56. Prayer of the By-standers at a Death-Ged

O holy triune God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost! thou dost lend thine ear unto prayer, and therefore all flesh cometh to thee; behold, we come before thee also, and present this dying man in our prayer. Lord God, Father in heaven, have mercy upon him; he is thy child, adopted by thee in holy baptism; lo, thy child is sick, thy child is about to die; O let him receive his portion, the inheritance of heaven, the salvation of his soul; forgive him all the sins committed against thee throughout his life, and look upon him with favor. Lord God Son, the Saviour of the world, have mercy upon this dying one; thou hast redeemed him with thy precious blood, thou hast died for him, O do not call him to account for his transgressions, but endow him with thy righteousness and merit, wash him with thy holy blood, cover him with thy justice and truth, and let him appear before the throne of God purified by thy blood. Lord God Holy Ghost, have mercy upon this dying man; keep him in the faith, bear witness unto his spirit that he is truly a child of God, and take his place before God with unutterable sighs, sanctify, strengthen, and guide him into eternal life. O holy Trinity, take this dying man into thy 31*

PRAYER OF THE BY-STANDERS, ETC.

gracious favor; think not of the sins of his youth or of his transgressions, but regard him in the light of thy great mercy for the sake of thy goodness. Take his soul into thy hands, and let it enjoy eternal bliss. Awake the body also, on the last day, in splendor and glory. Meanwhile, Lord, Lord, as his agony increases, let him not lose the image of the crucified Jesus, when his eyes break, let a brightness arise in his soul; O Jesus, thou Star of the morning, illumine his path into eternal life. When his closed lips no longer avail to pray, do thou pray for him, O Jesus! Be his advocate with the father in heaven, help him to strive and to overcome, and let the sighs of his heart be well pleasing unto thee. When the death-sweat comes, O strengthen and sustain him! Triune God, do thou remain with him, and preserve him in the faith, until his course shall reach its blissful end. Lord God the Father, what thou hast created, Lord God the Son, what thou hast redeemed, Lord God Holy Ghost, what thou hast sanctified, we commend into thy hands; unto thy holy name be honor, praise and glory, now and forever. Amen. Verses, Texts and Prayers with which the Bystanders at a Deathbed may comfort a Dying One.* "Zion said, 'The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.' 'Can a woman forget her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, but I will not forget thee.'"—Isaiah xlix. 14, 15. The Lord is ever faithful

To those who doubt him not;

Who gives him full reliance

Is never more forgot.

Though strange thy lot appear,

Let it not once alarm thee,

All evil cannot harm thee,

So long as he is near.

O merciful, gracious God! help me in my sufferings and my dying hour; my God, thou hast ever been my God and comfort, O be so still. O Jesus, abide with me for it is toward evening, and the day of my life is far spent. O my precious Holy Ghost! strengthen me, keep me firm in the faith unto my end, enlighten me unto eternal life. I will die in the blood and wounds of Jesus; unto him I live, unto him I die, on his salvation I rely. * Pious Christians will do well also to memorize them when in health, so that they may derive comfort from them, even if the disease should deprive them of sight and hearing. "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?"—Psalm xlii. 1, 2 Let thy angels, in the chariot

Of Elijah, bear me on

To the soothing breast the stricken

Lazarus reclines upon;

Let my soul thy peace enjoy

Evermore, without alloy,

'Till the body from corruption

Rises unto incorruption.

Jesus, thou light of my soul! when my eyes grow dim, let the heavenly brightness arise within me; do not depart when my eyes break. Although I walk in a dark and narrow valley, I fear no evil, for Jesus is with me. Aye, my Jesus, abide with me, fortify me in the faith, let me be thine own, here in time and there in eternity. "I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God."—Psalm xl. 17. O whither, whither shall I turn?

Jesus, for thee alone I yearn;

In thee my heart has ever found

Repose and comfort most profound;

No one was e'er forsaken yet

Whose trust on Jesus Christ was set.

Aye, my Jesus, on thee I rely from the bottom of my heart; bring to rest my weary limbs, and lift up my soul to the unceasing joys of heaven. Give ear unto my feeble sighs, O Jesus. Be my support in trial; thou, my Beatifier and Saviour, deliver me, release me, and make me happy. Come, quickly, redeem me, refresh me, bless me, have mercy upon me. "Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."—Isaiah xlii. 10. Jesus Christ, the Morning Star,

Brightly beaming from afar,

Be thou nigh unto my soul,

For thy blood hath made me whole;

Help me, that without dismay

Hence I may depart this day;

Pour thy light where I betake me,

Let thy comforts not forsake me.

