David Clarkson: Piercing Heaven – Puritan’s Prayers

Give me faith, Lord, or I die! I may live without friends, wealth, honors, or pleasures, but I cannot live without faith. There is nothing but death for me in unbelief.

Lord, whatever you deny me, do not deny me faith. I am lost, undone, I perish, I am a dead man without faith. It would have been better if I had never been born, than to live in unbelief.

Your wrath would weigh on me while I lived in this horrible state, and it would be that way forever.

I will never see life, unless I believe. There is no hope for me until then. My case is miserable and desperate until I believe, and I can never believe unless you give me faith.

Lord, give me faith, or else I die.

It is miserable to be excluded from life—to be dead while I live! Unless you give me faith, I will never see life.

What misery it is to be under divine wrath! How unavoidable the misery of those who are under abiding wrath!

What joy can I have in any enjoyment, when your wrath is mixed with all? What comfort can my life be to me, if your wrath hangs continually over me?

Lord, hear me! Bring my soul out of this mire and clay, out of unbelief, out of the pit where there is no water, no comfort, no refreshment, and no relief.

You take no pleasure in the misery of wretched creatures. It is no delight to you that I am miserable, but rather that I should live.

Lord, give me faith, or else I will never see life. Give me faith, or else I will be forever miserable.

Amen.