We do not wonder when we see a man of strong constitution,
that eats his bread heartily and sleeps soundly, live. But for a crazy body,
full of ails and infirmities, to be so patched and shored up by the physician’s
art that he lives to old age, this begets some wonder in the beholders. It may
be thou art a poor trembling soul, thy faith is weak, and thy assaults from
Satan strong, thy corruptions stirring and active, and thy mortifying strength
little, so that in thy opinion they rather gain ground on thy grace, rather
than give ground to it. Ever and anon thou art ready to think thou shalt be
cast as a wreck on the devil’s shore; and yet to this day thy grace lives,
though full of leaks. Now is it not worth the stepping aside to see this
strange sight?
A broken
ship with masts and hull rent and torn, thus towed along by almighty power
through an angry sea, and armadas of sins and devils, safely into it harbor. In
a word, to see a weak stripling in grace held up in God’s arms till he beats
the devil craven! This God is doing in upholding thee. Thou art one of those
babes, out of whose mouth God is perfecting praise, by ordaining such strength
for thee, that thou, a babe in grace, shalt yet foil a giant in wrath and
power.”
This word
of encouragement is from William Gurnall’s book titled the Christian in
Complete Armour. Charles Spurgeon recommends this book be in every Christian’s
library and David Wilkerson blesses the day he found this book and says it
breathes holiness on every page.
Not a bad
recommendation.
3 comments:
I write and maintain a blog which I have entitled “Accordingtothebook” and I’d like to invite you to follow it.
you can keep that one for me. :)
Hi Matt,
Yep, it is a powerful word of hope and at the center most of the men find it hard to trust in grace because of pasts that are so troubled. Not that I don't need this word of encouragement as well, or in the words of
Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones - "I shall never cease to be grateful to Richard Sibbes who was balm to my soul at a period in my life when I was overworked and badly overtired, and therefore subject in an unusual manner to the onslaught of the devil... I found at that time that Richard Sibbes, who was known in London in the early seventeenth century as "The Heavenly Doctor Sibbes." was an unfailing remedy... The Bruised Reed... quieted, soothed, comforted, encourage and healed me."
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