

1. Renounce your bosom sins 30
2. Conform your life to Christ 31
3. Sidestep stumbling blocks 32
4. Trust God in every circumstance 32
5. Stay on course to the end of your life 33

III.           AN ADMONITION TO ‘BE STRONG IN THE LORD’                33

The Source of the Saint’s Strength           33

The Significance of God’s Strength           36

1. The nature of the saint’s conscience 36
2. The character of the conscience 37
3. The nature of God’s plan 38
4. The nature of God 40

A Solemn Warning           41

1. AN ADMONITION TO APPROPRIATE ‘THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT’ 42

What Is ‘The Power of His Might’?           42

Appropriating God’s Power         42

Three Reasons for Trusting God’s Power              43

1. His past record 43
2. Your present dilemma 44
3. His eternal desire 45

The Fivefold Bond Securing God’s Power              47

1. His near kinship to the saints 47
2. His dear love for the saints 48
3. His everlasting covenant 49
4. His self-imposed obligation 49
5. His interceding Son 50

Occasions for Using God’s Power             50

1. When weighed down by sin 52
2. When overpowered by temptation 53
3. When oppressed by Christian duty 54

Four Reasons Why God’s Power Is Sometimes Hidden   55

1. You may have overlooked God’s power 55
2. God may have purposely delayed His power 56
3. The cause of hindrance of the blessing may be in yourself 57
4. God may call you to persevere in the face of overwhelming odds 58

Chapter 2: First Consideration: The Saint’s Armour           59

1. THE CHRISTIAN MUST BE ARMED 59

The Armed Saint – His Divine Provisions                60

1. Christ as armour 60
2. The graces of Christ as armour 60

The Unarmed Sinner – His Dim Prospects             60

1. Alienation from God 61
2. Ignorance 62
3. Impotency 63
4. Friendship with sin and Satan 63

The Enemy – His Diabolical Plan 64

1. The natural inclination of man’s soul 64
2. The supernatural malice of Satan 65

The Armour – Its Creator              66

1. God is the sole designer of His saints’ armour 66
2. God makes His saints’ armour and trains them in its proper use 68

The Armour – Its Various Parts  69

1. All the parts together cover the whole saint, soul and body 70
2. Each piece has a special function 70
3. Each piece is complete and perfect 74

Our Graces – Why We Must Perfect Them           74

1. Because our graces can sustain injury 74
2. Because Satan is still perfecting his wrath and skill 75
3. Because we fulfill God’s purpose when we grow in grace 75

The Armour – Its Proper Use      76

1. The armour must be put on 76
2. The armour must be kept on 76

The Armour – Its Proper Place   80

Final Exhortation              80

1. WHY THE CHRISTIAN MUST BE ARMED 81

The Danger if Unarmed 81

Satan as Tempter to Sin                82

1. Satan chooses when to tempt 83
2. Satan chooses how to tempt 85
3. Satan chooses what or whom to use as the instruments of temptation 89

Warning               93

Precautions        95

1. Ask God for counsel 95
2. Know your heart 95
3. Read God’s Word attentively 95

Satan as Accuser of Sin  96

1. Satan accuses the saints of his own wicked thoughts 97
2. Satan exaggerates the saints’ sins 98
3. Satan appoints himself both judge and jury to try the saints 100
4. Satan tries to rob the saints of their covenant promise 101

The Saint’s Proper Reaction to Satan’s Accusations          103

1. Let his accusations make you more careful 103
2. Let them make you more humble 103
3. Let them show you the fallacy of his logic 103

God’s Perfect Response to Satan’s Accusations 105

1. God uses Satan’s own schemes to make His saints wise 105
2. God uses Satan’s tricks to make His saints thankful 107
3. God uses the devil’s wiles to make His saints wary 107

The Saint’s Fortification 108

1. Beware of Satan as a seducer 108
2. Cling to God’s promise of justification 109
3. Avoid entrapment 109
4. Maintain assurance of salvation 111

The Assurance of Victory if Armed           113

Satan’s Damnation          114

1. The curse that lies upon Satan 114
2. The limits God places upon Satan 115

Satan’s Intentions and God’s Intervention           116

1. Satan’s intention: to defile the saint’s conscience 117
2. Satan’s intention: to defile other saints 118
3. Satan’s intention: to defile the saint’s relationship with God 119

