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Christian in Complete Armour

by William Gurnall

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.

Photographs

A copy in the collection, so you can check your own against it.

Christian in Complete Armour — Interior page
Interior page
Christian in Complete Armour — Interior page
Interior page
Christian in Complete Armour — Interior page
Interior page

Publication

Publisher
The Banner of Truth Trust
Date published
Jul 1, 1964
Print status
In print

The Physical Book

Binding
Paperback
Dust jacket
No
Total pages
312 pages
ISBN-13
9780851514567

Reference

Publisher page
View at publisher

Contents

  • Preface
  • Biographical sketch of the Author
  • Chapter 1: The Saint’s Call to Arms
  • I. THE CHRISTIAN’S CALL TO COURAGE
  • Cowardice vs. Courage
  • Sources of Christian Courage
  • 1. An established knowledge of God’s truth
  • 2. A heart set in the right direction
  • II. THE CHRISTIAN’S CALL TO SERVICE
  • Directives Issued
  • 1. Renounce your bosom sins
  • 2. Conform your life to Christ
  • 3. Sidestep stumbling blocks
  • 4. Trust God in every circumstance
  • 5. Stay on course to the end of your life
  • III. AN ADMONITION TO ‘BE STRONG IN THE LORD’
  • The Source of the Saint’s Strength
  • The Significance of God’s Strength
  • 1. The nature of the saint’s conscience
  • 2. The character of the conscience
  • 3. The nature of God’s plan
  • 4. The nature of God
  • A Solemn Warning
  • IV. AN ADMONITION TO APPROPRIATE ‘THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT’
  • What Is ‘The Power of His Might’?
  • Appropriating God’s Power
  • Three Reasons for Trusting God’s Power
  • 1. His past record
  • 2. Your present dilemma
  • 3. His eternal desire
  • The Fivefold Bond Securing God’s Power
  • 1. His near kinship to the saints
  • 2. His dear love for the saints
  • 3. His everlasting covenant
  • 4. His self-imposed obligation
  • 5. His interceding Son
  • Occasions for Using God’s Power
  • 1. When weighed down by sin
  • 2. When overpowered by temptation
  • 3. When oppressed by Christian duty
  • Four Reasons Why God’s Power Is Sometimes Hidden
  • 1. You may have overlooked God’s power
  • 2. God may have purposely delayed His power
  • 3. The cause of hindrance of the blessing may be in yourself
  • 4. God may call you to persevere in the face of overwhelming odds
  • Chapter 2: First Consideration: The Saint’s Armour
  • I. THE CHRISTIAN MUST BE ARMED
  • The Armed Saint – His Divine Provisions
  • 1. Christ as armour
  • 2. The graces of Christ as armour
  • The Unarmed Sinner – His Dim Prospects
  • 1. Alienation from God
  • 2. Ignorance
  • 3. Impotency
  • 4. Friendship with sin and Satan
  • The Enemy – His Diabolical Plan
  • 1. The natural inclination of man’s soul
  • 2. The supernatural malice of Satan
  • The Armour – Its Creator
  • 1. God is the sole designer of His saints’ armour
  • 2. God makes His saints’ armour and trains them in its proper use
  • The Armour – Its Various Parts
  • 1. All the parts together cover the whole saint, soul and body
  • 2. Each piece has a special function
  • 3. Each piece is complete and perfect
  • Our Graces – Why We Must Perfect Them
  • 1. Because our graces can sustain injury
  • 2. Because Satan is still perfecting his wrath and skill
  • 3. Because we fulfill God’s purpose when we grow in grace
  • The Armour – Its Proper Use
  • 1. The armour must be put on
  • 2. The armour must be kept on
  • The Armour – Its Proper Place
  • Final Exhortation
  • II. WHY THE CHRISTIAN MUST BE ARMED
  • The Danger if Unarmed
  • Satan as Tempter to Sin
  • 1. Satan chooses when to tempt
  • 2. Satan chooses how to tempt
  • 3. Satan chooses what or whom to use as the instruments of temptation
  • Warning
  • Precautions
  • 1. Ask God for counsel
  • 2. Know your heart
  • 3. Read God’s Word attentively
  • Satan as Accuser of Sin
  • 1. Satan accuses the saints of his own wicked thoughts
  • 2. Satan exaggerates the saints’ sins
  • 3. Satan appoints himself both judge and jury to try the saints
  • 4. Satan tries to rob the saints of their covenant promise
  • The Saint’s Proper Reaction to Satan’s Accusations
  • 1. Let his accusations make you more careful
  • 2. Let them make you more humble
  • 3. Let them show you the fallacy of his logic
  • God’s Perfect Response to Satan’s Accusations
  • 1. God uses Satan’s own schemes to make His saints wise
  • 2. God uses Satan’s tricks to make His saints thankful
  • 3. God uses the devil’s wiles to make His saints wary
  • The Saint’s Fortification
