MOST great and glorious God, thy name alone is Jehovah! Thou ex­istest independent of all beings, and art possessed of eternal and absolute perfection! I adore thee as the supreme Governor and Judge among the nations of the earth; who hast in thy wise and good providence divided them, and settled the bounds of their habitations! Thou hast placed the inhabitants of Great-Britain, and of America, not only under the common laws of justice and equity; but also under the most endearing bonds and obligations of brotherly love and kindness towards each other. Those sacred bonds have been viola­ted; and that mutual confidence, harmony and affection, that once subsisted to mutual advan­tage, in a great measure lost. The enemies of America have sent over a great multitude to cast thy people in this land, out of thy posses­sion, even the good land which thou hast given them to inherit; and to deprive them of their liberties and properties: whereby, O Lord, they have been reduced to the dreadful alterna­tive of submitting to arbitrary laws and despo­tic government; or of taking up arms in de­fence of those rights and privileges, which thou, in thy goodness, hast conferred upon them as men and as Christians.

I would adore and bless thy name, that thou [Page 4] hast given thy people a just sense of the value of their important privileges, civil and sacred; and that, that love of liberty and willingness to encounter every temporary difficulty and dan­ger to enjoy it, which glowed in the breasts of their ancestors, and brought them over to settle this land, is enkindled in their breasts: and that they are united in their counsels, and in their measures for their protection, defence and security. O my God, wilt thou be graciously pleased to strengthen and establish the union of these colonies; and favour the CONGRESS with thy blessing and presence! Prosper the means of defence,—be the God of the American ar­my,—bless all in general, and in particular command, and grant unto thy servant the COMMANDER IN CHIEF, wisdom and fortitude suited to his important military station, and crown him with prosperity, success and honor.

O my God, in obedience to the call of thy providence, I have engaged myself, and plighted my faith, to jeopard my life in the high places of the field in the defence of my dear country and the liberties of it▪ acknowledging thy peo­ple to be my people, their interest my interest, and their God to be my God. Thou knowest, O Lord, that it is not from a spirit of licen­tiousness,—lust of independance or delight in the effusion of human blood: but from a sense of that duty I owe to my country and posterity I have voluntarily engaged in this service.— And I desire now to make a solemn dedication of myself to thee in it through Jesus Christ; [Page 5] presenting myself to thy Divine Majesty to be disposed of by thee to thy glory and the good of America. Oh do thou, I most fervently intreat, wash away mine iniquities, blot them out of thy remembrance, purify and cleanse my soul in the blood of the great Captain of my salvation—accept of—own and bless me!

Teach, I pray thee, my hands to war, and my fingers to fight in the defence of America, and the rights and liberties of it! impress upon my mind a true sense of my duty, and the ob­ligation I am under to my country! and enable me to pay a due and ready respect and obedi­ence to all my officers. Grant unto me cou­rage, zeal and resolution in the day of battle, that I may play the man for my people, and the cities of my God; chusing rather to lay down my life, than either through cowardice or desertion betray the glorious cause I am en­gaged in. And, O Lord, if it seem good in thy sight, shield and protect me; cover my head in the day of battle; and suffer not the arrows of death that may fly around me, to wound or destroy me: but may I live to do further service to my country—to the church and people of God, and interest of Jesus Christ, and see peace and tranquility restored to this land.

Give me grace, that I may spend my time in my proper employment as a soldier; furnish­ing myself with such military skill as may qua­lify me to stand in a day of war, and to speak with the enemy in the gate; wisely filling up [Page 6] my spare hours in acts of religion. May I de­test and abhor all sinful oaths, execrations and blasphemies; never using thy name, but on so­lemn occasions, and then with the most pro­found reverence! May I never so far lose my liberty, as to become a servant of meats and drinks; but teach me to use thy good crea­tures soberly and temperately: not enslaving myself to, nor losing my reason by indulging a brutal appetite! Enable me to flee all those vices of gaming, rioting, chambering and wan­toness which have a destructive and fatal ten­dency: but as a stranger and pilgrim may I abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul! Enable me to put off all anger, wrath, malice and strife; and live in love with, and in the exercise of kindness to my fellow-soldiers! Being content with my wages, may I never do violence to any man, nor seize upon his property through covetousness or greediness of spoil! And may I prove myself a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, whom all the armies of heaven follow; fight the good fight of faith; and have my present conflicts against the world, the flesh and the devil crowned with victory and triumph!

Now, O my God, from a mind deeply af­fected with a sense of thy wisdom, power, good­ness and faithfulness, I desire to commit all my concerns to thee,—to depend upon thy help and protection, in all the difficulties and dan­gers; and upon thy care and provision, in all the wants and necessities that can befall me! [Page 7] And my family and kindred, whom I have left behind, I recommend to thy care; to receive the blessings of God, the comforts and supports of thy providence and the sanctification of thy Spirit.

And, O Thou, who didst preserve the chil­dren of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh and his host,—didst protect and deliver them from all dangers,—didst redeem them out of all their troubles,—and broughtest them out of the land of bondage into a state of liberty,— deliver, I pray thee, thy distressed, afflicted and oppressed people in this land out of all their troubles! preserve them in truth and peace▪ in unity and safety, in all storms, and against all temptations and enemies! And by means of the present contest may the liberties of America be established upon a firmer foundation than ever; and she become the excellency of the whole earth, and the joy of many generations!

And grant, O Lord, that the inhabitants of Great-Britain may arise and vindicate their li­berties; and a glorious reunion take place be­tween them and thy people in this land, found­ed upon the principles of liberty and righteous­ness: that the Britons and the Americans may rejoice in the King as the minister of God to both for good.

Hear me, O my God, and accept of these my petitions through Jesus Christ, to whom with thee, O Father, and the Holy Spirit, one God, be glory, honor and praise, forever and ever.

AMEN.