Jesus, my sole advocate with thy heavenly Father, thou who sittest at the right hand of God, O pray for me, a poor sinner, now, in the hour of my death; I am not afraid, because thou art with me; yea, most precious Holy Ghost, thou Comforter in all distress, abide with me even unto the end. I have strong assistance; my Father is with me, my Jesus is with me, the Holy Ghost is with me, the angels are with me, and I will die with joy.

"I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me to counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."—Psalm lxxiii. 23, 24.

O let me never waiver

From thee, Lord Jesus Christ;

Give strength unto my weakness,

Let me not be despised.

Help me to battle stoutly

And give thy utmost heed,

That I at last may triumph,

And in the Lord succeed.

By thy agony and bloody sweat help me, dear

Lord and God! I will not swerve from thee, O depart not from me. Jesus! when my struggle begins, help me to strive, help me to conquer and to overcome. I am thine own, then guide me through every terror, to joy, to bliss and to glory. If thou art with me, I am not afraid, I shall be happy, I shall enter into life eternal.

"Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."—Matthew xxv. 23.

O I wait, with trepidation

For the joyous time to come,

When thou, from the gates of heaven,

Shalt arrive, to take me home.

Come, let my old sins not grieve thee,

My heart yearneth to receive thee,

Hasten, hasten to my side,

As the bridegroom to the bride.

Jesus, by the help of thy Spirit I will be faithful to thee until death. I will not swerve from thee, Friend of my soul, my Shepherd! I will not leave thee, bridegroom of my soul! Without thee, nothing can make me rejoice. Guide me, Friend of my soul, from wretchedness to joy, from wailing to bliss. "I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another."—Job xix. 25, 26, 27. My better life is Jesus,

Death is my surest gain,

I meet it with rejoicing,

For what I shall attain.

I will depart most gladly

To Christ, sweet brother mine;

To him when I am gathered,

I shall no more repine.

I commend myself, O triune God, into thy kind protection, my dearly purchased soul I resign into thy hands; I die, and shall rise again; I die, and shall live eternally in heaven. triune God, take me to thy rest and to glory, shorten my pains, soothe my dying hour; comfort me with the inward comfort of thy Holy

Ghost, and do not take it from me. In the merits of Jesus I live and die. Let me soon see thy glad face in the eternal bliss of heaven.

"I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."—Psalm xvii. 15.

O, already I have witnessed

This surpassing gorgeousness;

Now they beautifully robe me

In my snowy wedding dress;

Now they crown me with the golden

Crown ne'er on the earth beholden;

Now upon such joy I gaze

As no human tongue can trace.

O my Jesus! my soul rejoices in thinking of the glory which thou hast prepared for me. I gladly leave the world, for I go to my Jesus, to the bridegroom of my soul. O how joyous and happy shall I be when thou wilt refresh my soul after its many sufferings, sorrows and trials.

"We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."—2 Cor. v. 1.

There shall be the life of gladness,

Where so many thousand souls,

Stand in the primeval brightness

That from God's high throne outrolls,

Where the seraphim in glory

Still repeat the wondrous story,

"Holy, holy, three in one,

God the Father, Ghost and Son."

O dear Lord Jesus, seal this comfort upon my heart, that I shall reach the glorious mansions of heaven. When I shall leave this house and this my dying bed, what a splendid dwelling, what a blissful retreat will Jesus have prepared for me! There shall be no more dread, wailing, or sorrow, but joy, comfort and happiness. Do not depart from me, I will never depart from thee; unto thee I will cleave, upon thy grace I rely, in thy comfort I die, justify and save me. "The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and lamentation shall flee away."—Isaiah xxxv. 10. Spite of doubts and spite of terror,

Well I know that I, ere long,

Shall behold my Lord and Saviour

Sitting in the heavenly throng.

Here our life is overcast

With distress, and death at last;

But above are only peace,

Peace and joy that never cease.

O Jesus, take me quickly to thy heavenly Zion. Long enough have I eaten the bread of tears: let me soon taste the sweet bread of the angels and of heaven. Sighs and sorrow were my daily companions here; but give my soul a glimpse of thy glory, give me joy after my sorrows, refresh me in thee and through thee, eternally. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, and I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."—2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. Now I have fully vanquished

Cross, suffering, dread and pain;

By the five wounds he languished,

God is my friend again.

