Take us this night, O our God, under thy protection. Watch over us whilst we sleep; if we wake in the night season, may our meditation of thee be sweet and our souls be glad in the Lord. If we are spared to see the light of the returning day, may we rise from our beds to give all diligence to walk before thee to all well-pleasing.--And whether we wake or sleep, live or die, may we be the Lord’s. To him, with thee, O Father, and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed, as most due, everlasting praise, might, majesty, and dominion. A PRAYER TO BE USED WHEN ANY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY IS SICK. Either entire as a Morning or evening Prayer for the Family or occasionally with some of the Family, or in part, paragraphs, selected from it being added to the usual family devotions. O thou infinitely great and glorious God, thou killest and makest alive. Thou woundest and thy hands make whole. Thou bringest down to the grave, and bringest back again. Thou dost according to thy will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay thine hand or say unto thee, What dost thou? yet righteous art thou in all thy ways, and holy in all thy works. Even when thou afflictest, and causest trouble and heaviness to fall upon us, it is that we may learn righteousness from thy judgments, and receive profit from thy correction. Wherefore, though thou hast not visited our house with sickness, and art calling us to humiliation for our sins, yet we would still speak good of thy name, and love and bless thee. We desire at this season to remember all the past mercies with which thou hast been pleased to bless us and our household. God forbid that our present grief should make us unmindful of the constant benefits we have enjoyed. How long has each of our family lain down and risen up, gone out and come in, in health, strength, and peace? How long has the candle of the Lord shone upon us without intermission? For these multiplied favours, blessed, O Lord, be thy good and holy name; since the smallest of benefits is more than we deserve, and the sharpest affliction less. To us, on account of transgressions, is most justly due, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish. Wherefore then should living men complain, men and transgressors, for the punishment of their sin? Shall we receive so much good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil? patiently and contentedly receive evil also; this temper we know, O Lord, is our bounding duty; O form it in us. And as in great compassion to us, thou hast opened a way of relief for us under every trouble, by directing, commanding, and encouraging us in all our afflictions to pour out our complaints unto thee, and tell thee of all we fear and feel; to thee, O Father of mercies, do we make our supplications at this time. O Lord be not far from us.