Praying With The Puritans

New Year

O Lord,
Length of days does not profit me
except the days are passed in thy presence,
in thy service, to thy glory.
Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from thee,
but may rely on thy Spirit
to supply every thought,
speak every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire to show forth thy praise;
testify thy love,
advance thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with thee, O Father, as my harbour,
thee, O Son, at my helm,
thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.
Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.

Give me thy grace to sanctify me,
thy comforts to cheer,
thy wisdom to teach,
thy right hand to guide,
thy counsel to instruct,
thy law to judge,
thy presence to stabilize.
May thy fear be my awe,
thy triumphs my joy.

- Taken from "The Valley of Vision" A Collection of Puritan Prayers

Quoting the Puritans

On Prayer

"When men cast off prayer, it is a sign they have cast off God; it is the brand of the apostate."

- Thomas Watson, Puritan Gems, pg 109

"When the heart is inflamed with prayer, a Christian is carried as it were in a fiery chariot up to Heaven."

- Thomas Watson, The Godly Man's Picture, pg 90

"Believers have the Spirit of God breathing in them, and God cannot but hear the cries of His own Spirit."

- Thomas Watson, Puritan Gems, pg 109-110

"It is not the voluble tongue but the melting heart God accepts.  'Oh,' says the Christian, 'I cannot pray like others.'  As Moses said to the Lord, 'I am not eloquent.'  But can you weep and sigh?  Does your soul melt out at your eyes?  God accepts broken expressions when they come from broken hearts."

- Thomas Watson, The Godly Man's Picture, pg 90

"When the arrow of a saint's prayer is put into the bow of Christ's intercession, it pierces the very heavens."

- Thomas Watson, Puritan Gems, pg 17

"To pray in the name of Christ is not only to name Christ in prayer, but to pray in the hope and confidence of Christ's mediation.  As a child claims his estate in the right of his father who purchases it, so we come for mercy in the name of Christ, who has purchased it for us in His blood."

- Thomas Watson, The Godly Man's Picture, pg 91