O Jesus, help me to overcome, when the last struggle begins, bestead me, and it will be easy; sustain me when I am powerless, my helper! Help me in my dread and feebleness. Let thy grace strengthen me, thy blood refresh me, thy hand keep me, thy merit cover my sins; keep me, wretched one, in thy arms, refresh me when I faint. After the battle comes the crown, after the contest the victory. O how gloriously shall I be adorned and crowned by my Jesus after death! Show me the crown which is laid up for me, and gladden my spirit with thy consoling presence. " Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."—Rev. ii. 10. " He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment."—Ib. iii. 5. Behold the wreath triumphant

That girds a victor's brow,

Behold the shining radiance

That beams around me now;

I wear the crown of glory,

I shine in heavenly light;

The Son of God, my Jesus,

He has me thus bedight.

The love of Jesus I will never leave; I have loved him in my days of health, and will love him even to the end. O Jesus, for the sake of thy five holy wounds, preserve me in thy love, I will remain faithful unto thee, and die faithful unto thee. Jesus in my heart, Christ in my mind, in the name of Jesus I close my eyes. " I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord."—Rom. viii. 38, 39. Jesus I will love forever,

Here and in eternity;

Though I be severely harassed

By distress and agony,

What care I for death or dread?

Jesus will my soul bestead,

And conduct me through this sadness

To the realms of heavenly gladness.

This is my resolve: not to leave my Jesus. I remain in the faith, I cleave to him; death severs soul and body, but it cannot separate me from the love of God. Jesus is mine and I am his; I lay me in the arms of Jesus, therein I will live and die, blessed and happy.

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."—James i. 12.

Most anxious is my longing

To have a blessed relief;

For I am here surrounded

With trouble and with grief;

I long to leave behind me

This wretched world below,

To seek the joys of heaven

O Jesus, let me go.

O come quickly, Lord Jesus, come quickly to me, and take me into thy peace; give me patience and strength, I resign myself to thee entirely, body and soul; keep me in the faith, even unto my blissful end. O Jesus, by thy grace and mercy help me to eternal joy and happiness.

Lord God, thou art my refuge evermore, my comfort, my deliverer; take the soul that sighs for thee.

"Into thine hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth."—Psalm xxxi. 5.

E'en as a scared and timid bird

In hollow trees takes cover,

When darkness broods upon the woods,

In air the tempests hover;

E'en so, dear Lord, thy wounds afford

A comfort and a shelter;

When sin and death, with poisoned breath,

Would make my spirit welter.

Thus well I know, though here below

Body and soul must sever,

Yet I shall be at last with thee

In bliss and peace forever.

My sole refuge in death art thou, O triune

God! the mercy of the Father, the bloody wounds of Jesus Christ, and the goodness of the

Holy Ghost. Unto this triune God I commend my body and my soul. O receive thy pigeon, I come in haste; spread out thy wings, O Jesus, and receive thy chicken; if Satan would devour me, then let thy angels sing, this child shall not be harmed.

32*

"Ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect."—Hebrews xii. 22, 23. Lord, I am ready quite to doff this mortal cover,

And in transparent sheen before thy throne to hover;

What longer should I seek here in this world of woes,

O take me to thy bliss, and give me sweet repose.

Lord, hie with me away! I would be carried rather

To heaven, where the joys of light shall round me gather.

And where thy presence still upon my soul shall glow;

O hie with me away! I am prepared to go.

My Jesus, how beautiful will be the sight when I shall behold thee in thy glory, and meet all the angels and the chosen in heaven. I rejoice in this anticipation. I leave the earth, and come to glory; I leave misery and come to joy; I leave the society of men, and come to the holy angels.

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never verish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."— John ix. 27, 28.

I of thy body am a part,

This is my joy forever;

And from thee neither life nor death

Nor sorrow can me sever.

For where thou art there I shall be,

And evermore abide with thee;

Therefore I go rejoicing.

Aye, Jesus, my Shepherd, take thy lamb to the joys of heaven, and let not Satan pluck thee from my hand. Satan has no part and no right in me, but thine I am, and thine I will ever be.

Take my weary soul into thy arms, and carry it into eternal bliss. O how happy shall I be with Jesus!

"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them."—Rev. xiv. 13.

Lord, with my bitter gall of death,

Mingle a drop of gladness,

And grant that my poor flickering heart

May break with gentle sadness;

Quenched like a taper, in the flood

Of thy beloved atoning blood,

Poured out for my redemption.

