Valley of Vision: Yet I Sin

The Banner of Truth Trust ^ | 1975 | Arthur Bennett

[Gamecock]

Eternal Father,

Thou art good beyond all thought,

But I am vile, wretched, miserable, blind;

My lips are ready to confess,

but my heart is slow to feel,

and my ways reluctant to amend.

I bring my soul to thee;

break it, wound it, bend it, mould it.

Unmask to me sin’s deformity,

that I may hate it, abhor it, flee from it.

My faculties have been a weapon of revolt

against thee;

as a rebel I have misused my strength,

and served the foul adversary of thy kingdom.

Give me grace to bewail my insensate folly,

Grant me to know that the way of transgressors

is hard,

that evil paths are wretched paths,

that to depart from thee is to lose all good.

I have seen the purity and beauty of thy perfect law,

the happiness of those in whose heart it reigns,

the calm dignity of the walk to which it calls,

yet I daily violate and contemn its precepts.

Thy loving Spirit strives within me,

brings me Scripture warnings,

speaks in startling providences,

allures by secret whispers,

yet I choose devices and desires to my own hurt,

impiously resent, grieve,

and provoke him to abandon me.

All these sins I mourn, lament, and for them

cry pardon.

Work in me more profound and abiding repentance;

Give me the fullness of a godly grief

that trembles and fears,

yet ever trusts and loves,

which is ever powerful, and ever confident;

Grant that through the tears of repentance

I may see more clearly the brightness

and glories of the saving cross.

[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.

[Leatherneck_MT]

ping

[Leatherneck_MT]

Sounds like that could be me saying that prayer.

[Gamecock]

VoV Ping

Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.

The Heidelberg Catechism

[Gamecock]

It could be any of us brother.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Amen. "I am not my own."

[AlbionGirl]

A crying like a baby bump!

[Sopater]

Sounds like that could be me saying that prayer.

Amen brother, it sure doesn't sound like... oops, perhaps I shouldn't go there.

[where HE leads me]

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.

And AMEN to the prayer above.

[suzyjaruki]

and provoke him to abandon me.

Oh, big sigh!

WCF, Chapter 5, #5 - The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season His own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts...

I have been struggling with my "time out." It is such a comfort to know that He will not abandon me altogether.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

You've been greatly missed during your "time out," S.J.