the LORD for his goodness and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men! That they would exalt him also in the congregation of the people and praise him in the seat of the elders! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen. A Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving after a dangerous Tempest. COME, let us give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious: and his mercy endureth for ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom he hath delivered from the merciless rage of the sea. The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion slow to anger, and of great mercy. even Praised be the Lord daily the Lord that helpeth us, and poureth his benefits upon us. He is our God, even the God of whom cometh salvation: God is the Lord, by whom we have escaped death. Thou, Lord, hast made us glad through the operation of thy hands: and we will triumph in thy praise. Blessed be the Lord God: even the Lord God, who only doeth wondrous things; And blessed be the Name of his Majesty for ever and let every one of us say, Amen, Amen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen. Collects of Thanksgiving. MOST blessed and glorious Lord e hath not dealt with us accord-God, who art of infinite goodness ing to our sins: neither rewarded us according to our iniquities. But as the heaven is high above the earth so great hath been his mercy towards us. We found trouble and heaviness : we were even at death's door. The waters of the sea had wellnigh covered us the proud waters had well-nigh gone over our soul. The sea roared and the stormy wind lifted up the waves thereof. We were carried up as it were to heaven, and then down again into the deep our soul melted within us, because of trouble. Then cried we unto thee, O Lord: and thou didst deliver us out of our distress. Blessed be thy Name, who didst not despise the prayer of thy servants but didst hear our cry, and hast saved us. Thou didst send forth thy commandment and the windy storm ceased, and was turned into a calm. O let us therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he hath done, and still doeth for the children of men! 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. ¶ Or this. MOST mighty and gracious good 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 a Victory. A Psalm or Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving. Lord had not been 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. We got not this by our own sword, neither was it our own arm that saved us but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto us. The Lord hath appeared for us: the Lord hath covered our heads, and made us to stand in the day of battle. The Lord hath appeared for us: the Lord hath overthrown our enemies, and dashed in pieces those that rose up against us. Therefore not unto us, O Lord," not unto us but unto thy Name be given the glory. The Lord hath done great things for us the Lord hath done great things for us, for which we rejoice. Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord who hath made heaven and earth. Blessed be the Name of the Lord : from this time forth for evermore. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen. After this Hymn may be said Then this Collect. ALMIGHTY God, the Sovereign ATMIGHTY whose hand is power and might, which none is able to withstand; We bless and magnify thy great and glorious Name for this happy Victory, the whole glory whereof we do ascribe to thee, who art the only giver of victory. And, we beseech thee, give us grace to improve this great mercy to thy glory, the advancement of thy Gospel, the honour of our country, and, as much as in us lieth, to the good of all mankind. And, we beseech thee, give us such a sense of this great mercy, as may engage us to a true thankfulness, such as may appear in our lives by an humble, holy, and obedient walking before thee all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Spirit, as for all thy mercies, so in particular for this Victory and Deliverance, be all glory and honour, world without end. Amen. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, I and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen. THE VISITATION OF PRISONERS. When Morning or Evening Prayer shall be read in any Prison, instead of the Psalm, O come, let us sing, etc., shall be read the 130th Psalm: and the Minister shall insert, after the Collect for the day, the Collect in the following Service, O God, who sparest, etc., and at such times as the Litany is not read, he shall add the prayer, O God, merciful Father, who despisest not, etc. And when notice is given to the Minister, that a Prisoner is confined for some great or capital crime, he shall visit him; and when he cometh into the place where the Prisoner is, he shall say, kneeling down, EMEMBER not, Lord, our ini nor our forefathers; neither take thou vengeance of our sins: Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou bast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever. Answer. Spare us, good Lord. Let us pray. Lord, have mercy upon us. UR Father, who art in heaven, 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. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us; And grant us thy salvation. Turn thy face from our sins; And blot out all our iniquities. Send us help from thy holy place; For thine indignation lieth hard upon us. O Lord, hear our prayer; And let the sighing of the prisoners come before thee. Then shall the Minister exhort the Prisoner or Prisoners after this form, or other like. DEARLY beloved, know this, that Almighty God, whose never failing providence governeth all things both in heaven and earth, hath so wisely and mercifully ordered the course of this world, that his judgments are often sent as fatherly corrections to us; and if with due submission and resignation to his holy will we receive the same, they will work together for our good. It is your part and duty, therefore, to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, to acknowledge the righteousness of his judgments, and to endeavour that, by his grace, this present visitation may lead you to a sincere and hearty repentance. The way and means thereto is, to examine your life and conversation by the rule of God's commandments; and whereinsoever you shall perceive yourself to have offended, either by will. word, or deed, there to bewail your own sinfulness, and to confess yourself to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life. And if you shall perceive your offences to be such as are not only against God, but also against your neighbours; then to reconcile yourself to them, being ready to make restitution and satisfaction, according to the uttermost of your power, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other; and being likewise ready to forgive others who have offended you, as you would have forgiveness of your offences at God's hand. And