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Gems of Thoughts: For Every Day in the Year
In 1865 Clement Evans, a Liverpool publisher, issued a book called Gems of Thought for Every Day in the Year, from the Writings of an Eminent Divine of the Seventeenth Century. That 'eminent divine' was William Gurnall (1616-1679), the Puritan minister and author of The Christian in Complete Armour.
As Joseph Hall (1574-1656), Bishop of Norwich, noted, 'Every day is a little life; and our whole life is but a day repeated.' Every day, therefore, should be a day to grow in our devotion to the Lord and in our understanding of his ways.
These 'gems of thought' from Gurnall's writings will serve as helpful daily prompts for meditation, and will, if read prayerfully, lead readers to set their minds on heavenly things.
As Joseph Hall (1574-1656), Bishop of Norwich, noted, 'Every day is a little life; and our whole life is but a day repeated.' Every day, therefore, should be a day to grow in our devotion to the Lord and in our understanding of his ways.
These 'gems of thought' from Gurnall's writings will serve as helpful daily prompts for meditation, and will, if read prayerfully, lead readers to set their minds on heavenly things.
128 pages, Paperback
Published June 2, 2026
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October 20, 2026
Banner of Truth Puritan Paperback #64/64. This one is a reprint of an 1865 devotional from Clement Evans where he took a William Gurnall quote for every day of the year.
Overall, this one was just “ok”. In a Puritan World of endless golden quotes and pearls I found many of these wordy and repetitive, in fact one quote was repeated on two consecutive days (not sure if that was a Banner or Evans mistake). Below average for a Puritan Paperback but still better than most Christian devotionals.
Below are my Top-10 quotes of the 365 in this book:
1. “It requires more prowess and greatness of spirit to obey God faithfully than to command an army of men.”
2. “A proud heart and a lofty mountain are never fruitful.”
3. “You cannot be found in two places at once; choose whether you will be found in your own righteousness or in Christ’s.”
4. “Not a piece to be found for the back, in all God’s armory.”
5. “The saint’s sleeping time is Satan’s tempting time.”
6. “Sin may well be called our self.”
7. “We live by faith and faith lives by exercise.”
8. “Christ is the door that opens unto God’s presence, and lets the soul into His bosom; and faith is the key that unlocks the door; but the Spirit is He that makes this key, and helps the Christian to turn it in prayer.”
9. “There is not another sword like this in all the world, that can cure with cutting; not another arm could use this sword to have done thus with it besides the Spirit of God.”
10. “The whole course of Divine Providence towards the saints is like a music-book, in every leaf whereof there is a song ready set for them to learn and sing to the praise of their God.”
Overall, this one was just “ok”. In a Puritan World of endless golden quotes and pearls I found many of these wordy and repetitive, in fact one quote was repeated on two consecutive days (not sure if that was a Banner or Evans mistake). Below average for a Puritan Paperback but still better than most Christian devotionals.
Below are my Top-10 quotes of the 365 in this book:
1. “It requires more prowess and greatness of spirit to obey God faithfully than to command an army of men.”
2. “A proud heart and a lofty mountain are never fruitful.”
3. “You cannot be found in two places at once; choose whether you will be found in your own righteousness or in Christ’s.”
4. “Not a piece to be found for the back, in all God’s armory.”
5. “The saint’s sleeping time is Satan’s tempting time.”
6. “Sin may well be called our self.”
7. “We live by faith and faith lives by exercise.”
8. “Christ is the door that opens unto God’s presence, and lets the soul into His bosom; and faith is the key that unlocks the door; but the Spirit is He that makes this key, and helps the Christian to turn it in prayer.”
9. “There is not another sword like this in all the world, that can cure with cutting; not another arm could use this sword to have done thus with it besides the Spirit of God.”
10. “The whole course of Divine Providence towards the saints is like a music-book, in every leaf whereof there is a song ready set for them to learn and sing to the praise of their God.”
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review