William Gurnall Quotes & Sayings

The Christian is to proclaim and prosecute an irreconcilable war against his bosom sins; those sins which have lain nearest his heart, must now be trampled under his feet. — William Gurnall

Above all sins, guard against bold or arrogant ones. You are not beyond the danger of such. If caught in the web of presumptuous sin, call quickly to God for help. If you hesitate, you only give Satan time to entangle you more tightly. But if you cry out to God in true repentance, He will come at once to rescue you. The sooner you yield to the Spirit, the less damage is done to your soul. — William Gurnall

No torment in the world is comparable to an accusing conscience. — William Gurnall

Blind zeal is soon put to a shameful retreat, while holy resolution, built on fast principles, lifts up its head like a rock in the midst of the waves. — William Gurnall

Second. - The Christian is to walk singularly, not after the world's guise, Rom. 12:2. We are commanded not to be conformed to this world, that is, not to accommodate ourselves to the corrupt customs of the world. — William Gurnall

Christ will bear no equal, and Satan no superior; and therefore, hold in with both thou canst not. — William Gurnall

The regenerating Spirit is compared to the wind. His first attempts on the soul may be so secret that the creature knows not whence they come, or whither they tend; but, before he hath done, the sound will be heard throughout the soul. — William Gurnall

The soldier is summoned to a life of active duty and so is the Christian. — William Gurnall

We have peace with God as soon as we believe, but not always with ourselves. The pardon may be past the prince's hand and seal, and yet not put into the prisoner's hand. — William Gurnall

We must not confide in the armour of God, but in the God of this armour, because all our weapons are only mighty through God. — William Gurnall

The possessions God allows us to have are intended for our use, not our enjoyment. Trying to squeeze something out of them that was never in them in the first place is a futile endeavor. A cow's udders, gently pressed, will yield sweet milk, nourishing and refreshing. Applying more and more pressure will not produce greater quantities of milk. We lose the good of material things by expecting too much from them. Those who try hardest to please themselves with earthly goods find the least satisfaction in them. — William Gurnall

Jerusalem above is a city whose builder and maker is God. Every grace, yea, every degree of grace, is a stone in that building, the topstone whereof is laid in glory, where saints shall more plainly see, how God was not only Founder to begin, but Benefactor also to finish the same. The glory of the work shall not be crumbled and piece-mealed out, some to God and some to the creature, but all entirely paid in to God, and he acknowledged all in all. — William Gurnall

Christ is a prince that loves to see his people thrive and grow rich under his government. This — William Gurnall

Justifying faith is not a naked assent to the truths of the gospel. — William Gurnall

As the eye of the body once put out, can never be restored by the creature's art, so neither can the spiritual eye lost by Adam's sin be restored by the teaching of men or angels. It is one of the diseases which Christ came to cure. — William Gurnall

Humility is a necessary veil to all other graces. — William Gurnall

God Himself underwrites your battle and has appointed His own Son 'the captain of your salvation'. — William Gurnall

And they cannot be solid Christians, that are not instructed in the grounds of Christianity. The — William Gurnall

Pride of gifts robs us of God's blessing in the use of them. — William Gurnall

Some prayers have a longer voyage than others, but they return with the richer lading at last, so that the praying soul is a gainer by waiting for an answer. — William Gurnall

As you love your peace, Christian, be plain-hearted with God and man, and keep the king's highway. — William Gurnall

There is no such way to be even with the devil and his instruments, for all their spite against us, as by doing what good we can wherever we be come. — William Gurnall

Thou art translated into the kingdom of Christ, but thou art a great way from his court. That — William Gurnall

What is Jordan that I should wash in it? What is the preaching that I should attend on it, while I hear nothing but what I knew before? What are these beggarly elements of water, bread, and wine? Are not these the reasonings of a soul that forgets who appoints the means of grace? — William Gurnall

It is not only our duty to pray for others, but also to desire the prayers of others for ourselves. — William Gurnall

Never venture near the door where sin dwells, lest you are dragged in. — William Gurnall

O how true are poor sinners to the devil's trust! — William Gurnall

Oh, it is sad for a poor Christian to stand at the door of the promise, in the dark night of affliction, afraid to draw the latch, whereas he should then come boldly for shelter as a child into his father's house. — William Gurnall

The Christian must stand fixed to his principles, and not change his habit; but freely show what countryman he is by his holy constancy in the truth. — William Gurnall

the Christian who seems to be so overmatched, is yet so unconquerable, II Cor. 12:9; James 5:11. — William Gurnall

Christian, hath not God secretly instructed thee by his Spirit from the Word, how to read the shorthand of his providence? Dost — William Gurnall

Great comforts do, indeed, bear witness to the truth of thy grace, but not to the degree of it; the weak child is oftener in the lap than the strong one. — William Gurnall

Job's friends chose the right time to visit him, but took not the right course of improving their visit; had they spent the time in praying for him which they did in hot disputes with him, they would have profited him, and pleased God more. — William Gurnall

Were there no devil, yet we should have our hands full, in resisting the corruptions of our own hearts; but — William Gurnall

