little black book.

some dear friends gave my husband and i a small collections of christian classics as a wedding gift. among them was a little black book entitled the valley of visions. the book is a wonderfully encouraging collection of prayers and aspirations from, well...the puritans. here is one i read last night:

the precious blood

blessed Lord Jesus,

before Thy cross i kneel and see
the heinousness of my sin,
my inquity that cause Thee to be 'made a curse',
the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath.

show me the enormity of my guilt by the crown of thorns,
the pierced hands and feet,
the bruised body,
the dying cries.

Thy blood is the blood of the incarnate God,
it's worth is infinite, it's value beyond all thought.
infinite must be the evil and guilt that demands such a price.

sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper,
born in my birth,
alive in my life,
strong in my character,
dominating my falculties,
following me as a shadow,
intermingling with my every thought,
my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul.

sinner that i am, why should the sun give me light,
the air supply breath,
the earth bear my tread,
its fruits nourish me,
it's creatures subserve my ends?

yet Thy compassions earn over me,
Thy heart hastens to my rescue,
Thy love endured my curse,
Thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.

let me walk humbly in the lowest depths of humiliation,
bathed by Thy blood,
tender of conscience,
triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.