A Puritan Prayer
CONTINUAL REPENTANCE
O GOD OF GRACE,
Thou hast imputed my sin to my substitute,and hast imputed his righteousness
to my soul,clothing me with a bridegroom's robe,
decking me with jewels
of holiness.
But in my Christian walk
I am still in rags;
my best prayers are stained
with sin;
my penitential tears
are so much impurity;
my confessions
of wrong are so many aggravations of sin;
my receiving the Spirit
is tinctured with selfishness.
I need to repent of my
repentance;
I need my tears to be
washed;
I have no robe to bring
to cover my sins,
no loom to weave
my own righteousness;
I am always standing
in filthy garments,
and by grace am always
receiving change of raiment,
for thou dost always
justify the ungodly;
I am always going into
the far country,
and always returning
home as a prodigal,
always saying,
Father, forgive me,
and thou art always
bring forth the best robe.
Every morning let me
wear it,
every evening return
in it,
go out to the day's work
in it,
be married in it,
be wound in death in
it,
stand before the great
white throne in it,
enter heaven in it shining
as the sun.
Grant me never to lose
sight of
the exceeding sinfulness
of sin,
the exceeding righteousness
of salvation,
the exceeding glory of
Christ,
the exceeding beauty
of holiness,
the exceeding wonder
of grace.
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