The Christian is bred by the Word, and he must be fed by it. — William Gurnall

Nothing is more contrary to a heavenly hope than an earthly heart. — William Gurnall

Bid faith look through the key-hole of the promise, and tell thee what it sees there laid up for him that overcomes; bid it listen and tell thee whether it cannot hear the shout of those crowned saints, as of those that are dividing the spoil, and receiving the reward of all their services and sufferings here on earth. — William Gurnall

When God intends a mercy for his people, he stirs up the spirit of prayer in them. Fervency unites the soul and directs the thoughts to the work at hand. It will not allow diversions and denies all foreign thoughts seeking to intrude. Pray fervently or you do nothing. Cold praying is no more prayer than a painting of fire is fire. How can prayers that do not even warm your own heart move God's? A fervent prayer will never find a cold reception with God. Elijah's prayer called fire down from heaven because it carried fire up to heaven. — William Gurnall

In heaven we shall appear, not in armour, but in robes of glory. But here these are to be worn night and day; we must walk, work, and sleep in them, or else we are not true soldiers of Christ. — William Gurnall

Count on the strength of your own godly attributes, and you will grow lax in your duties for Christ. Knowing you are weak keeps you from wandering too far from Him. When you see that your own cupboard is bare and everything you need is in His, you will go often to Him for supplies. But a soul who thinks he can take care of himself will say, "I have plenty and to spare for a long time. Let the doubting soul pray; my faith is strong. Let the weak go to God for help; I can manage fine on my own." What a sad state of affairs, to suppose that we no longer need the moment-by-moment sustaining grace of God.
Not only does overestimating the strength of our own goodness make us shun God's help, but it also makes us foolhardy and venturesome. You who boast about your spirituality are likely to put yourselves in all kinds of dangerous situations, then brag that you can handle them. — William Gurnall

Fall to the work God sets thee about, and thou engagest his strength for thee. The way of the Lord is strength. Run from thy work, and thou engagest God's strength against thee; he will send some storm or other after thee to bring home his runaway servant. How oft hath the coward been killed in a ditch, or under some hedge, when the valiant soldier stood his ground and kept his place got off with safety and honor? — William Gurnall

Therefore tremble, O man, at any power thou hast, except thou usest it for God. Art thou strong in body; who hath thy strength? God, or thy lusts? — William Gurnall

It is no policy to let thy lusts have arms, which are sure to rise and declare against thee when thine enemy comes. — William Gurnall

Peace of conscience is nothing but the echo of pardoning mercy. — William Gurnall

As Christ had his saints in Nero's court, so the devil his servants in the outward court of his visible church. Thou — William Gurnall

God loves the saints as the purchase of his Son's blood. They cost him dear, and that which is so hardly got shall not be easily lost. He that was willing to expend his Son's blood to gain them, will not deny his power to keep them. — William Gurnall

Christ hath told us He will come, but not when, that we might never put off our clothes, or put out the candle. — William Gurnall

Truth lies deep, and must be digged for. Since — William Gurnall

It is true, Christian, the debt thou owest to God must be paid in good and lawful money, but for thy comfort, here Christ is thy paymaster. Send — William Gurnall

How many, alas, of the precious saints of God must we shut out from being believers, if there is no faith but what amounts to assurance ... shall we say their faith went away in the departure of their assurance? — William Gurnall

This is thy birth-day; thou wert before, but beganst to live when Christ began to live in thee. The — William Gurnall

The state of unregeneracy is a state of impotency. — William Gurnall

God is almighty to pardon, but He will not use His power for a shameless sinner. He is able to save and help in time of need, but if you have not repented, how can you expect His aid? The same power God expends on the believer's salvation will be spent on your damnation, for He has bound Himself under oath to destroy every impenitent soul. — William Gurnall

Satan cannot deny but that great wonders have been wrought by prayer. As the spirit of prayer goes up, so his kingdom goes down. Satan's strategems against prayer are three. First, if he can, he will keep thee from prayer. If that be not feasible, secondly, he will strive to interrupt thee in prayer. And, thirdly, if that plot takes not, he will labour to hinder the success of thy prayer. — William Gurnall

Least doers are the greatest boasters. — William Gurnall

The Christian, like a chalice without a base, cannot stand on his own nor hold what he has received any longer that God holds him in His strong hands. — William Gurnall

Christ bears with the saints' imperfections; well may the saints one with another. — William Gurnall

When thou art come to thyself to own and blush at the brutish ignorance of thy mind, thou art fit to be admitted into Christ's school. If — William Gurnall

God brings his grace into the heart by conquest. — William Gurnall

apply thyself to the use of those means which God hath appointed for the strengthening grace. If — William Gurnall

The Word of God is too sacred a thing, and preaching too solemn a work, to be toyed and played with. — William Gurnall

The sins of teachers are the teachers of sin. — William Gurnall

The mightier any is in the word, the more mighty he will be in prayer. — William Gurnall

The more public thy place, Christian, and the more eminent thy service for God, the more thou must look that the devil will have some more dangerous design or other against thee; and therefore, if every private soldier needs armour against Satan's bullets of temptation, then the commanders and officers who stand in the front of battle much more. — William Gurnall

