PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS TO BE USED At Sea, Separately, or in Connection with the Regular Service, as may be fit. TO BE USED IN SHIPS OF WAR. ETERNAL Lord God, who alone spreadest out the heavens, and rulest the raging of the sea; who hast compassed the waters with bounds, until day and night come to an end; be pleased to receive into Thy almighty and most gracious protection the persons of us, Thy servants, and the fleet [or ship] in which we serve. Preserve us from the dangers of the sea and from the violence of the enemy, that we may be a safeguard unto the United States of America, and a security for such as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions; that the inhabitants of our land may in peace and quietness serve Thee our God; and that we may return in safety to enjoy the blessings of the land with the fruits of our labor, and with a thankful remembrance of Thy mercies, to praise and glorify Thy holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. TO BE USED IN STORMS AT SEA. MOST powerful and glorious Lord God, at whose command the winds blow, and lift up the waves of the sea, and who stillest the rage thereof, we, Thy creatures, but miserable sinners, do, in this our great distress, cry unto Thee for help. Save, Lord, or else we perish. We confess, when we have been safe and seen all things quiet about us, we have forgotten Thee, our God, and refused to hearken to the still voice of Thy word, and to obey Thy commandments: but now we see how terrible Thou art in all Thy works of wonder; the great God, to be feared above all; and therefore we adore Thy Divine Majesty, acknowledging Thy power and imploring Thy goodness, Help, Lord, and save us, for Thy mercies' sake, in Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord. Amen. Or this: MOST glorious and gracious Lord God, who dwellest in heaven but beholdest all things below, look down, we beseech Thee, and hear us, calling out of the depth of misery and out of the jaws of this death, which is now ready to swallow us up. Save, Lord, or else we perish. The living, the living shall praise Thee. O send Thy word of command to rebuke the raging winds and the roaring sea, that we, being delivered from this distress, may live to serve Thee, and to glorify Thy name all the days of our life. Hear, Lord, and save us, for the infinite merits of our blessed Saviour, Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. TO BE SAID BEFORE A FIGHT AT SEA AGAINST ANY ENEMY. MOST powerful and glorious Lord God, the Lord of hosts, that rulest and commandest all things, Thou sittest in the throne, judging right; and therefore we make our address to Thy Divine Majesty in this our necessity, that Thou wouldest take the cause into Thine own hand, and judge between us and our enemies. Stir up Thy strength, O Lord, and come and help us; for Thou givest not always the battle to the strong, but canst save by many or by few. O let not our sins now cry against us for vengeance; but hear us, Thy poor servants, begging mercy and imploring Thy help, and that thou wouldest be a defence unto us against the face of the enemy. Make it appear that Thou art our Saviour and mighty Deliverer, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SHORT PRAYERS. LORD, be merciful to us sinners, and save us, for Thy mercies' sake. Thou art the great God, who hast made and rulest all things. O deliver us, for Thy Name's sake. Thou art the great God to be feared above all. O save us, that we may praise Thee. WITH RESPECT TO THE ENEMY. THOU, O Lord, art just and powerful. O defend our cause against the face of the enemy. O God, Thou art a strong Tower of defence to all who flee unto Thee. O save us from the violence of the enemy. O Lord of hosts, fight for us, that we may glorify Thee. O suffer us not to sink under the weight of our sins, or the violence of the enemy. O Lord, arise, help us and deliver us, for Thy Name's sake. TH IN RESPECT OF A STORM. HOU, O Lord, who stillest the raging of the sea, hear, hear us, and save us, that we perish not. O blessed Saviour, who didst save Thy disciples, ready to perish in a storm, hear us, and save us, we beseech Thee. Lord, have mercy upon us. O Lord, hear us. O Christ, hear us. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, have mercy upon us, save us now and evermore. Amen. OUR UR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name: Thy kingdom come: Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread: And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. When there shall be imminent danger, as many as can be spared from necessary service in the ship should be called together, and make an humble confession of their sins to God; in which every one ought seriously to reflect upon those particular sins, of which his conscience shall accuse him, saying as follɔweth : THE CONFESSION. AL LMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men, we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time most grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against Thy Divine Majesty, provoking most justly Thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings: the remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father: for Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive us all that is past: and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please Thee in newness of life, to the honor and glory of Thy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ALMI Minister, or Reader. LMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who of Thy great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all those who, with hearty repentance and true faith, turn unto Thee, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen THANKSGIVING AFTER A STORM. PSALM LXVI. M AKE a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honor of His name: make His praise glorious. Say unto God, How terrible art Thou in Thy works! through the greatness of Thy power shall Thine enemies submit themselves unto Thee. All the earth shall worship Thee, and shall sing unto Thee; they shall sing to Thy name. Come and see the works of God: He is terrible in His doing toward the children of men. He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in Him. He ruleth by His power for ever; His eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of His praise to be heard: Who holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; Thou laidest affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. I will go into Thy house with burnt-offerings: I will pay Thee my vows, Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. I will offer unto Thee burnt-sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul. I cried unto Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who hath not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me. FROM PSALM CVII. H that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders. LORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; GL As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Om COLLECTS OF THANKSGIVING. MOST blessed and glorious Lord God, who art of infinite goodness and mercy, we, Thy poor creatures, whom Thou hast made and preserved, holding our souls in life, and now rescuing us out of the jaws of death, humbly present ourselves again before Thy Divine Majesty, to offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, for that Thou heardest us when we called in our trouble, and didst not cast out our prayer which we made before Thee in our great distress: even when we gave all for lost, our ship, our goods, our lives, then didst Thou mercifully look upon us, and wonderfully command a deliverance; for which we now, being in safety, do give all praise and glory to Thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Or this: MOST mighty and gracious good God, Thy mercy is over all Thy works, but in special manner hath been extended towards us, whom Thou hast so powerfully and wonderfully defended. Thou hast showed us terrible things, and wonders in the deep, that we might see how powerful and gracious a God Thou art; how able and ready to help those who trust in Thee. Thou hast showed us how both winds and seas obey Thy command; that we may learn even from them, hereafter to obey Thy voice, and to do Thy will. We therefore bless and glorify Thy name for this Thy mercy, in saving us when we were ready to perish. And we beseech Thee, make us as truly sensible now of Thy mercy, as we were then of the danger; and give us hearts always ready to express our thankfulness, not only by words, but also by our lives, in being more obedient to Thy holy commandments. Continue, we beseech Thee, this Thy goodness to us, that we, whom Thou hast saved, may serve Thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen. THANKSGIVING AFTER VICTORY. the Lord had not been on our side, now may we say; if the Lord Himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us: They had swallowed us up quick, when they were so wrathfully displeased at us; Yea, the waters had drowned us, and the stream had gone over our soul; the deep waters of the proud had gone over our soul. But praised be the Lord, who hath not given us over as a prey unto them. The Lord hath wrought a mighty salvation for us. |