Various Puritans > Quotes

“Subdue in me the love of sin,
Let me know the need of renovation as well as
of forgiveness,
in order to serve and enjoy thee for ever.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“As I pursue my heavenly journey by Thy grace let me be known as a man with no aim but that of a burning desire for Thee, and the good and salvation of my fellow men.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“Lord, help me, for I am often lukewarm and chill; unbelief mars my confidence, sin makes me forget Thee. Let the weeds that grow in my soul be cut at their roots; grant me to know that I truly live only when I live to Thee, that all else is trifling.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“The Grace Of The Cross Puritan O My Saviour, I thank thee from the depths of my being
for thy wondrous grace and love
in bearing my sin in thine own body on the tree. May thy cross be to me
as the tree that sweetens my bitter Marahs,
as the rod that blossoms with life and beauty,
as the brazen serpent that calls forth
the look of faith. By thy cross crucify my every sin;
Use it to increase my intimacy with thyself;
Make it the ground of all my comfort,
the liveliness of all my duties,
the sum of all thy gospel promises,
the comfort of all my afflictions,
the vigor of my love, thankfulness, graces,
the very essence of my religion;
And by it give me that rest without rest,
the rest of ceaseless praise.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“As has been said, the gospel commands us to give up ourselves to Christ, to be accepted through Him, and to be ruled by Him; for He is the "author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Heb. 5:9). Unspeakably solemn it is to know that He will yet come "in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel" (2 Thess. 1:8). Only that faith is of any value that produces sincere and loving obedience, and only that obedience is acceptable to God which issues from faith in His incarnate Son. The design of the gospel is to bring us to both. Faith is the vital principle, obedience the necessary product. Faith is the root; obedience the fruit.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“Puritan O LORD GOD, Teach me to know that grace precedes, accompanies, and follows my salvation, that it sustains the redeemed soul,
that not one link of its chain can ever break. From Calvary's cross wave upon wave of grace
reaches me,
deals with my sin,
washes me clean,
renews my heart,
strengthens my will,
draws out my affection,
kindles a flame in my soul,
rules throughout my inner man,
consecrates my every thought, word, work,
teaches me thy immeasurable love.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“Puritan GREAT GOD, In public and private, in sanctuary and home, may my life be steeped in prayer, filled with the spirit of grace and supplication, each prayer perfumed with the incense of atoning blood. Help me, defend me, until from praying ground I pass to the realm of unceasing praise. Urged by my need, invited by Thy promises, called by Thy Spirit, I enter Thy presence, worshipping Thee with godly fear, awed by Thy majesty, greatness, glory, but encouraged by Thy love. I am all poverty as well as all guilt, having nothing of my own with which to repay Thee, but I bring Jesus to Thee in the arms of faith, pleading His righteousness to offset my iniquities, rejoicing that He will weigh down the scales for me, and satisfy thy justice. I bless Thee that great sin draws out great grace, that, although the least sin deserves infinite punishment because done against an infinite God, yet there is mercy for me, for where guilt is most terrible, there Thy mercy in Christ is most free and deep. Bless me by revealing to me more of His saving merits, by causing Thy goodness to pass before me, by speaking peace to my contrite heart; strengthen me to give Thee no rest until Christ shall reign supreme within me in every thought, word, and deed, in a faith that purifies the heart, overcomes the world, works by love, fastens me to Thee, and ever clings to the cross.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“I wish not so much to do as to be, and I long to be like Jesus;”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“Crucifixion & Resurrection Puritan O LORD, I marvel that Thou shouldst become incarnate, be crucified, dead, and buried. The sepulchre calls forth my adoring wonder,
for it is empty and Thou art risen;
the four-fold Gospel attests it,
the living witnesses prove it,
my heart's experience knows it. Give me to die with Thee that I may rise to new life,
for I wish to be as dead and buried
to sin, to selfishness, to the world;
that I might not hear the voice of the charmer,
and might be delivered from his lusts. O Lord, there is much ill about me – crucify it,
much flesh within me – mortify it. Purge me from selfishness,
the fear of man, the love of approbation,
the shame of being thought old-fashioned,
the desire to be cultivated or modern. Let me reckon my old life dead
because of crucifixion,
and never feed it as a living thing. Grant me to stand with my dying Saviour,
to be content to be rejected,
to be willing to take up unpopular truths,
and to hold fast despised teachings until death. Help me to be resolute and Christ-contained. Never let me wander from the path of obedience
to Thy will. Strengthen me for the battles ahead. Give me courage for all the trials,
and grace for all the joys. Help me to be a holy, happy person,
free from every wrong desire,
from everything contrary to Thy mind. Grant me more and more of the resurrection life:
may it rule me,
may I walk in its power,
and be strengthened through its influence.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“Teach me the happy art of attending to things temporal with a mind intent on things eternal.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“Grace seeks the unfit and the unworthy. It is love, mercy, and compassion combined, stretching out toward the guilty, ungracious, and rebellious. It is the only hope for sinful men. If salvation comes not by grace, it can never be ours. Without grace there can be no reconciliation, no pardon, no peace.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“live here as a fish in a vessel of water, only enough to keep me alive, but in heaven I shall swim in the ocean. Here I have a little air in me to keep me breathing, but there I shall have sweet and fresh gales; Here I have a beam of sun to lighten my darkness, a warm ray to keep me from freezing; yonder I shall live in light and warmth for ever. My natural desires are corrupt and misguided, and it is thy mercy to destroy them; My spiritual longings are of thy planting, and thou wilt water and increase them; Quicken my hunger and thirst after the realm above. Here I can have the world, there I shall have thee in Christ;”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“Glorify thyself and I shall rejoice,
for to bring honour to thy name in my sole desire.
I adore thee that thou art God,
and long that others should know it, feel it, and rejoice in it.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“The Personal Touch Thou great I AM, I acknowledge and confess that all things come of Thee life, breath, happiness, advancement, sight, touch, hearing, goodness, truth, beauty – all that makes existence amiable. In the spiritual world also I am dependent entirely upon Thee. Give me grace to know more of my need of grace; Show me my sinfulness that I may willingly confess it; Reveal to me my weakness that I may know my strength in Thee. I thank Thee for any sign of penitence; give me more of it; My sins are black and deep, and rise from a stony, proud, self-righteous heart; Help me to confess them with mourning, regret, self-loathing with no pretence to merit or excuse; I need healing, Good Physician, here is the scope for Thee; come and manifest They power; I need faith; Thou who hast given it me, maintain, strengthen, increase it, Centre it upon the Savior's work, upon the majesty of the Father, upon the operations of the Spirit; Work it in me now that I may never doubt Thee as the truthful, mighty, faithful God. Then I can bring my heart to Thee full of love, gratitude, hope, joy. May I lay at Thy feet these fruits grown in Thy garden, love Thee with a passion that can never cool, believe in Thee with a confidence that never staggers, hope in Thee with an expectation that can never be dim, delight in Thee with a rejoicing that cannot be stifled, glorify Thee with the highest of my powers, burning, blazing, glowing, radiating, as from Thy own glory.”
― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions

“Defend me from assailing foes, from evil circumstances, from myself. My adversaries are part and parcel of my nature; they cling to me as my very skin; I cannot escape their contact. In my rising up and sitting down they barnacle me; they entice with constant baits; my enemy is within the citadel. Come with almighty power and cast him out, pierce him to death, and abolish in me every particle of carnal life this day.
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― Various Puritans, Puritan Prayers & Devotions