Richard Alleine: Piercing Heaven – Puritan’s Prayers

Lord, keep me from yielding to sin, whatever I suffer. How could I do such wickedness? How could I neglect this duty and sin against you, God?

For your sake, Lord, let me not sin against you. You are good. You are kind. You are gracious. You are holy.

Will I sin or rebel? For your sake, Lord, I will not do it. I will not for my own sake. In sinning against God, I sin against my own soul. Sin and death, sin and hell are linked together.

Even if it were not so, Lord, I will not sin against you. You are good in yourself and good to me. You are my God and my Father.

Love, care, tenderness, compassion, and kindness are all in your heart toward me.

What I am, what I have, what I hope for, that I breathe, that I live—all is your goodness and your bounty to me.

Do not let me rise up against the one that bore me and fed me. I would never return evil for good—not to my child, my fellow laborer, or my friend. And let me never do so to you, my Father and my God!

Do not let this evil which I fear ever come upon me. Put your fear into my heart, Lord, that I may not sin against you.

Amen.