John Armstrong

“ And now, Lord God, though I be as a grain of sand upon the sea-shore, as a drop of water in the great and wide sea, though I be small and of no reputation, accept my prayers, when I pray for Thy creation; not for that old creation which Thou didst frame easily, in which all things obeyed Thy will, but I pray for that new creation, created anew, with great sorrow, framed painfully, with the sweat of thy brow, even with a bloody sweat, by the pains of Thy most painful death, by the humbling of Thyself to become man, and to die the death, even the death of the Cross. ”

“ Help us first towards inward unity, unity amongst ourselves, in our own house, between the members of our own Church; heal our inward divisions, that they may pass away. Knit us together; remove prejudices, discords, misunderstandings of one another, harshness, the spirit of controversy. ”

“ Remove from us all scandals and want of discipline; give us all things needful for the edification of Thy people, that souls may find rest under the shadow of this vine, and whatsoever is wholesome for their spiritual life.
But, heavenly Father, as, after the pattern of Thy Son, I offer Thee my humble prayers for the unity of this branch of the Universal Church especially, so especially do I pray for an increase of its holiness; as a means thereunto, and for its own value in Thy sight. Let us contend with this sword against all who are not of us ”

“ Make those who seem to be Thine, to be Thine of a truth, in heart and life. The Church is not for show, that we might boast ourselves of its size. I pray not so much that multitudes may be added to us, but first, that present members may be purified and filled with grace, and walk worthy of their vocation. ”

“ Though we be now warmed with a rekindled fire of faith, we were once cold; though now through Thine undeserved grace we have manifest renewings of the Holy Ghost, we once slept, and our enemy sowed tares in our field. Tor these sins we are now punished. In our schisms we behold our sins; this is the rod wherewith a careless ministry and a careless people have been stricken. In our condemnation of schisms, we must needs condemn ourselves first and be severe towards ourselves. ”

“ It is not the work of the Church to be esteemed in the world, or to consider its outward appearance in the world, or to strive for a mastery in size, but really to prepare souls for judgment, to build them up for another world, that they may truly wait for the Lord as men of another world, pilgrims and strangers upon earth. ”

“ I know, Lord, that we are much distracted separated from one another, vexed with debates. Cleanse us of these sins; restore true peace and oneness, not by concession of the truth, but by agreement in the truth, by the casting out of all errors and unsound doctrine, by increase of true godliness and fervent charity. Let not this house be divided against itself, for we are brethren one of another,—“Behold, see, we beseech Thee, we are all Thy people.” “Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by Thy Name ”