Piercing Heaven (Prayers of the Church)

Prayers of the Puritans

Robert Elmer

• Publisher: Lexham Press
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9781683593348
• eBook ISBN: 9781683593355
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

""That prayer is most likely to pierce heaven which first pierces one's own heart." For the Puritans, prayer was neither casual nor dull. Their prayers were passionate affairs, from earnestly pleading for mercy to joyful praise. These rich expressions of deep Christian faith are a shining example of holy living. The Puritan combination of warm piety and careful intellect have fueled a renaissance of interest in their movement. This combination is on display in Piercing Heaven, a collection of carefully selected prayers from leading Puritans. The language in these prayers has been slightly updated for a modern audience while still retaining the elevated tone of the Puritans. With prayers from Richard Baxter, Thomas Brooks, John Owen, and many more, each prayer reminds us that heartfelt prayer is central to the Christian life"--

HELP ME ASK FOR HELP!

NO HOPE WITHOUT CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

Lord, I would be the most miserable person in the world if my hopes were only in this life. Why? Because I am hopeless without Christ’s righteousness. My life could never be comfortable, and there would be no hope at all of eternal life.

If you denied me that hope, I would be the most miserable one of all. I may be happy without worldly enjoyments, but all things in the world cannot make me happy without this.

So however you treat me in this world, whatever you deny me, Lord, deny me not this. I can be happy without riches and abundance, like Job and Lazarus were. I can be happy even if I am reviled and reproached, as was Christ and his disciples. I can be happy and comfortable in prison, as were Paul and Silas.

But I cannot be happy without the righteousness of Christ.

All the riches, places, or honors on earth will leave me miserable if I am without this. Even if I were rich and needed nothing, without this I would still be wretched and miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

If I had all things that that a person could desire on earth, what good would it do me without Christ’s righteousness?

What would riches do for me, if they came with the wrath of God? What comfort would honor bring me, if I remained a son of perdition or a child of wrath?

What sweetness would there be in pleasure, if I were on the path to everlasting torments?

What miserable comforts and enjoyments are these, without Christ’s righteousness!

Lord, however you deal with me in outward things, whatever you take from me, whatever you deny me—do not deny me Christ! Do not deny me a share in his righteousness! Amen.

—David Clarkson

THE COMMANDER AND HEARER OF PRAYER

You who commands and hears prayer! You who helps your people to pray!

Pour out the spirit of grace and supplication, that your throne of grace may be surrounded by supplicants, that there may be a great flocking to the mercy seat, and grace may be imparted abundantly to your own glory, through Jesus Christ the high priest, who is passed into the heavens, and is at your right hand forever. Amen.

—Nathanael Vincent

A CRY FOR RENEWING GRACE

We cry to you, God, for renewing grace. We lie at your footstool and cry, “Help, Lord, or else I perish!”

Create in me a new heart, and renew a right spirit within me.

Renew me in the spirit of my mind, and renew me in my inner soul.

Take away this old mind that is so blind, so vain, so carnal.

Take away this old will that is so obstinate, so perverse, so rebellious.

Take away this old conscience that is so partial, so seared, so senseless.

Take away this old heart that will never delight in, comply with, or submit to you.

Let old things pass away, let all things become new. You who brought this world out of nothing with a word, can with a word work in me this new creation.

Do not let me perish. Say the word, and it will be done. Just say the word, and this soul—now a dark, woeful chaos and a lump of corruption and confusion—will become a new creature.

Lord, give me this new heart, put this new spirit into me. You have the key of David. You close, and no one opens. You open, and no one can shut. Lord, open this heart that has been too long closed against you. Break down these strongholds that keep you from me.

Cast out sin and cast out the world that kept you out of possession for so long. Bind the strong man and cast him out.

Other lords have had dominion over me; they have made me miserable by keeping my Lord, my happiness, from me. Cast out these intruders, take possession of me, and be mine forever.

You call for my heart, Lord; it is yours. Though I have dealt treacherously with you, and given my heart to other things, it is yours. It cost you dearly. So enter, take possession of it.

You knock at the door to this wretched heart. Why stay so long outside? Come in and bless me with your presence. Break it open with almighty power, and let it no longer shut you out. Amen.

—David Clarkson

I THIRST FOR GRACE IN CHRIST

Merciful Lord God, you are Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. You say “It is done” of things that are yet to come, so faithful and true are your promises.

You have promised by your own word, out of your own mouth, that to anyone who is thirsty you will give the fountain of the water of life freely.

O Lord, I thirst. I long for one drop of mercy. As the deer pants for the water, so my soul pants for you, O God, and for your compassion.

