The Grace of the Cross
By Puritan Prayers
April 30, 2009
0 MY SAVIOUR,
I thank You from the depths of my being
for Your wondrous grace and love
in bearing my sin in Your own body on the tree.
May Your 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 Your cross crucify my every sin;
Use it to increase my intimacy with Yourself;
Make it the ground of all my comfort,
the liveliness of all my duties,
the sum of all Your gospel promises,
the comfort of all my afflictions,
the vigour 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.
0 MY LORD AND SAVIOUR,
You also appointed a cross for me to take up and carry,
a cross before You give me a crown.
You have appointed it to be my portion,
but self-love hates it,
carnal reason is unreconciled to it;
without the grace of patience I cannot bear it,
walk with it, profit by it.
0 blessed cross, what mercies do you bring with you!
You are only esteemed hateful by my rebel will,
heavy because I shirk your load.
Teach me, gracious Lord and Saviour,
that with my cross You send promised grace
so that I may bear it patiently,
that my cross is Your yoke which is easy,
and Your burden which is light.
The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, ed. Arthur Bennett, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1975. (author undesignated) 172.
[Biblical allusions: (1) 1 Peter 2:24; Exodus 15:23; Numbers 17:8; 21:8,9 (2) Luke 9:23; James 4:6; Matthew 11:28-30. Old English pronouns updated]
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