This is a book review of The Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Eph 6:11-13 NKJ
According to the Christian Classics Ethereal Library:
William was born at King’s Lynn, Norfolk, was educated at the free grammar school of his native town, and in 1631 was nominated to the Lynn scholarship in Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1635 and MA in 1639. He was made rector of Lavenham in Suffolk in 1644; and before he received that appointment he seems to have officiated, perhaps as curate, at Sudbury.
I love books. My copy of Gurnall is a beautiful volume with beautiful graphics befitting of its content. It looks like an old book, and it is. The Christian in Complete Armour contains great theology although it isn’t primarily a theological book. It reads like a devotional and every page is packed with wisdom and insight which is rarely found in modern books.
J. C. Ryle wrote a biographical account of this Puritan. He notes that there appears to be little information about Gurnall. Even his grave is unknown. The best thing we know about the man is this wonderful work. I agree with Ryle’s following observations concluding his bio account of Gurnall:
There is a vagueness, a mistiness, a shallowness, an indistinctness, a superficiality, an aimlessness, a hollowness about the literature of the ‘broader and kindlier systems,’ as they are called, which, to my mind, stamps their origin on their face. They are of the earth, earthy. I find more definite soul-satisfying thought in one page of Gurnall than in five pages of such books as the leaders of the so-called ‘Broad Church School’ put forth. In matters of theology ‘the old is better.’
My wife asked how I could do a review of a book I haven’t yet finished reading. Well, it is a Big Book. My edition has 1,312 double-column pages. However, it can be read in sections and I have greatly profited from the time spent with it. My copy is already heavily underlined and full of sticky notes marking out specific pages of interest.
Perhaps the best praise comes from C. H. Spurgeon:
Gurnall’s work is peerless and priceless; every line is full of wisdom; every sentence is suggestive. The whole book has been preached over scores of times, and is, in our judgment, the best thought-breeder in all our library. This Complete Armour is beyond all others a preacher’s book: I should think that more discourses have been suggested by it than by any other uninspired volume. I have often resorted to it when my own fire has been burning low, and I have seldom failed to a glowing coal upon Gurnall’s hearth. John Newton said that if he might read only one book beside the Bible, he would choose The Christian in Complete Armour, and Richard Cecil was of much the same opinion. J. C. Ryle said of it, “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 could be got into so few words.” Happy Lavenham, to have been served by such a pastor!
That Gurnall is able to get so much said in so few words speaks volumes when one considers the size of this work! We live in a sound bite world and The Christian in Complete Armour requires discipline in allocating time to read it. This means that Gurnall will remain largely overlooked. This is a pity because, while it is difficult to read, it also rewards the reader with every turn of the page. This is a necessary book, especially considering the challenges to the faith which Christians face today.
Purchase William Gurnall’s The Christian in Complete Armour !
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The Christian in Complete Armour
Even our Sammy recommends the book!
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