O Lord, assure my soul of this comfort that I shall die in thee. Jesus, thou hast lived in me and I in thee; in thee, therefore, will I die, in thy love, in thy wounds, in thy grace; bring me to eternal life, where I shall rest from all my labors, from my sufferings and pains. O Jesus, hear me! Come, Lord Jesus!

"The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom; to whom be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."—2 Tim. iv. 18. Praise God! The hour of gladness

Hast burst upon my sadness:

To Paradise I fly.

Ye must not weep, ye pious;

Grief shall no more come nigh us.

Glory be to the Lord on high.

The Saviour does not tarry,

But hastes his own to carry

Out of this vale of tears;

A quick and happy ending

Shall be our joyous wending

To what afar so bright appears.

Great God! think on me with favor, and have mercy upon me; O give me a rational, quiet and gentle departure. The day of my death is the day of my redemption, and the hour of my dissolution is the hour in which I am to enter upon joys eternal. O preserve my reason to the end of my life; let me joyfully hear the consolation held out to me, and grant, if it is thy holy will, that I may yet manifest to those around my faith and hope, and thus, by a happy end, deliver me from all evil. "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."—Matt. xxv. 34. In heaven, are happy mansions,

Where, with the wedding dress,

My Jesus shall compensate

His loved one's wretchedness.

There doth the body twinkle

Brighter than precious gems;

Light streams, without a shadow,

From skies of diadems.

O my Jesus, when I quit this frame, let me also hear this voice say to my soul, "Come, thou blessed one," let body and soul be taken with these words on the last day to eternal glory. Meantime I cleave to thee in faith, and in thee and through thee attain the blessing and the inheritance. "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness."—Isaiah lxi. 10. Zion, fair, and bright, and beauteous,

Thou dost wear most dazzling sheen;

Sounds of music, full of sweetness,

Issue from thy bowers serene;

See how brightly breaks the morning,

Rosy red the hills adorning;

Now the gladsome day is here,

Which shall never disappear.

The joy of heaven sweetens all the bitterness of death. Death is not bitter, Jesus is with me, he comforts and preserves me. O my God! gird me with the robe of heavenly gladness, thou who hast covered me with the robe of righteousness. Thy righteousness is my righteousness, and therefore I know, that because I have grown righteous by faith, I have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, aye, I have the anticipation of life and salvation; how beautifully shall I then be adorned before thee. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life."—John iii. 16. I believe, Lord! Help my weakness,

Let me nevermore despair;

Thou canst give me strength and courage,

When assailed by sin and care.

Thy desert is my abiding

Trust, nor shall I cease confiding,

'Till I see thee face to face,

In thy eternal resting place.

O, dearest God and Father, let me depart hence gently and softly in Jesus; I know that thou hast loved me, and given me thy Son, in whom I have believed and will believe to the latest moment of my life. O give me, through thy Holy Ghost, the assurance that I shall not be lost! Strengthen my faith, that, what I have beheld, I may soon behold in the life eternal! O Jesus, stand by me, and do not forsake me. "Know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."—1 Peter i. 18, 19. Thou, thou hast paid my ransom

From fiends, hell, sin and death;

It was thy blood so precious,

Whereon I rest my faith;

Why should I look with terror

On death, and all his crew?

Because thou art my refuge,

I know my bliss is true.

I come before thee, great God! not in the reliance on my own righteousness, but on the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which I have attained by his precious blood. O thou Lamb of God! that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me. O righteous God! look not upon my sins and impurities, but the righteousness and holiness of my Jesus, to which I cling, and on which I die. For his sake be gracious and merciful unto me. "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Acts iv. 12. For me, Jesus died and suffered,

Of his death I reap the gain;

He has purchased my salvation,

Therefore I rejoice in pain;

I rejoice to flee the annoyance

Of the world for heavenly joyance,

With such bliss my spirits swell

As no earthly tongue can tell.

Jesus, my sole salvation and my refuge, I come to thee in my dying hour, and beseech thee to have mercy upon me, and not to forsake me. The sweet name of Jesus and the memory of his blood, his wounds, and his holy person, shall henceforth dwell on my lips, and in my heart and thoughts. Lord Jesus, for thee I live, for thee I die, dead and living I am thine. Amen. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."—1 John ii. 1, 2. And thus I go to Jesus Christ

Where all my wishes center;

No hand of earth shall rouse me from

The sleep on which I enter.

