Now therefore show me graciously,
How I may meet death happily.

My God! I know not when I must
Away; no moment glides securely.
How soon a potsherd breaketh into dust!
The flower it fades how easily!
Therefore but ever make me ready
Now in time for my eternity.

My God! I know not how I am to die,
For death its ways hath variously.
To one there is a bitter sev'rance of life's tie:
Another passeth off most peacefully.
Still as thou wilt; grant me only this,
My end may not be reasonless.

My God! I know not where I am to die,

Nor where's the sand 'neath which my grave

shall lie

Still let but this my blessed heirship be,

That thy good Word to life may waken me;

Then take I gladly any clime whatever,

For all the earth is thine in every part whatever.

Now, dearest God! if I indeed must die,
Then, take thou to thee, take my spirit,
Christ's blood its only bath and merit.

And have I Jesus only to me nigh,

Then 'tis all one to my poor heart,
When, how and where, must I depart.

TRIUMPH IN DEATH.

[Written in the immediate prospect of death, by Richard Langhorn, an English lawyer, who, by means of false witnesses, was unjustly convicted of high treason, and executed during the reign of Charles II.

It is told me I must die.

O happy news!

Be glad, oh my soul,

And rejoice in Jesus thy Saviour.

If he intended thy perdition,

Would he have laid down his life for thee?

Would he have expected thee with so much pas

tience?

And given thee so long a time for penance? Would he have called thee with so much love? And illuminated thee with the light of his Spirit? Would he have drawn thee with so great force? And favored thee with so many graces?

Would he have given thee so many good desires? Would he have set the seal of the predestinate upon thee?

And dressed thee in his own livery?

Would he have given thee his own cross?

And given thee shoulders to bear it with patience?

It is told me I must die.

O happy news!

Come on, my dearest soul.

Behold! thy Jesus calls thee.

He prayed for thee upon his cross ;

There he bowed down his head to kiss thee;
There he cried out with a powerful voice,
"Father, receive him, he is mine."

There he opened his heart to give thee entrance;
There he gave up his life to purchase life for thee.

It is told me I must die.

O, happy news!

I shall be freed from misery;

I shall no more suffer pain;

I shall no more be subject to sin;

shall no more be in danger of being damned. But from henceforth I shall see, and I shall live; I shall praise, and I shall bless

And this I shall always do,

Without ever being weary of doing what I always aim to do.

It is told me I must die.

O, what happiness!

I am going to the place of my rest;

To the land of the living, to the haven of security ;

To the kingdom of peace;

To the palace of my God;

To the nuptial of the Lamb;

To sit at the table of my King, to feed on bread of angels;

To see what no eye hath seen;

To hear what no ear hath heard ;

To enjoy what the heart of man cannot comprehend!

O, my Father, thou art the best of all fathers. Have pity on the most wretched of all thy children. I was lost, but by thy mercy am now found;

I was dead, but by thy grace am now raised again; I was gone astray after vanity,

But I am now ready to appear before thee.

O, my father, come now in mercy, and receive thy

child;

Give him the kiss of peace;

Remit unto him all his sins;

Clothe him with thy nuptial robe;

Receive him into thy house;

Permit him to have a place at thy feast,

And forgive all those who are guilty of his death.

CHILDLIKE SUBMISSION.

"The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it ?"-John xviii: 11.

Musing of all my Father's love,
(How sweet it is!)

Methought I heard a gentle voice

Child, here's a cup:

I've mixed it drink it up."

My heart did sink — I could no more rejoice.

O Father, dost thou love thy child?
Then why this cup?

"One day, my child, I said to thee
"Here is a flower

Plucked from a beauteous bower:

Did you complain? or take it thankfully?

"One day I gave thee pleasant fruit

From a choice tree:

How pleased, how grateful you did seem:
You said I love

Thee: faithful may I prove!'

Your heart was full; with joy your eyes did beam.

"That flower was mine

This cup is mine,

that fruit was mine:

And all that 's in it comes from me."

Father, I'm still;