Chapter 3: Second Consideration: The Nature of the War and the Character of the Enemy            124

1. THE NATURE OF THE WAR 124

Why Saints Must Wrestle             124

1. The sharpness of combat 124
2. The universality of combat 126
3. The duration of combat 126

How Not to Wrestle        128

1. Do not wrestle against God’s Spirit 128
2. Do not wrestle against God’s providence 129
3. Do not wrestle by your own rules 130

How to Wrestle                131

1. Enlist God as your second 131
2. Stay in training 132
3. Use your advantage wisely 132

A Word of Encouragement to Wrestlers                133

1. THE CHARACTER OF THE ENEMY 134

The Saint’s Minor Assailants: ‘Flesh and Blood’   134

1. Our inner corruptions 134
2. Human beings 136

The Saint’s Chief Assailants: Evil Spirits   141

1. Their system of government 141

(a) Satan’s claim to his throne    143

(b) God’s present concession to Satan’s claim    144

(c) How to test your true allegiance         146

2. Their powers 151
3. Their kingdom (‘the darkness of this world’) 161

(a) Why sin is described as darkness        166

(b) Why those in darkness are under Satan’s rule             168

(c) Warning to beware of Satan’s tricks  170

(d) The blinding power of ignorance        172

(e) Warning to beware of ignorance        174

(f) The way to knowledge            181

4. Their nature (‘spiritual wickedness’) 186

(a) The importance of understanding the nature of devils             193

(b) Spiritual wickedness in the saints: the cause and the cure      195

(i) Sin in the heart            196

(ii) Sins about spiritual topics       201

Errors involving spiritual principles            201

Pride     205

(c) A final thought on spiritual wickedness            223

5. The grounds of war (‘in high places,’ or ‘for heavenly things’) 225

(a) The saint’s heavenly calling   225

(b) A call worth fighting for          228

(c) A word of caution to those who desire a heavenly prize          231

(d) A practical note – on the folly of pursuing earthly things         234

(e) A final word about our heavenly prize             238

Chapter 4: Third Consideration: A Second Exhortation to be Armed          240

1. THE EXHORTATION AND THE IMPLICATION 240

First Observation: The Implications of a Repeated Admonition   240

Imperative truths            241

Second Observation: The Need to Inspect and Repair Your Graces           245

1. Why your graces must be kept in good repair 245
2. Who suffers when your grace diminishes 247
3. How to know whether or not your grace is declining 250
4. How to recover from declining grace 254
5. REASONS FOR THE EXHORTATION 258

The Hour of Battle           258

1. The nature and quality of evil and the ‘evil day’ 260
2. The certainty of an evil day 263
3. The necessity of armour to withstand the evil day 265
4. Directions for preparing for the evil day 267

The Requirements for a Happy Outcome of the War       269

1. The necessity of perseverance 271
2. The necessity of divine armour to persevere 272
3. Why the unregenerate cannot persevere 273
4. The certainty of persevering if armed 276
5. The promised result of perseverance 281

Chapter 5: Fourth Consideration: The Position to be Maintained in the Fight        285

1. STAND – DO NOT FLEE OR YIELD 285

Scripture Expressly Commands it              286

God Supplies Armour Sufficient for the Battle    287

The Christian’s Safety Lies in Resisting    288

The Enemy is Overcome Only by Force  289

1. Satan is a cowardly enemy 289
2. Satan is an encroaching enemy 290
3. Satan is an accusing enemy 291
4. STAND IN YOUR OWN PLACE – DO NOT USURP ANOTHER’S 291

Five Considerations to Persuade All to Stand       294

1. You lose God’s approval when you leave your appointed place to work outside your calling 294
2. You lose God’s protection when you ignore His restrictions as to place and calling 295
3. God does not hold you accountable for another man’s work 297
4. You suffer needlessly when you bear burdens God never intended you to carry 297
5. A flighty spirit usually carries men out of their place and calling 298

III.           STAND – DO NOT SLEEP                301

Why the Christian Must Remain Wakeful              302

1. The Christian’s work is too important and demanding to be done while half asleep, or in a half-hearted fashion 302
2. Watchfulness reaps advantages for the Christian 303

How to Stand and Watch              304

1. Watch constantly 304
2. Watch universally 306
3. Watch wisely 307