DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3689#0140
i38
*A Serious Call to
' thy holy, humble, and suffering spirit. O Fountain of mercy,
' thou that didst save the thief upon the cross, save me from the
' guilt of a sinful life ; thou that didst cast seven devils out of
' Mary Magdalene, cast out of my heart all evil thoughts, and
' wicked tempers. O Giver of life, thou that didst raise Lazarus
' from the dead, raise up my soul from the death and darkness of
' sin. Thou that didst give to thy Apostles power over unclean
' spirits, give me power over my own heart. Thou that didst
' appear unto thy disciples when the doors were shut, do thou
' appear unto me in the secret apartment of my heart. Thou
' that didst cleanse the lepers, heal the sick, and give sight to
' the blind, cleanse my heart, heal the disorders of my soul, and
' fill me with heavenly light.'
Now these kinds of appeals have a double advantage ; first, as
they are so many proper acts of our faith, whereby we not only
show our belief of the miracles of Christ, but turn them at the
same time into so many instances of worship and adoration.
Secondly, As they strengthen and increase the faith of our
prayers, by presenting to our minds so many instances of that
power and goodness, which we call upon for our own assistance.
For he that appeals to Christ, as casting out devils, and raising
the dead, has then a powerful motive in his mind to pray
earnestly, and depend faithfully upon his assistance.
Again ; in order to fill your prayers with excellent strains of
devotion, it may be of use to you to observe this further rule :
When at any time either in reading the Scripture, or any
book of Piety, you meet with a passage, that more than
ordinarily affects your mind, and seems as it were to give your
heart a new motion towards God, you should try to turn it into
the form of a petition, and then give it a place in your prayers.
By this means, you would be often improving your prayers, and
storing yourself with proper forms, of making the desires of your
heart known unto God.
At all the stated hours of prayer, it will be of great benefit to
you, to have something fixed, and something at "liberty; in your
devotions.
You should have some fixed subject, which is constantly to
be the chief matter of your prayer at that particular time ; and
yet have liberty to add such other petitions, as your condition
may then require.
For instance ; As the -morning is to you the beginning of a
new life; as God has then given you a new enjoyment of your-
self, and a fresh entrance into the world, it is highly proper, that
your first devotions should be a praise and thanksgiving to God,
as for a new creation; and that you should offer and devote
*A Serious Call to
' thy holy, humble, and suffering spirit. O Fountain of mercy,
' thou that didst save the thief upon the cross, save me from the
' guilt of a sinful life ; thou that didst cast seven devils out of
' Mary Magdalene, cast out of my heart all evil thoughts, and
' wicked tempers. O Giver of life, thou that didst raise Lazarus
' from the dead, raise up my soul from the death and darkness of
' sin. Thou that didst give to thy Apostles power over unclean
' spirits, give me power over my own heart. Thou that didst
' appear unto thy disciples when the doors were shut, do thou
' appear unto me in the secret apartment of my heart. Thou
' that didst cleanse the lepers, heal the sick, and give sight to
' the blind, cleanse my heart, heal the disorders of my soul, and
' fill me with heavenly light.'
Now these kinds of appeals have a double advantage ; first, as
they are so many proper acts of our faith, whereby we not only
show our belief of the miracles of Christ, but turn them at the
same time into so many instances of worship and adoration.
Secondly, As they strengthen and increase the faith of our
prayers, by presenting to our minds so many instances of that
power and goodness, which we call upon for our own assistance.
For he that appeals to Christ, as casting out devils, and raising
the dead, has then a powerful motive in his mind to pray
earnestly, and depend faithfully upon his assistance.
Again ; in order to fill your prayers with excellent strains of
devotion, it may be of use to you to observe this further rule :
When at any time either in reading the Scripture, or any
book of Piety, you meet with a passage, that more than
ordinarily affects your mind, and seems as it were to give your
heart a new motion towards God, you should try to turn it into
the form of a petition, and then give it a place in your prayers.
By this means, you would be often improving your prayers, and
storing yourself with proper forms, of making the desires of your
heart known unto God.
At all the stated hours of prayer, it will be of great benefit to
you, to have something fixed, and something at "liberty; in your
devotions.
You should have some fixed subject, which is constantly to
be the chief matter of your prayer at that particular time ; and
yet have liberty to add such other petitions, as your condition
may then require.
For instance ; As the -morning is to you the beginning of a
new life; as God has then given you a new enjoyment of your-
self, and a fresh entrance into the world, it is highly proper, that
your first devotions should be a praise and thanksgiving to God,
as for a new creation; and that you should offer and devote