2

3

4

5

Though the sun hath left us now,
And withholds his light from me,
Lord! from hence depart not Thou,
Nor in darkness let me be;

But the rays of grace divine,

Cause Thou round me still to shine;

And with mercy overspread

Both my person and my bed.

Chase all wicked fiends from hence, That they do me no despite,

By deluding of the sense,

Through the darkness of the night.

But, O Lord! from all my foes,
Let Thine angels me inclose;

And protect me in my sleep,
When myself I cannot keep.
Whilst my body taketh rest,
Let my soul attend on Thee;
Let no dream to me suggest
Fancies that unchaste may be.

Whether I shall wake or sleep,
Me in mind and body keep,
Not from acts of sin alone,
But from dreaming they are done.
And since death and sleep are said
Some resemblances to have;

In my bed ere I am laid

So prepare me for my grave;

That with comfort wake I may,
To enjoy the following day;
Or if death close up mine eyes,
Rest in hope till all shall rise.

HYMN XIX.

When we put off our Apparel.

WHILST we are putting off our apparel, the singing of this brief Hymn will be neither tedious nor unprofitable; seeing we may thereby prepare as well our minds as our bodies for the better enjoying of a comfortable rest.

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3

4

Sing this as the 33rd or 34th Psalms.

S ere I down am couched there,
Where now I hope to rest,

I first from what I daily wear,
Begin to be undrest;

So in my grave ere I shall be

In blest reposure* laid,

Of many rags yet worn by me

I must be disarray'd.

My fruitless hopes, my foolish fears,
My lust, my lofty pride;

My fleshly joys, my needless cares,

Must quite be laid aside.

Yea, that self-love which yet I wear

More near me than

my skin,

Must off be pluck'd ere I shall dare
My last long sleep begin.

Of these and all such rags as these,
When I am disarray'd,

My soul and body shall have ease,
Wherever I am laid:

Nor fears of death, nor cares of life,
Shall then disquiet me;

Nor dreaming joys, nor waking grief,
My sleep's disturbance be.

Therefore instruct Thou me, O God!
And give me grace to heed

* Or repose.

With what vain things ourselves we load,

And what we rather need.
Oh, help me tear those clouts away,
And let them so be loathed ;

That I on my last rising day

With glory may be clothed.
And now when I am naked laid,
Vouchsafe me so to arm,

That nothing make my heart afraid,
Or do my body harm.

And guard me so when down I lie,
And when I rise again;

That sleep or wake or live or die,
I still may safe remain.

HYMN XX.

When we cannot sleep.

WHEN We cannot sleep at seasonable times, vain musings and want of right meditating on God is frequently chief cause of unrest. Therefore this meditation directeth to the remedy of such untimely watchfulness.

2

Sing this as the former Hymn.

HAT ails my heart, that in my breast

It thus unquiet lies;

And that it now of needful rest
Deprives my tired eyes?

Let not vain hopes, griefs, doubts, or fears,
Distemper so my mind;

But cast on God thy thoughtful cares,
And comfort thou shalt find.

In vain that soul attempteth ought,
And spends her thoughts in vain,

Who by or in herself hath sought

3

In vain as rising in the morn
Before the day appear;

In vain to bed we late return,

And lie unquiet there.

For when of rest our sin deprives,
When cares do waking keep;

'Tis God, and He alone, that gives
To His beloved sleep.

On Thee, O Lord! on Thee therefore,
My musings now I place :
Thy free remission I implore,
And Thy refreshing grace.

4 Forgive Thou me, that when
Oppress'd begun to be,

my

I sought elsewhere my peace to find,
Before I came to Thee.

mind

And, gracious God! vouchsafe to grant,
Unworthy though I am,

The needful rest which now I want,
That I may praise Thy name.

HYMN XXI.

A general Thanksgiving.

BECAUSE the particular benefits which we receive of God are so many, that we cannot sing particular Hymns for every mercy, this general thanksgiving is provided for those who need such helps.

Sing this as the 100th Psalm.

LORD! I fain would sing Thy praise,

But know not where I should begin ;
So often and so many ways
Thy favours have conferred been.
No blessing needful to be had
Are we by Thee debarred from,

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3

4

5

6

Whereby we happy may be made,
On earth, or in the world to come.

I for my being thank Thee first,
And that when I the same possess'd,
I was no creature of the worst,
But had endowments of the best.
And Thy eternal providence
I praise with all the powers in me,
For ev'ry grace vouchsafed me since
I first received my life from Thee.

For ev'ry sense, for all my limbs,
And for each gift I praise return;
Which outwardly my body trims,
Or me doth inwardly adorn.

I praise Thee for my strength, my health,
My shape, and also for that share
Which I have had of worldly wealth,

And of some honest pleasures here.

I praise Thee for my friends and foes,
For both have useful been to me,
Yea, for Thy just correcting blows
I render hearty thanks to Thee.
I likewise magnify, O God!
Thy wisdom for that goodly frame
Which over us Thou spread'st abroad,
And for this globe on which I am.

For all things in this lower world,
For ev'ry star in ev'ry sphere,
Which round about this orb is whirl'd,
I praise Thee with a heart sincere.

But most of all I praise Thee, Lord!
For pardoning what is done amiss
And for the means Thou dost afford
To bring me to eternal bliss.

For choosing me ere time was made,
For Thy creating me in time,