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: BLESSED art thou, O Lord our God, and the God of our Fathers, who hast ordained the successions of light and darkness; who makest thy Saints to rejoice upon their beds; who hast delivered me from the perils of this day, and not cut off my life like a weaver's web, nor wasted me with pining sickness from morning until night.

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MEDITATIONS and PRAYERS for NIGHT.

WEARIED with the labours and cares of the past day, I come to thee, my God, for quiet and repose, and new supplies of strength to drooping

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Lighten, mine eyes, that I sleep not in death. Defend me from the terrors of the night, and from the pestilence that walketh in dark

ness.

O thou keeper of Israel, that neither slumberest nor sleepest, preserve me this night from all manner of evil; yea, do even thou preserve my soul.

Visit me also with the favour which thou bearest unto thy chosen; and teach me thy will in the visions of the night.

Or if I be not (as I confess I am not) worthy of so distinguishing a favour, yet, O most kind and merciful Lord, let this season of rest be an entire cessation to me, as well from sin as from labour and sorrow; and suffer not any thought to surprise my unguarded mind, which is capable either of displeasing thee, or of defiling me.

Let not the follies of sensual pleasure abuse me, but my reins rather chasten me in the night season; that my sleep may be perfectly composed and pure, quiet

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from every worldly and wicked imagination. And do thou, Lord, drive away all suggestions of the Devil or the flesh.

Thou beholdest the wakefulness of mine enemies, which attack me unseen, and my weakness to resist them is not hid from thee; who knowest whereof my nature is made, and rememberest that I am but feeble dust and ashes.

Take me then under the covering of thy wings, and let thy lovingkindness and thy truth always pre

serve me.

And, after such refreshment as thou seest proper for me, raise thou me up again to make my prayer in a time when thou mayest be found;

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found; that so I may begin my every day with thee, by setting forth most thankfully thy praises, and dedicating myself entirely to hy service.

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