51. The Dying One forgives and asks forgiveness

EXHORTATION.

"If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses."—Matt. vi., 14, 15. A true preparation for a happy death is not complete without a reconciliation with our neighbour; this reconciliation should not be delayed indefinitely, but set about while in sound mind and understanding. 1. If a Christian has suffered much injustice at the hands of others, he must be sure to take no ill-will towards his enemies into his grave, but must forgive them with all his heart. 2. If he, however, has wronged others and insulted them, he must not rest before being reconciled with them, nor be ashamed to call them to his dying bed and ask their forgiveness, with heart, lips and hand. If they are absent, he must do this in writing; if dead, he must pray to God for forgiveness. In doing so, he must also make restitution of what has been stolen, purloined, or wrongfully taken, either to the injured one himself, or to his heirs or representatives, for the sin cannot be forgiven without restitution. AND ASKS FORGIVENESS.

3. To all this he must be impelled as well by considerations of his duty as a Christian, as by the divine command and warning, "that as he shall deal with his enemies, so will God deal with him." My God, I live, and know not how long; I must die, and know not when; therefore I will be reconciled betimes with my neighbour, so that I may depart this life with my mind at rest. Heaven is called the house of peace, where implacable, revengeful and angry souls are not admitted; therefore I will cleanse my heart of all wrath and enmity; I will forgive and ask forgiveness, so that God may take me into his favor as a lover of peace, for Jesus' sake. On this account I forgive all my enemies from the bottom of my heart, and all those who have ever injured me in words, works or gestures; I forgive them not with my lips alone, but in the presence of God, and with my heart; henceforth I will never think of what they have done: I will forget it, and in proof of my pacification, I will wish them every happiness, and do good to them where and whensoever I can; yea, for them I pray to God to bless them, and to let them and their children enjoy health and prosperity in time and in eternity. As I have thus forgiven THE DYING ONE FORGIVES and do forgive all those who have ever angered or thwarted me, so do I herewith crave the forgiveness of all of whom I have ever spoken evil, whom I have injured, or to whom I have caused harm or trouble. O forgive me, beloved friends, for the sake of Jesus; bear me no ill will! I know that I have done you wrong, I beg you to forgive me from my heart, with my hand and with my lips, and would to God I could see you all here at my bedside, so that I might crave all your forgiveness face to face. O merciful God! be pleased to forgive me all the harm I have ever done my neighbour, whoever he be, from malice or from weakness, knowingly or unwittingly! Forgive me for the sake of thy great mercy. O do not remember my sin and wickedness! O my heavenly Father, have mercy upon me! O my Jesus, wash me of my sins and pray for me! O Holy Ghost, sanctify my heart and purify it of all evil! Thus I die happy, thus I die rejoicing. Amen.

1. I will offer full forgiveness

To my wrongers, great and small;

Lord, vouchsafe to me the favor

To forgive them, one and all;

And that I, thy erring child

May with them be reconciled.

AND ASKS FORGIVENESS.

I forgive them most sincerely,

And my promise binds most nearly.

2. My desire, my wish and yearning,

Father! it is this alone,

To be well at peace henceforward

With all those who me disown.

Though their hatred will not end,

I henceforth must be their friend;

Would they knew how much it grieves me,

That their anger will not leave me.

3. O forgive me, friends and brethren,

If I oft have angered you;

Harbor not unkindly feelings,

Let the grave our love renew;

Well I know that I have done

Evil unto many a one;

Wipe it from your recollection,

And revive your old affection.

4. Lord! this duty well accomplished,

I appear before thy face:

Look upon me with the cheering

Aspect of thy heavenly grace;

Take away my load of sin,

Thy assistance let me win.

Let the spite of foes not harm me,

Nor my weight of guilt alarm me.

5. Now my troubled soul is quiet,

As I am restored to peace,

To the will of God commanding

Whether life shall last or cease.

THE DYING ONE TAKES LEAVE

Peace with God, and peace with men,

Rifles death of all its pain;

Thus, forgiven and forgiving,

I can die without misgiving.


The Dying One takes Leave of his Kindred and friends, and gives them his Blessing.

EXHORTATION.

"Now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified."—Acts xx. 32. It is well known in Holy Writ, that persons at the point of death take leave of their relations and friends, as is clearly to be seen in the case of Moses, Isaac, Jacob, Tobit, Christ Jesus, and others. 1. The blessing thus bestowed is not fruitless; for as it is a prayer rendered up by the dying one for those he loves, it will not remain unheard if done in faith and in the name of Jesus Christ. 2. The last words spoken on the bed of death, do not usually fail of making an impression on those remaining behind. The admonition of a dying father or mother is not easily forgotten, but remains as a thorn in the Spirit. OF HIS RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.

