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I have lived as without thee, and without Christ in the world. In harbour and at sea, I have sinned against light and conviction; I have often grieved thy Holy Spirit, and acted rebelliously even to thy face; but, Lord, I now desire to return unto thee, and unto the assemblies of thy worshipping people, who know and love thy name. O do thou pardon my past sins, and bless me with the joyful sound of thy gospel; and let it become thy power unto my salvation through the same Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom, with thee, and the Holy Ghost, I would ascribe equal and eternal praise. Amen.

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PRAYER IN A STORM AT SEA.

O LORD GOD, most high and Almighty! who lookest upon the earth, and it trembles; and touchest the mountains, and they smoke; how wonderful art thou in thy works, and terrible in thy doings! Thou hast all the creatures at thy command, and employest them, when thou wilt, as the executioners of thy wrath; even the devouring fire and stormy winds, ungovernable as they appear to us, do yet fulfil thy will. In these flames, these sounds, and these commotions, thou showest the power of thy hand, which no creature is able to resist. When thou, O God of glory, thunderest and causest thy voice to be heard from heaven, thou makest us to know the terrors of the Lord; and how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God. And we must own it, Lord, to be only of thy mercies that we are not consumed, even because thy compassions fail not. O let these

thy, compassions now be extended to us, and showered upon us. And in tender mercy cause the threatening destruction to pass over us.

O despise not the prayers of thy poor creatures, crying to thee in their extreme distress: but now and evermore vouchsafe to hear us, O Christ; graciously hear us, O Christ; graciously hear us, O Lord Jesus. And let us not only find mercy from thee now, but more especially in that great day of the Lord; wherein the heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth, with all its works, shall be burnt up. O Lord of all mercy, save us now from our sins; for it is our sins that make us afraid; and fearfulness surprises us because we have been false in thy covenant, and rebellious against thy word, and have provoked the holy One of Israel to anger. O forgive us all the guilt which we have contracted, and which fills us with fearful expectation of thy wrath and fiery indignation. And let the all-sufficient merits of our Redeemer's death (that death which made the earth to quake, and the rocks to rend) atone for every wickedness, whereby we have offended thy divine Majesty.

And O that we may not only be filled with awe at present, whilst thou art shaking thy rod over us, but be awakened permanently from all carnal security, all hardness of heart, and forgetfulness of thee our God, who art a consuming fire. And let the fear of thy judgments humble us; let thy terrors soften our hearts, and leave such deep and lasting impressions on our minds, that we may never disregard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands; but with all

awfulness revere and adore thee, the supreme Ruler of all the world. O Lord our governor, keep us in thy fear, not only through this day, but to the latest hour of our lives. Keep us from everything that may provoke the eyes of thy glory; and enable us to walk before thee in such an humble, godly, circumspect manner, that thy name may be glorified in us, and that we may be glorified in and with thee for evermore. Amen.

THANKSGIVING AFTER GREAT DELIVERANCE.

O GIVE thanks unto the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever! O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! In our trouble we cried unto thee, and thou didst save us out of our distresses, and didst rescue us from death, when almost all hope had forsaken us. Thou didst command and raise the stormy wind, and didst lift up on high the raging waves of the sea; we mounted up to heaven, and then went down to the depths; our souls were melted within us by reason of trouble: then cried we unto thee, and thou didst deliver us out of our distresses. Praised be our God for his delivering mercy, by which we have been wonderfully saved from a watery grave. Thanks be unto God, that he hath calmed the raging storm, and hath brought us in life, to the land, and to our desired haven.

O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.

[If the deliverance be from sickness, the following may be used after the introduction.]

Thou hast brought us out of darkness and the shadow of death, and hast broken our bands asunder. Our soul abhorred all manner of meat, and we drew near the gates of death; then cried we unto thee and thou deliveredst us from all our distresses. May the life, thus mercifully prolonged, be devoted to thy service. O Lord, sanctify to me this dispensation of thy providence, so that hereafter, I may no more sin against thee, as in days that are past, but may seek thy face and live to the glory of thy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within. me bless his name, who forgiveth all thy sins, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with loving kindness, and tender mercy.

How great is thy loving kindness, O Lord, therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

Hallelujah-Praise ye the Lord. Amen.

PRAYER UPON SETTING SAIL.

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God, thou hast made the heaven and the earth; the sea and the dry land: and thy wonderful works are every where seen: in wisdom hast thou made them all. Wherever we are, there art thou present with us; for if we ascend up to heaven, thou art there; if we make our bed in hell, behold thou art there. If we take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead us, and thy right hand shall hold us. Thy protection is experienced afar off, as well as near at hand; and in the storms and adversities of this life thou art our safe refuge; the haven where our souls find rest from trouble.

As we are now about to venture ourselves again upon the boisterous ocean, we humbly look up to thee for protection and safe guidance to our desired port. Grant to us, if it be agreeable to thy will, favourable winds and weather, and exemption from fatal accidents. And should storms arise, and we be in danger of being driven on rocks or perilous coasts, or of being overwhelmed in the great deep, be thou near to help and deliver us. Our trust for safety is on thy almighty arm; for thou rulest the raging of the winds and the waves, and at thy command they are calmed. Make, we beseech thee, this voyage prosperous; so that we may go and return in health and safety. And grant, O Lord, that all who sail in this vessel may be preserved from heaven-daring and ruinous sins, to which so many of our profession are addicted. Give to all a temper becoming their station. May the officers who are placed over us be indued with wisdom, firmness, and kindness, in the exercise of government; and may every man be prompt in his duty, and dexterous in the performance of his part. And grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, to us all, a ready disposition to hear and obey the instructions of thy holy word, with which we may be favoured. Enlighten our minds to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, whom to know is life eternal. May

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