Whoever hath a seed time of grace pass over his soul, shall have his harvest time also of joy. — William Gurnall

Thou mayest, poor soul, when accused by Satan, molested by his terrors, say, It is God that justifies; I have his hand to it, that I should have my life given me as soon as I laid down my arms and submitted to him, which I desire to do. Behold, the gates of my heart are open to let the Prince of peace in, and is not the Almighty able to perform his promise? I commit myself to him as unto a faithful Creator. — William Gurnall

All the plots of hell and commotions on earth have not so much as shaken God's hand to spoil one letter or line he has been drawing. — William Gurnall

Sometimes, perhaps, thou hearest another pray with much freedom and fluency, whilst thou canst hardly get out a few broken words. Hence thou art ready to accuse thyself and admire him, as if the gilding of the key made it open the door the better. — William Gurnall

There is no less wickedness potentially in the tamest sinner on earth, than in the devils themselves, and that one day thou, whoever thou art, wilt show to purpose, if God prevent thee not by his renewing grace. Thou — William Gurnall

Satan's power is ministerial, appointed by God for the service and benefit of the saints. It — William Gurnall

They love truth flourishing, who do not love it when it is confuting. They dare handle and look on the sword with delight when in a rich scabbard, who would run away to see it drawn. — William Gurnall

Weak faith will as surely land the Christian in heaven as strong faith, for it is impossible the least dram of true grace should perish — William Gurnall

We are justified, not by giving anything to God,
what we do,
but by receiving from God, what Christ hath done for us. — William Gurnall

Sometimes the soul is questioning whether it [has] any patience, any faith, till God comes and puts him into an afflicted estate, where he must exercise this faith or perish. Then it [the soul] appears like one that thinks he cannot swim, yet being thrown into the river, then uniting all his strength, he makes a shift to swim to land, and sees what he can do. How [often] have we heard Christians say, 'I thought I could never have endured such a pain, trusted God in such a straight! But now God [has] taught me what he can do for me, what he wrought in me. — William Gurnall

The providences of God to his saints here, while on this low bottom of earth, are mixed and parti-coloured, as was signified by the 'speckled' horses, Zech. 1:8, in — William Gurnall

Faith and repentance will be good doctrine to preach and hear to the end of the world; you — William Gurnall

Humble souls are fearful of their own strength. — William Gurnall

Few are made better by prosperity, whom afflictions make worse. — William Gurnall

The Christian must trust in a withdrawing God. — William Gurnall

Can Christ be in thou heart and thou not know it? Can one king be dethroned and another crowned in thy soul and thou hear no scuffle? — William Gurnall

One Almighty is more than all mighties — William Gurnall

For a beggar to live at court is not so much as the King to dwell with him in his cottage. — William Gurnall

Godliness is the child of truth, and it must be nursed by its own mother. — William Gurnall

A pilot without his chart, a scholar without his book, and a soldier without his sword, are alike ridiculous. But, above all these, it is absurd for one to think of being a Christian, without knowledge of the word of God and some skill to use this weapon. - William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour — William Gurnall

They say stars have greatest influences when they are in conjunction with the sun; then sure the graces of a saint should never work more powerfully than in prayer, for then he is in the nearest conjunction and communion with God. That — William Gurnall

The Christian's life should put his minister's sermon in print. — William Gurnall

We must come to good works by faith, and not to faith by good works. — William Gurnall

You see when a soul comes over from Satan's quarters unto Christ, and has but once the experience of that sweetness which is in his service, there is no getting him back to his old drudgery; as — William Gurnall

Truly, hope is the saint's covering, wherein he wraps himself, when he lays his body down to sleep in the grave: "My flesh," saith David, "shall rest in hope." — William Gurnall

Compare Scripture with Scripture. False doctrines, like false witnesses, agree not among themselves. — William Gurnall

God would not rub so hard if it were not to fetch out the dirt that is ingrained in our natures. God loves purity so well He had rather see a hole than a spot in His child's garments. — William Gurnall

The storm may be tempestuous, but it is only temporary. — William Gurnall

Pray often rather than very long at a time. It is hard to be very long in prayer, and not slacken in our affections. — William Gurnall

It is the image of God reflected in you that so enrages hell; it is this at which the demons hurl their mightiest weapons. — William Gurnall

Of all creatures in this visible world, light is the most glorious; of all light, the light of the sun without compare excels the rest. — William Gurnall

The devil had as good have let Paul alone, for he no sooner comes into prison but he falls a preaching, at which the gates of Satan's prison fly open, and poor sinners come forth. — William Gurnall

God hath made it a debt which one saint owes to another to carry their names to a throne of grace. — William Gurnall

Godliness, as well as the doctrine of our faith, is a mystery. — William Gurnall

Set a strong guard about thy outward senses: these are Satan's landing places, especially the eye and the ear. — William Gurnall

The Christian in prayer comes up close to God, with a humble boldness of faith, and takes hold of him, wrestles with him; yea, will not let him go without a blessing ... They are only a few noble-spirited souls, who dare take heaven by force, that are fit for this calling. — William Gurnall