3. Children should be admonished not to grieve their parents in days of health, and thereby make it impossible for their parents to leave them their blessing. The parent's curse often transforms the prosperity of the children into misfortune; pious Christian parents would rather bless than curse their children. I now take leave of all my kindred, acquaintances, benefactors and friends. I commend them, almighty God, into thy protection, love, and favor; do good unto them for the kindness they have shown me, and as I cannot recompense them for all they have done, do thou see to their recompense. I must leave my friends, relatives and acquaintances, but thou, O God, wilt never leave them; keep them in the fear of thee, in faith and piety, so that we may behold each other again in the life to come. I go the way of all the world; I go before, but in heaven the faithful and the children of God will meet again. But those whom I leave behind, great God! and those to whom my departure from the world will be a cause of sorrow, give them thy blessing abundantly. The Lord bless you, my beloved! The Lord bless you in body and soul! May he take you into his protection, may he, in his fatherly love and kindness, give you plentiful THE DYING ONE TAKES LEAVE sustenance, and preserve you from all evil. Fear God and be pious, place your trust in him, and know that he will have mercy upon you and be gracious unto you. Turn not away from him in unbelief, malice, or unchristian walk, but be faithful to him even unto death, and he will give you the crown of eternal life at last. Do not forsake the Lord, and he will not forsake you. Honor, serve, love and obey him. May the God of all grace and mercy bless your going out and your coming in, so that ye may be and remain the chosen of the Lord. Great God! I have blessed them; do thou make them truly blessed. And now, O triune God! take my soul unto thee, lift it up unto joys eternal. I desire to be dissolved and with Christ. Lord Jesus! to thee I live, to thee I die; living and dead, I am thine. Make me and mine happy forever. Amen. 1. My dying hour is drawing nigh

When I must leave these shadows,

To seek the everlasting rest

That dwells in heavenly meadows.

Therefore I for my death prepare,

And pray my God to take me where

His pasture blooms forever.

OF HIS RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.

2. O God, I bitterly repent

That I have, to thy sorrow,

Clung to the pleasures of the world,

And suffered sin to borrow

The hours I should have spent for thee,

O from that evil set me free,

Forget what I have trespassed!

3. Of Jesus, I appropriate

The all-atoming merit,

'Tis the sole comfort of my heart,

The wealth that I inherit.

O Jesu, Jesu, I am thine,

Then let me nevermore repine,

When death comes with thy summons.

4. Therefore I do resign my house

Into the Lord's good keeping;

I give my blessing unto all,

And bid them cease their weeping:

God will protect the fatherless,

The orphans do his love possess

And will not be forsaken.

5. Then unto God I will upraise

My heart and voice in prayer;

I have no fear of death, for Christ

Has overcome the slayer.

Lord, I am here! O quickly come

And take me to my cherished home,

Where is no more of parting.

THE DYING ONE

The Dying One Commends himself to God.

EXHORTATION.

"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."—Luke xxiii

Persons about to die often have many things to order and arrange. In their anxiety to set their houses in order, they frequently forget what is most valuable, their souls. 1. Every righteous Christian should daily commend his body and soul to the protection of God, as well when he retires at night, as when he rises in the morning. 2. While pious Christians should always do this, they must also remember it when they die; they have the example of our Saviour before them, who said, when death was approaching, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Stephen did the same, in sighing, while the stones pelted him, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 3. This is of the greatest necessity. Great and sudden alterations frequently take place in the condition of sick persons. How well is it, then, to make use of the hours of health for commending our souls to God, and to bring the most valuable part of ourselves into safe keeping, resigning all else, for life or death, to his holy will. 4. This done, we shall die happy.

COMMENDS HIMSELF TO GOD.

Merciful and loving God! thou who dost suffer men to die, and sayest, Come again, ye sons of men! Thou who dost draw thy loved ones unto thee by death, and givest them a share of the glory acquired for us by the bitter sufferings and death of Jesus! I see that my weakness is becoming an audible voice, which cries unto me, to set my house in order, for I must die. I must prepare to meet the bridegroom; keep the light of thy lamp fresh and burning. As I do not know when my hour will come, I will resign myself into thy hands in time, and will consign my soul to thee. Let my heart be void of all worldly conversation; drive out all worldly and sinful thoughts, so that I may delight in thee alone, rejoice in thee alone, speak of thee, meditate on thy glory and the bliss of the elect. Fill my heart with the Holy Ghost, so that he may produce a good stir within me. Help me to remember Jesus Christ, and at all times to fix my eyes upon his blood and death. When the hour of death arrives, keep me, if it is thy holy will, from assaults, sad thoughts and acute pains, and leave me a sound mind to the last, so that heart, lips and mind may think and speak of thee, and pray to thee; and if speech should fail me, let me enjoy thy loveliness in my heart, and be THE DYING ONE conscious of thy most holy presence. By thy grace, let me have joy in dying; let me look into the bliss of heaven, and give me to taste a few drops of the heavenly sweetness, so that I may depart this life in gladness and comfort. To thee I commend my soul when it leaves the body; O then do thou take it into thy hands! Cover it with thy perfect righteousness, and lead it into the joys of heaven. I also commend to thee my body, resting in the cool earth; give it a gentle rest, until the last trumpet shall sound, and call, "Arise ye dead, and come to judgment!" and then, in the name of Jesus, let me joyfully arise and enter into eternal life. Amen. 1. The breath that thou, O Lord, hast given,

Still animates my body's life,

But now to thee I must resign it,

There is an end of earthly strife.

But when I meet my mortal lot,

O then, my God, forsake me not.

2. As yet I live; I still am able

To send my prayers up to thee;

Therefore I pray that at the passing

Thou wilt be there, and comfort me;

When death doth quench my life and thought,

O then, my God, forsake me not!

COMMENDS HIMSELF TO GOD.

3. When the last fearful hour approaches

And I grow faint and ghastly pale,

When all around are lost in wailing,

When the cold sweats of death prevail,

When all is flitting and forgot,

O then, my God, forsake me not.

4. When reason fails, and I no longer

Can know myself, and scarcely thee,

Then let thy Spirit's self direct me,

That Jesus still my eyes may see,

And if the thought of sin grows hot,

O then, my God, forsake me not.

5. When the cold lips are closed forever,

When I have said my latest word,

Then let this comfort richly meet me,

That this, my prayer, shall be heard.

When earth deserts my every thought,

O then, my God, forsake me not.

THE DYING ONE