to this true repentance and change of mind you must add a lively and stedfast faith, and dependence upon the merits of the death of Christ, with an entire resignation of yourself to the will of God. Except you repent, and believe, we can give you no hope of salvation. But if you do sincerely repent and believe, God hath declared, though your sins be as red as scarlet, they shall be made white as snow; though your wickednesses have gone over your head, yet shall they not be your destruction. We exhort you therefore in the Name of God, and of his dear Son Jesus Christ our Saviour, and as you tender your own salvation, to take good heed of these things in time, while the day of salvation lasteth; for the night cometh, when no man can work. While you have the light, believe in the light, and walk as children of the light, that you be not cast into outer darkness; that you may not knock, when the door shall be shut; and cry for mercy, when it is the time of justice. Now, you are the object of God's mercy, if by repentance and true faith you turn unto him; but if you neglect these things, you will be the object of his justice and vengeance. Now, you may claim the merits of Christ; but if you die in your sins, his sufferings will tend to your greater condemnation. O beloved, consider in this your day, how fearful a thing it will be to fall into the hands of the living God, when you can neither fly to his mercy to protect you, nor to the merits of Christ to cover you in that terrible day. Here the Minister shall examine him concerning his faith, and rehearse the Articles of the CREED, Dost thou believe in God, etc. And the Prisoner shall answer, All this I stedfastly believe. Then shall the Minister examine whether he repent him truly of his sins, and be in charity with all the world, and further admonish him particularly concerning the crimes wherewith he is charged; and exhort him, if he have any scruples, that he would declare the same, and prepare himself for the Holy Communion, against the time that it may be proper to administer it to him. Then, all kneeling, the Minister shall say the fifty-first Psalm of the Psalter, Miserere mei, Deus. Here the Minister, as he shall see convenient, may read certain or all of these Prayers following, the Prayer for all Conditions of Men, or any other Prayer which he shall judge proper. GOD, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive; Receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us; for the honour of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen. GOD, who sparest when we de serve punishment, and in thy wrath rememberest mercy; We humbly beseech thee, of thy goodness, to comfort and succour all these who are under reproach and misery in the house of bondage; correct them not in thine anger, neither chasten them in thy sore displeasure. Give them a right understanding of themselves, and of thy threats and promises; that they may neither cast away their confidence in thee, nor place it any where but in thee. Relieve the distressed, protect the innocent, and awaken the guilty and forasmuch as thou alone bringest light out of darkness, and good out of evil, grant that the pains and punishments which these thy servants endure, through their bodily confinement, may tend to setting free their souls from the chains of sin; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. LORD, we beseech thee, merci. spare all those who confess their sins unto thee; that they, whose consciences by sin are accused, by thy merciful pardon may be absolved; through Christ our Lord. Amen. GOD, whose mercy is everlasting, OGO and power infinite; Look down with pity and compassion upon the sufferings of this thy servant; and whether thou visitest for trial of his patience, or punishment of his offences, enable him by thy grace cheerfully to submit himself to thy holy wil! and pleasure. Go not far from those, O Lord, whom thou hast laid in a place of darkness, and in the deep and forasmuch as thou hast not cut him off suddenly, but chastenest him as a father, grant that he, duly considering thy great mercies, may be unfeignedly thankful, and turn unto thee with true repentance and sincerity of heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. When a Criminal is under sentence of death, the Minister shall proceed to exhort him after this form, or other like. EARLY beloved, it hath pleased bring you under the sentence and condemnation of the law. You are shortly to suffer death in such a manner, that others, warned by your example, may be the more afraid to offend; and we pray God, that you may make such use of your punishments in this world, that your soul may be saved in the world to come. Wherefore we come to you in the bowels of compassion; and, being desirous that you should avoid presumption on the one hand, and despair on the other, shall plainly lay before you the wretchedness of your condition, and declare how far you ought to depend on the mercies of God and the merits of our Saviour. Consider then seriously with yourself, in all appearance the time of your dissolution draweth near; your sins have laid fast hold upon you; you are soon to be removed from among men by a violent death; and you shall fade away suddenly like the grass, which in the morning is green and groweth up, but in the evening is cut down, dried up, and withered. After you have thus finished the course of a sinful and miserable life, you shall appear before the Judge of all flesh; who, as he pronounces blessings on the righteous, shall likewise say, with a terrible voice of most just judgment, to the wicked, Go, ye accursed, into the fire everlasting, prepared for the devil and his angels. Your sins have brought you too near this dreadful sentence: it is therefore your part and duty, my brother, humbly to confess and be wail your great and manifold offences, and to repent you truly of your sins, as you tender the eternal salvation of your soul. Be not deceived with a vain and presumptuous expectation of God's favour, nor say within yourself, Peace, peace, where there is no peace; for there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. God is not mocked; he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; and without holiness no man shall see the Lord. On the other hand, despair not of God's mercy, though trouble is on every side; for God shutteth not up his mercies for ever in displeasure; but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Do not either way abuse the goodness of God, who calleth us mercifully to amendment, and of his endless pity promiseth us forgiveness of that which is past, if with a perfect and a true heart we return unto him. Since therefore you are soon to pass into an endless and unchangeable state, and your future happiness or misery depends upon the few mo meuts which are left you, I require you strictly to examine yourself, and your estate both towards God and towards man; and let _no_worldly |