Love's Fire

This may sound odd, but I like reading books by authors that have already died.  The main reason for that is that they can't do or say anything now that disappoints me.   Sure, there are contemporary writers that are solidly Christian who speak the truth, but once in a while even the best of them says or does something that makes me shake my head.   But that's because we're all sinners.

One of my favorite dead authors is William Gurnall.   He went to heaven more than 300 years ago.  Even so, his words are just as relevant today as they were in his day.   In his classic work, 'The Christian in Complete Armour', Gurnall makes this statement on the fire of love:

"Love is the great conqueror of the world.  Thus if you are inflamed with love for Christ, you will toss all your worldly attractions to the four winds rather than tarnish His honor.  Love is like a fire in that it consumes everything near it.  It turns all into fire or ashes.  Nothing foreign to the nature of fire can dwell very long with fire's own simple and pure nature.  Thus love for Christ will not allow the existence of anything in the heart which is unlike Him."

"Love for Christ will not let you agree with anything which is against Him but, on the contrary, will take His part against every one of His enemies."

As long as dead authors keep making statements like that, I'll keep listening!