If I had the glory, the wealth, and the pleasure of the whole world—if I had ten thousand lives, joyfully I would lay them down, just to have this poor trembling soul received into the bleeding arms of my blessed Redeemer.

O Lord, my spirit within me is melted into tears of blood. My heart is splintered in pieces. Out of the place of dragons and of the shadow of death, I lift up my thoughts, heavy and sad, before you.

The memory of my former vanities and sins is poison to my soul. The very flames of hell, Lord, the fury of your just wrath, the scorchings of my own conscience, have so wasted and parched my heart that my thirst cannot be quenched.

My desire is for the pardon and grace of Jesus Christ. And Lord, in your blessed book you cry, “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.” In that great day of the feast, you stood and cried, “If anyone thirst, come to me and drink.”

And these are your own words: “Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.”

I challenge you, Lord, in my extreme thirst for you, and for spiritual life in you, by that word, and by that promise which you made—make it good to me. I grovel in the dust and tremble at your feet.

Open now that promised well of life. For I must drink or else I die. Amen.

—Isaac Ambrose

GIVE ME JESUS

Lord, you have given me a portion in the world. You have given me credit and a reputation among others.

But what is all this to me, if I am without Christ? If I do not have the one who gives grace to my soul, the one who is my all in all?

Lord, you have taught me this day that the distance between you and me is so great that without a mediator, I perish forever.

So whatever else you deny me, give me Jesus. Amen.

—Jeremiah Burroughs

RENEW ME IN GRACE

O Lord, I have no graces by nature. I have no power to cleanse my own heart.

I have defaced your image, but I cannot repair it. I can say with the apostle that when I want to do well, evil is present with me, but I find no means to do what I desire.

Oh when will I be set free to do the work of God, and run the race of his commands? If only I had hope, joy, and love!

Lord, I have heard of your power. You call things that are not, as if they were. If you desire it, you can work in me these graces, just as you gloriously created them in Adam.

Lord, I have also heard of your grace and truth. You are as faithful to keep as you are generous to make these precious promises. Your grace is unsearchable. Your word is purer than silver, seven times refined. Oh make good your promises! Replenish me with your grace! Amen.

—Isaac Ambrose

IS MY NAME WRITTEN ON GOD’S HEART?

Lord, I have not done my duty in my own family, among Christians, in the churches of Christ. I have not done what I promised. I have not served my generation or helped to build the building of Zion.

And now, Lord, what can I say?

Is my name written on the heart of Christ? If I had the whole world’s glory, if I had ten thousand worlds, and ten thousand lives, I would lay them all down, to have my poor trembling soul assured of this.

My thirst cannot be quenched, and my desire for Jesus is as greedy as the grave, with coals of fire and the hottest flame.

Lord, you have said you will wed me forever, so this is what I desire. Fulfill what you have spoken! It would break my heart if ever the covenant should be broken between me and you. I desire you, Lord; and the more I enjoy you, the more I desire you with an infinite, eternal, and everlasting desire. Amen.

—Isaac Ambrose

CREATE IN ME A NEW HEART

Create in me, O Christ, a new heart, and renew in me a right spirit. Then you will see how I will serve you as your new creature, in a new life, after a new way, with a new tongue and new manners, with new words and new works, to the glory of your name, and the winning of other sinful souls to your faith.

Keep me forever, O my Savior, from the torments of hell and tyranny of the devil. And when I am to depart this life, send your angels to carry me, as they did the soul of Lazarus, into your kingdom. Receive me into that joyful paradise you promised to the penitent thief, who at his last gasp upon the cross begged for your mercy and admission into your kingdom.

Grant this, O Christ, for your own name’s sake. I give you all glory, honor, praise, and dominion, both now and forever. Amen.

—Lewis Bayly

COMING TO THE HIGH PRIEST

Lord Jesus, our great high priest, surely you are faithful. Surely you will do the work of the high priest for my soul.

I have sinned, and sinned greatly. But Lord, it is the work of our high priest to clear my debt. Now, Lord Jesus, I come to you as my high priest. Resolve this for me.

I confess that my own conscience accuses me. Satan accuses me. Moses accuses me. But it is the work of our great high ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Content
• Introduction
• List of Authors
• Teach Me to Pray
• Help Me Ask for Help!
• Help Me through My Doubts
• Help Me through My Time of Sadness and Suffering
• Help Me Endure Temptation
• Help Me Rest in God’s Love
• I Believe—Help My Unbelief!
• Prepare My Heart for the Lord’s Day and the Lord’s Table
• Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated
• Help Me Give the Gospel to Others
• Forgive My Sins
• Help Me Praise and Thank the Lord
• Help Me Begin the Day
• Help Me Live the Day
• Help Me Close the Day
• Your Kingdom Come
• Biographies
• Index of Authors
• Sources Quoted