A Prayer for a Woman, desiring Direction of God, after an Offer of Marriage is made to her.
FOUNTAIN of light and life, who hast promised to hear the petitions of them that ask in thy dear Son’s name, look down on me thy poor handmaid, and answer my request, for thy infinite mercy’s sake. Lord Jesus, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, and desire only to live unto thee. Shew me, O Lord, shew me, for thy mercy’s sake, what thou wouldest have me to do. I see, O Lord, the advantages of a single life, and that I can now care only for the things of the Lord, and serve thee without distraction. If thou seest this state best for my soul, O give me power over my own will, and never suffer me to know man. But since thou hast declared that “Marriage is honourable in all;” if thou seest that state best for me, Lord, shew me whom thou hast chosen for me. Behold, thy handmaid is now invited to the marriage-state, and thou alone knowest the heart of him who offers to be my husband. O suffer me not to deceive my own soul; watch, O Lord, watch over and influence my deceitful heart. O let me see the tokens of thy will, before I give a determinate answer. Suffer me not to say, I will go with him, until I plainly see this proposal is of thee, my God. Influence my relations hearts, as thou didst influence the hearts of Rebecca’s friends; and if it be thy will I should be joined with this thy servant, O let me love him only in thee, and for thee, to the glory of thy great name, and the salvation of both our immortal souls, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Even so, Lord Jesus, Amen, and Amen.
A Prayer for Persons in a Storm at Sea.
DEAREST Lord, and all-powerful Redeemer, who wast praying on the mountain, whilst thy disciples were toiling and rowing all night, and the wind was contrary; who didst also appear by night to thy servant Paul in a ship-wreck, saying, “Fear not, Paul, for God has given thee all the souls that sail with thee;” mercifully look upon us, who are now exposed to the same danger. Say unto our souls, “It is I; be not afraid:” and to the winds, “Peace, be still;” and immediately there shall be a great calm.
Save, Lord, or we perish; for the waves rage horribly. Thou hast sent forth thy word, and the waters flow. O let not the deep shut her mouth upon us, and suffer not the water-floods to swallow us up!
We know, O Lord, for what cause this evil is come upon us. We have not feared thee, the God of heaven, who madest the sea and dry land, as we ought. Therefore we are exceedingly afraid, lest thou shouldst not deliver us in this needful time of trouble.
But O thou who didst once hear Jonah, when he cried unto thee out of the belly of the fish, though he was fleeing from thy presence, hear us also for thy mercy’s sake. For thou hast cast us into the deep, into the midst of the seas, the floods are compassing us about, and thy billows and waves are passing over us. Save our lives from destruction, O Lord our God, and let us yet lift up our hands unto thee in thy holy temple.
But if the decree be gone forth, that our bodies must now perish and see corruption, thy blessed will be done. Only grant, O Lord, that our souls may be precious in thy sight, and that we may be preserved from the storm of thy everlasting anger; so that when the voice of the archangel shall sound, and the trump of God command the sea to give up its dead, we may rise to life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen, and Amen.