This is part of the series,
“Prayers from John Bradford”.
Who was John Bradford?
"How Fair You Are!"—Adoration
“When the Roots of Our Lusts”—Confession
“What Shall I Say?”—Confession
“Open Our Eyes to See Our Great Need”—Illumination
“You Are Our Most True Pilot”—Illumination
“Who Has Revealed Yourself to Humanity”—Intercession
“You Use All Means Possible”—Intercession
“We Most Heartily Ask”—Intercession
“My Watcher and Keeper”—Intercession
"Whom our Savior Christ Approached”—Intercession
When the congregation of St. John’s Church in Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario, celebrated two hundred years of Presbyterian presence in their area, they returned to their roots and used prayers of the 16th C. English Reformer, John Bradford, in their worship. This is one of the prayers of intercession.
O gracious God,
you use all means possible
to bring your children into the feeling and sure sense of your mercy.
When prosperity will not serve,
then you send adversity,
graciously correcting us
so that we might live with you forever.
You consider us worthy of your correction in the present,
even though we in prosperity and liberty
did neglect your mercy.
You, most merciful Lord,
might justly have given us over and destroyed us
both in souls and bodies.
But such is your goodness to forget all of our offences.
And yet,
you allowed that we should suffer this cross
now laid on us for your truth and gospel’s sake,
and so be your witnesses
with the prophets, apostles, martyrs, and confessors,
yes, with your dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ,
after whom you have begun to fashion us,
that in Christ’s glory we may be like him also.
—“A Thanksgiving in Time of Persecution," in The Writings of John Bradford, Cambridge University Press, 1843, p. 205. Public Domain. Language updated.
