Valley of Vision: Redemption and Reconciliation

The Banner of Truth Trust ^ | 1975 | Arthur Bennett

[Gamecock]

Blessed Lord Jesus,

No human mind could conceive or invent

the gospel.

Acting in eternal grace, thou art both

its messenger and its message,

lived out on earth through infinite compassion,

applying thy life to insult, injury, death,

that I might be redeemed, ransomed, freed.

Blessed be thou, O Father, for contriving this way,

Eternal thanks to thee, O Lamb of God,

for opening this way,

Praise everlasting to thee, O Holy Spirit,

for applying this way to my heart.

Glorious Trinity, impress the gospel on my soul,

until its virtue diffuses every faculty;

Let it be heard, acknowledged, professed, felt.

Teach me to secure this mighty blessing;

Help me to give up every darling lust,

to submit heart and life to its command,

to have it in my will,

controlling my affections,

moulding my understanding;

to adhere strictly to the rules of true religion,

not departing from them in any instance,

nor for any advantage in order to escape evil,

inconvenience or danger.

Take me to the cross to seek glory from its infamy;

Strip me of every pleasing pretence of righteousness

by my own doings.

O gracious Redeemer,

I have neglected thee too long,

often crucified thee,

crucified thee afresh by my impenitence,

put thee to open shame.

I thank thee for the patience that has borne with me

so long,

and for the grace that now makes me willing to be

thine.

O unite me to thyself with inseparable bonds,

that nothing may ever draw me back from thee,

my Lord, my Saviour.

[Gamecock]

This prayer is taken from a collection of Puritan works titled "The Valley of Vision." First published in 1975 by Arthur Bennett, the book has been used by many Christians for prayer, as a devotional, or just plain reflection.

I plan to post one each day and hope that each of you will benefit from a brief glimpse into the mind of the Puritans. If you would like on or off of this ping list please let me know.

Please, no flaming, cussin' or wagering.

[Gamecock]

VoV Ping

Judas knew the Scriptures, and without doubt did assent to the truth of them, when he was so zealous a preacher of the gospel; but he never had so much as one drachma of justifying faith in his soul. . . . Yea, Judas’ master, the devil himself, one far enough (I suppose) from justifying faith, yet he assents to the truth of the Word. He goes against his conscience when he denies them: when he tempted Christ he did not dispute against the Scripture but from the Scripture, drawing his arrows out of this quiver. . . . Assent to the truth of the Word is but an act of the understanding, which reprobates and devils may exercise. But justifying faith is a compounded habit, and hath its seat both in the understanding and will: and, therefore, called a “believing with the heart” (Romans 10:10), yea, a “believing with all the heart” (Acts 8:37).

William Gurnall (1617-1679)

[Dahlseide]

I lived in Pinks Hebrews for over a year; his Chapters on Two Fold Working of the Holy Spirit will cause any regenerated soul who might be slipping to cling with all their might to much more than "accepting Christ".

http://pbministries.org/books/pink/Hebrews/hebrews_025.htm

By grace we have the "might" & do cling - something I learned late in life. I remember feeling sorry for a JW who told me to "take heed lest you fall". Just shows me that God has truly marvelous ways of getting the Word out & in.