Passionate Puritans

When I was in public high school, we studied puritan literature.  The standard piece was "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", which if you read in its entirety, is a beautiful sermon.  Frankly, Puritans get a bad rap.  Most of us imagine a Puritan in black clothes with a sour expression.  This morning I read from The Valley of Vision, a collection of puritan prayers.  This is some of the most passionate and honest writing. 

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,

Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,

where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;

   hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold

   thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

   that the way down is the way up,

   that to be low is to be high,

   that the broken heart is the healed heart,

   that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

   that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

   that to have nothing is to possess all,

   that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

   that to give is to receive,

   that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,

   deepest wells,

   and the deeper the wells the brighter

   thy stars shine;

Let me find thy light in my darkness,

   Thy life in my death,

   that every good work or thought found in me

   thy joy in my sorrow,

   thy grace in my sin,

   thy riches in my poverty

   thy glory in my valley.