puritan prayer

All-searching God,

Thou readest the heart,
viewest principles and motives of actions,
seest more defilement in my duties
than I ever saw in any of my sins.

The heavens are not clean in thy sight,
and thou chargest angels with folly;
I am ready to flee from myself because of
my abominations;
Yet thou dost not abhor me
but hast devised means for my return to thee,
and that, by thy Son who died to give me life.

Thine honour is secured and displayed even in
my escape from thy threats,
and that, by means of Jesus
in whom mercy and truth meet together,
and righteousness and peace kiss each other.

In him the enslaved find redemption,
the guilty pardon,
the unholy renovation;
In him are everlasting strength for the weak,
unsearchable riches for the needy,
treasures of wisdom and knowledge for
the ignorant,
fullness for the empty.

At thy gracious call I hear, take, come, apply,
receive his grace,
not only submit to his mercy but acquiesce in it,
not only glory in the cross but in him crucified
and slain,
not only joy in forgiveness but in the one
through whom atonement comes.

Thy blessings are as secure as they are glorious;
Thou hast provided for my safety and my prosperity,
and hast promised that I shall stand firm and
grow stronger.
O Lord God, without the pardon of my sin I cannot
rest satisfied
without the renovation of my nature by grace
I can never rest easy,
without the hopes of heaven I can never be
at peace.
All this I have in thy Son Jesus; blessed be his name.

From "The Valley of Vision", published by Banner of Truth