For Jesus Christ, on whom I wait,

Will open wide the heavenly gate,

And usher me to glory.

O great God, the time is at hand for me to leave this world, and to appear before thy judgment seat; O heavenly Father, have mercy upon me, and graciously receive me as thy child, which thou hast created and loved. O Jesus, pray for me, thou art my Mediator, Advocate, and Saviour. Take away my sins and clothe me in thy righteousness, and I shall be saved.

O most precious Holy Ghost! dwell in me and in my heart, so that thou mayst bring me to the happy mansions of heaven.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in times of need." —Hebrews iv. 12.

Invigorate me with thy grace,

Heal me with thy contusion;

Wash me with thy atoning blood,

And save me from confusion.

And, when it likes thee, take me off

In silence from this world of chaff

To where thy chosen linger.

O yes! for the sake of Jesus I shall obtain grace and mercy. Lord God Father in heaven, have mercy upon me! Lord God Son, the

Saviour of the world, have mercy upon me!

Lord God Holy Ghost, have mercy upon me, and be gracious and merciful unto me. Amen.

"God hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."—2 Cor. v. 21.

Into thy open side I hasten

When death shall take me by the hand;

Thy wounds shall be the spreading portals,

That guide me to the promised land,

To the bliss of paradise,

Which the thief did exercise;

Thither thou, dear Lord, wilt lead me,

And with heavenly manna feed me.

Jesus, thou hast taken away my sins, thou hast conferred thy righteousness upon me;

whereof I am glad, and take great comfort.

Christ's saving blood and righteousness

My comfort is, and gorgeous dress;

Therein by God I shall be seen

When into heaven I enter in.

In the new Jerusalem, God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of believers; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain."—Rev xxi. 4.

Thrice, thrice happy are ye, true believers,

Who through death are of his grace receivers;

No more embarrassed

By the troubles by which we are harassed.

Christ himself doth dry your eyes of weeping,

Yours the badge, no more the vigil keeping.

Ye are delighted

By the songs to which no mortals are invited.

Come, O Jesus, come, unwarp, unwind me;

Take me quickly from the chains that bind me.

In thy environs

The faithful clasp their hands, unclamped with irons.

O Jesus, I rejoice in anticipation of the hour when I shall behold thy joy-inspiring face.

Then shall my body shine as the sun, and mine eyes no more be wet with tears, but beaming with light and glory; in thee I find joy and comfort. My sojourn here is fleeting, but with thee I have my true and eternal home.

"If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellow ship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin."—1 John i. 7.

When I at last shall see what now

I but behold in story,

Thy blood shall be my purple robe,

Thy cross my crown of glory.

This crown of glory I will don,

And come before thy Father's throne,

Where angels stand and wonder.

Thus, as thy glad and blooming bride

I will be standing at thy side,

In those bright regions yonder.

I am in the communion of my Jesus, and therein I live and die. There is nothing damnable in me, because I am in communion with him. Jesus' blood sanctifies and cleanseth me.

O heavenly Father, see this is the righteousness of thy Son, therefore I come to thee.

"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."—John i. 29.

O Lamb of God! All guiltless

Upon the cross defeated;

Evermore meek and patient,

Though scoffed and sorely treated.

But for thy saving mercies

We should have died in curses.

Jesus! have mercy on us!

Christ, thou Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me!

Christ, thou Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, leave me thy temporal and eternal peace. Amen.

"Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me."—1 John xvii. 24.

If 'tis thy will, O come at once,

And happily transport me!

O to be with thee evermore

Alone can now support me.

Swing open wide, ye heavenly gates,

That, after my probation straits,

I may repose in Jesus.

What a glad and happy meeting it will be when I shall come to thee in heaven, O Jesus!

and behold thee face to face! I have loved thee even here below, ere yet I have seen thee; with what unspeakable joy, then, shall I hasten to where thou sittest among the saints and the chosen. O how great is thy glory! O draw me up to thee, and prepare me for a happy entrance into thy glory!

"None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself; For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's."—Romans xiv. 7, 8.

Most fervently I love thee, Lord,

O to my prayers and tears accord

Thy grace and thy salvation!

For all the world to me is nought,

Nor heaven nor earth I give a thought,

Wrapped in thy contemplation.

And though my heart of clay should break,

My spirit's faith can never shake;

Thou art my consolation still,

Whose blood has saved my soul from ill

Lord, all my hope is set on thee,

Confounded let me never be!

