William Gurnall (161612 October 1679) was an English author and Anglican clergyman born at King's Lynn, Norfolk, where he was baptised on 17 November 1616. He 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 St Peter and St Paul's Church, Lavenham in Suffolk in 1644; and before he received that appointment he seems to have officiated, perhaps as curate, at Sudbury. At the

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he signed the declaration required by the Act of Uniformity 1662, and on this account he was the subject of a libellous attack, published in 1665, entitled ''Covenant-Renouncers Desperate Apostates''.

''Christian in Complete Armour''

Gurnall is known by his ''Christian in Complete Armour'', published in three volumes, dated 1655, 1658 and 1662. It consists of

sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. ...

s or

lecture A lecture (from Latin ''lēctūra'' “reading” ) is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical infor ...

s delivered by the author in the course of his regular ministry, in a consecutive course on

Ephesians The Epistle to the Ephesians is the tenth book of the New Testament. Its authorship has traditionally been attributed to Paul the Apostle but starting in 1792, this has been challenged as Deutero-Pauline, that is, pseudepigrapha written in Pau ...

6: 10–20. It is described as a magazine whence the Christian is furnished with spiritual arms for the battle, helped on with his armour, and taught the use of his

weapon A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, ...

; together with the happy issue of the whole war. It is thus considered a classic on

spiritual warfare Spiritual warfare is the Christian concept of fighting against the work of preternatural evil forces. It is based on the biblical belief in evil spirits, or demons, that are said to intervene in human affairs in various ways. Although spir ...

. The work is more practical than

theological Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the s ...

; and its style and its fervent religious tone continued to render it still popular with some readers.

Richard Baxter Richard Baxter (12 November 1615 – 8 December 1691) was an English Puritan church leader, poet, hymnodist, theologian, and controversialist. Dean Stanley called him "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". After some false starts, he ...

and

John Flavel John Flavel (c. 1627–1691) was an English Puritan Presbyterian minister and author. Life Flavel, the eldest son of the Rev. Richard Flavel, described as 'a painful and eminent minister,' who was incumbent successively of Bromsgrove, Worceste ...

both thought highly of the book. Toplady used to make copious extracts from it in his common-place book.

John Newton John Newton (; – 21 December 1807) was an English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery abolitionist. He had previously been a captain of slave ships and an investor in the slave trade. He served as a sailor in the Royal Navy (after forc ...

, the converted slave trader, said that if he were confined to one book beside the Bible, he'd choose ''Christian Armour.'' Richard Cecil spent many of the last days of his life in reading it, and repeatedly expressed his admiration of it.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon Charles Haddon Spurgeon (19 June 1834 – 31 January 1892) was an English Particular Baptist preacher. Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians of various denominations, among whom he is known as the "Prince of Preachers". He wa ...

commented that Gurnall's work is "peerless and priceless; every line full of wisdom. The book has been preached over scores of times and is, in our judgment, the best thought-breeder in all our library." In 1988

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published a revised and abridged version in contemporary English.

Works

* ''The Christian in Complete Armour'', Diggory Press, * * ''The Christian's Labour and Reward'' * " The Christian in Complete Armour", Daily readings in Spiritual Warfare, Edited by James S Bell, Jr. Moody Publishers,

Notes

References

Sources

*H. Keon, ''An Inquiry into the Life of the Rev. W. Gurnall'', 1830 *

John Charles Ryle John Charles Ryle (10 May 1816 – 10 June 1900) was an English evangelical Anglican bishop. He was the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool. Life He was the eldest son of John Ryle, private banker, of Park House, Macclesfield, M.P. for Maccles ...

, Introduction to the ''Christian in Complete Armour'', 1865 {{DEFAULTSORT:Gurnall, William 1616 births 1679 deaths English theologians English Calvinist and Reformed theologians 17th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians 17th-century English Puritan ministers Alumni of Emmanuel College, Cambridge People from King's Lynn