  • 1. Beware of Satan as a seducer
  • 2. Cling to God’s promise of justification
  • 3. Avoid entrapment
  • 4. Maintain assurance of salvation
  • The Assurance of Victory if Armed
  • Satan’s Damnation
  • 1. The curse that lies upon Satan
  • 2. The limits God places upon Satan
  • Satan’s Intentions and God’s Intervention
  • 1. Satan’s intention: to defile the saint’s conscience
  • 2. Satan’s intention: to defile other saints
  • 3. Satan’s intention: to defile the saint’s relationship with God
  • Chapter 3: Second Consideration: The Nature of the War and the Character of the Enemy
  • I. THE NATURE OF THE WAR
  • Why Saints Must Wrestle
  • 1. The sharpness of combat
  • 2. The universality of combat
  • 3. The duration of combat
  • How Not to Wrestle
  • 1. Do not wrestle against God’s Spirit
  • 2. Do not wrestle against God’s providence
  • 3. Do not wrestle by your own rules
  • How to Wrestle
  • 1. Enlist God as your second
  • 2. Stay in training
  • 3. Use your advantage wisely
  • A Word of Encouragement to Wrestlers
  • II. THE CHARACTER OF THE ENEMY
  • The Saint’s Minor Assailants: ‘Flesh and Blood’
  • 1. Our inner corruptions
  • 2. Human beings
  • The Saint’s Chief Assailants: Evil Spirits
  • 1. Their system of government
  • (a) Satan’s claim to his throne
  • (b) God’s present concession to Satan’s claim
  • (c) How to test your true allegiance
  • 2. Their powers
  • 3. Their kingdom (‘the darkness of this world’)
  • (a) Why sin is described as darkness
  • (b) Why those in darkness are under Satan’s rule
  • (c) Warning to beware of Satan’s tricks
  • (d) The blinding power of ignorance
  • (e) Warning to beware of ignorance
  • (f) The way to knowledge
  • 4. Their nature (‘spiritual wickedness’)
  • (a) The importance of understanding the nature of devils
  • (b) Spiritual wickedness in the saints: the cause and the cure
  • (i) Sin in the heart
  • (ii) Sins about spiritual topics
  • Errors involving spiritual principles
  • Pride
  • (c) A final thought on spiritual wickedness
  • 5. The grounds of war (‘in high places,’ or ‘for heavenly things’)
  • (a) The saint’s heavenly calling
  • (b) A call worth fighting for
  • (c) A word of caution to those who desire a heavenly prize
  • (d) A practical note – on the folly of pursuing earthly things
  • (e) A final word about our heavenly prize
  • Chapter 4: Third Consideration: A Second Exhortation to be Armed
  • I. THE EXHORTATION AND THE IMPLICATION
  • First Observation: The Implications of a Repeated Admonition
  • Imperative truths
  • Second Observation: The Need to Inspect and Repair Your Graces
  • 1. Why your graces must be kept in good repair
  • 2. Who suffers when your grace diminishes
  • 3. How to know whether or not your grace is declining
  • 4. How to recover from declining grace
  • II. REASONS FOR THE EXHORTATION
  • The Hour of Battle
  • 1. The nature and quality of evil and the ‘evil day’
  • 2. The certainty of an evil day
  • 3. The necessity of armour to withstand the evil day
  • 4. Directions for preparing for the evil day
  • The Requirements for a Happy Outcome of the War
  • 1. The necessity of perseverance
  • 2. The necessity of divine armour to persevere
  • 3. Why the unregenerate cannot persevere
  • 4. The certainty of persevering if armed
  • 5. The promised result of perseverance
  • Chapter 5: Fourth Consideration: The Position to be Maintained in the Fight
  • I. STAND – DO NOT FLEE OR YIELD
  • Scripture Expressly Commands it
  • God Supplies Armour Sufficient for the Battle
  • The Christian’s Safety Lies in Resisting
  • The Enemy is Overcome Only by Force
  • 1. Satan is a cowardly enemy
  • 2. Satan is an encroaching enemy
  • 3. Satan is an accusing enemy
  • II. STAND IN YOUR OWN PLACE – DO NOT USURP ANOTHER’S
  • Five Considerations to Persuade All to Stand
  • 1. You lose God’s approval when you leave your appointed place to work outside your calling
  • 2. You lose God’s protection when you ignore His restrictions as to place and calling
  • 3. God does not hold you accountable for another man’s work
  • 4. You suffer needlessly when you bear burdens God never intended you to carry
  • 5. A flighty spirit usually carries men out of their place and calling
  • III. STAND – DO NOT SLEEP
  • Why the Christian Must Remain Wakeful
  • 1. The Christian’s work is too important and demanding to be done while half asleep, or in a half-hearted fashion
  • 2. Watchfulness reaps advantages for the Christian
  • How to Stand and Watch
  • 1. Watch constantly
  • 2. Watch universally
  • 3. Watch wisely