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VERSES, TEXTS AND PRAYERS

Great God, I have become thine in holy baptism. I have remained thine through faith, let me be thine in death also. O Jesus Christ, the Son of God, thou who hast done so much for me, lock me up in thy wounds; thou art alone my comfort and my help. "Remember that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead."— 2 Tim. ii. 8.

Present thy lovely image

For comfort in my need,

How thou, most gracious Saviour,

For me didst faint and bleed.

My eyes shall rest upon thee,

And I undoubtedly

Unto my heart will ciasp thee,

Dying most happily.

The name of Jesus is deeply graven in my heart. Jesus, I embrace thee, I press thee to my heart; O depart not from me, I pant for thee, my Saviour! Would I were with thee. "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom!

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise."—Luke xxiii. 42, 43.

Thou to thy Father didst commend,

O Jesus, at thy bitter end,

Thy most adored Spirit.

FOR THE DYING

Then, dearest Jesus, take my soul,

That yearns to dwell in thy control,

And thy repose inherit.

Dip it into thy open side,

And, by thy blood all purified,

Keep it as thine forever.

Jesus, my only wish is thy grace and mercy.

O take my soul, purchased by thy crimson blood, into thy holy hands. O be it commended unto thee, that it may be with thee in paradise.

Lord Jesus, remember me, I am thy child, I was purchased for thine own with thy precious blood. Let me be with thee this day in thy glory.

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."—1 Tim. i. 15. Jesus, all my sin and sorrow,

Thou hast flooded in thy blood,

O Redeemer! let it profit

For my true eternal good,

And if thou, by thy contrition

Hast defeated my perdition,

O release me then at last,

That my sufferings may be past.

Lord, I await thy salvation! Jesus saves sinners, he will save me also. Jesus accepts sinners, he will accept me also. I am the property of Jesus, and so shall remain. I lift up

VERSES, TEXTS AND PRAYERS mine eyes to heaven, and behold Jesus calling me.

"Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever."—Psalm lxxiii. 25, 26. When my last call is sounded,

O be thou surely near!

When death gives his rude summons

Do thou thyself appear.

When my heart shall be shaken

With greatest fear and dread,

With thy still greater suffering

Thyself wilt me bestead.

Jesus, my life is drawing to a close, O take me up to thee. My Shepherd, take thy sheep, my Father, take thy lamb, my Jesus, take the soul thou hast purchased with thy blood. This I desire, thus I pray, and thus I close my eyes. "After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."—Rev. vii. 9, 14. Who are those so greatly gathered

Round the throne and round the Lamb?

On their heads are crowns of glory,

In each hand a waving palm.

FOR THE DYING.

Hallelujah all they sing

To the Lord and heavenly King.

O what great and blissful wonder

When, upon the lofty throne

We shall look on God, the Father,

Son, and Holy Ghost, in one!

God! for thee are still in store

Songs of praise for evermore.

My Jesus, I anticipate with rejoicing the white robe and the golden crown which thou wilt give me. Meantime I wash my soul in thy holy blood, and appropriate it to myself; O for its sake take me up to the joys of heaven. "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."—Luke xxiii 26. "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."—Acts vii. 58. Jesus, to thee I give my heart,

My God, my God, do not depart,

Into thy hands receive me;

O God indeed, from every need,

From death and sin relieve me.

O my Jesus! thy last word upon the cross shall also be the last word of my life. Jesus, I live to thee, I die to thee, dead and living I am thine. "We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."—2 Pet. iii. 13. City of God, O golden light,

O dwelling of all gladness!

When shall I see the face of God,

When reach the end of sadness?

When shall I taste the luscious savor

Of his divine and thrilling favor?

With anxious longing here I sigh;

O friend of souls come quickly nigh.

O Lord, how great will be my joy

When this sad life is ended,

And I shall pass into the home

Thou hast for me intended.

O will the happy hour still tarry

That up to heaven my soul does carry?

O Lord, when will the time arrive

That Zion makes my heart revive?

Most holy Trinity! take my soul into thy realm of heavenly joys. O come, Lord Jesus, I wait for thee; O take me to thy glory. Lord God the Father, what thou hast created, Lord God the Son, what thou hast saved, Lord God the Holy Ghost, what thou hast hallowed, I commend into thy hands; to thy holy name be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen. SIGHS AND PRAYERS OF A DYING MAN.