FORMS OF PRAYER TO BE USED AT SEA. ¶ The Morning and Evening Service, to be used daily at Sea, shall be the same which is appointed in the foregoing Book of Common Prayer. The Collect. GUIDE us, O LORD, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, and finally obtain everlasting life, through thy mercy in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The following Prayer is to be also used in 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 thine almighty and most gracious protection the persons of us thy servants, and the fleet 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 our sovereign king George, and his kingdoms, G 2 and and a security for such as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions; that the inhabitants of our islands 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 labours; and with a thankful remembrance of thy mercies, to praise and glorify thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶ Prayers 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, thine unworthy creatures, do in this our great distress, with penitent hearts, cry unto thee for help : Save, LORD, or else we perish. We confess, when we have been safe, and have seen all things quiet about us, we have too much 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 fillest heaven and earth, and beholdest all things below, look down, we beseech thee, thee, and deliver us from the dreadful danger which now threatens us with destruction: 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, of thine infinite mercy and goodness. Amen. ¶ The Prayer 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 alway 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 penitent 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. Amen. T Short ¶ Short Prayers for single persons that cannot meet to join in prayer with others, by reason of the fight or storm. ¶ General Prayers. LORD, be merciful to us, pardon our sins, and save us for thy mercies sake. Thou art the great God that 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. Special Prayers 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 that fly 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. ¶ Collects of Thanksgiving. MOST blessed and glorious LORD God, who art of infinite goodness and mercy, we thine unworthy creatures, whom thou hast 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, 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 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 shewed 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 them that trust in thee. Thou hast shewed 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 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 preserved, may serve thee in holi ness |