The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions [Paperback]

Arthur G. Bennett (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1975

The strength of Puritan character and life lay in prayer and meditation. In this practice the spirit of prayer was regarded as of first importance and the best form of prayer, for living prayer is the characteristic of genuine spirituality. Yet prayer is also vocal and may therefore on occasions be written. Consequently in the Puritan tradition there are many written prayers and meditations which constitute an important corpus of inspiring devotional literature. Too often ex tempore prayer lacks variety, order and definiteness. The reason for this lies partly in a neglect of due preparation. It is here that the care and scriptural thoroughness which others found necessary in their approach to God may be of help. This book has been prepared not to 'supply' prayers but to prompt and encourage the Christian as he treads the path on which others have gone before.

--This text refers to the Leather Bound edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 223 pages
• Publisher: Banner of Truth (November 1, 1975)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0851512283
• ISBN-13: 978-0851512280
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (203 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Spirituality > Meditations
  • #10 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Worship & Devotion > Prayerbooks
  • #15 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Worship & Devotion > Meditations

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

124 of 128 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lord Teach Us to Pray! August 3, 2002

By William E. Turner Jr.

Format:Paperback

"The soul learns to pray by praying; for prayer is communion with a transcendent and immanent God who on the ground of his nature and attributes calls forth all the powers of the redeemed soul in acts of total adoration and dedication." (Preface)

The Puritans recognized that prayer and doctrine are not to be separated. In their prayers they kept the two together. In fact it was their doctrinal understanding, which indeed produced such deep, and lasting prayers. Theology instilled a thorough passion for prayer. Likewise it is prayer, which sinks us deeper into the mysteries of God's self-disclosure of himself. It is prayer, which furthers our theology.

It is to this end which we, as Christians must strive. We must search out our Triune God in prayer and devotion as we seek him in his word and through our prayers.

Arthur Bennett has provided the Church a great service by collecting the prayers of the saints. The book is arranged topically under the following headings: 1. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; 2. Redemption and Reconciliation; 3. Penitence and Deprecation; 4. Needs and Devotions; 5. Holy Aspirations; 6. Approach to God; 7. Gifts of Grace; 8. Service and Ministry; 9. Valediction; 10. A Week's Shared Prayers.

This book is excellent for both private and public devotion. The only disadvantage I found to the book was that each individual prayer was not attributed to its corresponding author. However this is probably a good idea in keeping with the intent of the book. Its intention is as a guide to lead us to prayer when the heart is cold or to further pour fuel on the heart, which is already aflame.

May this be used of the Lord to ignite our hearts in a holy passion toward him. O' Lord teach us to pray!

67 of 69 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Glimpse of Puritan Spirituality March 9, 2004

By George M. Nickles III

Format:Paperback

I can read about three or four prayers before being overwhelmed by the depth and riches of these prayers. They show the depth of knowledge and wisdom of their writers, but even more they show the writers' deep abhorrence of their sin and devotion to God. They also show keen insight into the private sins of our hearts. These prayers are old; I had to frequently consult a dictionary to understand some words that are no longer in common use. I can't help but feel that Christianity in our day is terribly shallow compared to what the Puritans knew.

Each prayer is about one page long, has a brief title given by the book's editor, and is presented anonymously. The prayers are grouped into sections such as "Redemption and Reconciliation," "Holy Aspirations," and "Approach to God." A brief preface is the only background given, all the rest of the book is simply the prayers themselves.

I have only two faults with the book, but neither merit rating it less than five stars. First, the titles of the sections closely describe the main theme of that section, but the titles of the individual prayers do not consistently (in my mind) state the main theme of that prayer. Second, the prayers are not attributed to their authors, and I would very much like to know who wrote each one. However, I will allow that perhaps Arthur Bennett intended for us not to know so we would focus on the Creator rather than the creature.

One other thing to mention is that this is one of the most sturdy, well-published paperback books I have seen. After carrying this book on my commute to work for reading, it has held up much better than other paperbacks. The pages were so thick I often had to check the page numbers to make sure I had not skipped a page....

I highly recommend this book for all Christians for personal study to receive greater conviction of sin, more language to express your devotion to God, and instruction on how to pray fervently. Read more ›

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A book that every Christian should own! April 1, 2000

By kara kelly

Format:Paperback

The Valley of Vision, by Arthur Bennett is a collection of Puritan prayers compiled and listed by topic. With subjects such as the Trinity, penitence and deprecation, approach to God, and Gifts of grace (to name a few), The Valley of Vision gives us insight into the humble piety of the Puritan prayer life. It also shares with us our need for this reverence for God and the importance of true communion with Him through prayer. The first prayer summarizes the purpose of this book with the following words, "Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights..." The main theme of the book is to show Christians that we are first brought to the valley in order that we may see above the mountaintops. This book is a must have for every Christian. It can be used as a daily devotional as well as a guide for our own prayers. Deeply moving and overflowing with the reflections of God's immeasurable grace, Valley of Vision will touch every home and press every heart towards a closer walk with the Lord.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for daily meditation and prayer February 24, 2007

By TEK

Format:Paperback

This is truly an invaluable collection. With a little less than 200 prayers, I read one almost every morning during the week, and this lasts me roughly the year. Obviously, these prayers fall within the Reformed tradition, which is more than a little important. Other reviewers have covered what remaining points there might be to make about this book, so I'm going to end by including an example to give you a taste of what is within. This is by no means the best of the prayers; it simply fit my fancy at the time I read it:

"The Name of Jesus" (p. 21)

All-Searching God,

Thou readest the heart,

viewest principles and motives of actions,

seest more defilement in my duties

than I ever saw in any of my sins.

The heavens are not clean in thy sight,

and thou chargest the angels with folly;

I am ready to flee from myself because of my abominations;

Yet thou dost not abhor me

but hast devised means for my return to thee,

and that, by thy Son who died to give me life.

Thine honour is secured and displayed even in my escape from

thy threats,

and that, by means of Jesus

in whom mercy and truth meet together,

and righteousness and peace kiss each other.

In Him the enslaved find redemption,

the guilty pardon,

the unholy renovation;

In Him are everlasting strength for the weak,

unsearchable riches for the needy,

treasures of wisdom and knowledge for the ignorant,

fullness for the empty....

At thy gracious call I hear, take, come, apply, receive his grace,

not only submit to his mercy but acquiesce in it,

not only glory in the cross but in him crucified and slain,

not only joy in forgiveness but in the one through whom

atonement comes.

Thy blessings are as secure as they are glorious;

Thou hast provided for my safety and my prosperity,

and hast promised that I shall stand firm and grow stronger.

O Lord God, without the pardon of my sin I cannot rest satisfied

without the renovation of my nature by grace I can never

rest easy,

without the hopes of heaven I can never be at peace.

All this I have in thy Son Jesus; blessed be his name. Read more ›