Burgessâ book is not a checklist. The Christian cannot simply check off a list a number of items to be better in prayer, bible study, worship, or any other spiritual discipline simply because they follow his advice. Burgess will show that in all those spiritual duties which the Christian is commanded by God to accomplish, that it is all a matter of the heart as well as the head. It is not about a checklist. The Christian canât check off, âget your heart right before God.â They canât check off, âmake your mind more consecrated to God in the morning.â They canât check off, âimprove your use of the holy sacrament of the Lordâs Supper.â They canât check off, âreceive the faithful ministerâs words when he preaches as Godâs own words.â These ideas are bigger, far bigger, than a check box. They are heart issues, salvation issues, regeneration issues, truly, Christian issues. But, Burgess will aid the reader in taking these âholy directionsâ and show how to think rightly about them in applying them in their everyday life.Â
These issues are not something one can take or leave. They deal with Scripture, prayer, enemy love, hearing the word, and much more. God is not looking for Christians to make a check mark on a checklist. He is looking for them to be arrested by the Spirit of God for the glory of Christ and be able to say âMy heart shall stir me up, my spirit shall make me willing,â (Exodus 35:21), yes, willing to be conformed to Christ for the glory of God.Â
This work is not a scan or facsimile, has been carefully transcribed by hand being made easy to read in modern English, and has an active table of contents for electronic versions.