IV.ANOTHER CHRIST-SONG.From heaven the angel-troop come nearAnd to the shepherds plain appear:A tender little child, they cry,In a rough manger lies hard by,In Bethlehem, David’s town of old,As Prophet Micah has foretold;‘Tis the Lord Jesus Christ, I wis,Who of you all the saviour is.And ye may well break out in mirthThat God is one with you henceforth;For he is born your flesh and blood—Your brother is the eternal Good.He will nor can from you go hence;Put you in him your confidence.However many you assail,Defy them—He can never fail!What can death do to you, or sin?The true God is to you come in.Let hell and Satan raging go—The Son of God’s your comrade now!At last you must approval win,For you are now become God’s kin:For this go thanking God alway,Happy and patient every day. Amen.
III. EPIPHANY.Herod, why dreadest thou a foeBecause the Christ comes born below?He seeks no mortal kingdom thus,But brings his kingdom down to us.After the star the wise men go:That light the true light them did show;They signify with presents threeThis child—God, Man, and King to be.In Jordan baptism he did take,This Lamb of God, for our poor sake;Thus he who never did a sinHath washed us clean both out and in.A miracle straightway befell:Six pots of stone—they saw, who tell—Of water full, which, changing, heardAnd turned to red wine at his word.Praise, honour, thanks to thee be said,Jesus, born of the holy maid!With the Father and the Holy Ghost,Now, and henceforward, evermore. Amen.
IV. EASTER.I.Death held our Lord in prisonFor sin that did undo us;But he hath up arisenAnd brought our life back to us.Therefore must we gladsome be,Praise our God, and thankful be,And sing out halleluja! Halleluja!No man yet Death overcame—All sons of men were helpless;Sin for this was all to blame,For no one yet was guiltless.So Death came that early hour,Over us took up the power,Us held in’s kingdom captive. Halleluja!Jesus Christ, God’s only Son,Into our place descending,Away with all our sins hath done,And therewith from Death rendingRight and might, made him a jape,Left him nothing but Death’s shape:His ancient sting—he has lost it: Halleluja!That was a right wondrous strifeWhen Death in Life’s grip wallowed:Off victorious came Life,Death he hath upswallowed.Scripture itself has told us that—How one Death the other ate:[3]Now is Death become a laughter. Halleluja![Footnote 3: Certain eastern tales of rival enchanters seem to have beenpresent to Luther’s mind when he thought of our Lord as the Death of Evildevouring the Death of Good. I have translated very closely.]Here is the true Easter-lamb,That God said must be shared,Which up on the cross’s stemIn Love’s fire is prepared.His blood on our door-post lies;Faith holds that before Death’s eyes:The destroyer dares not touch us: Halleluja!So we keep high feast of grace!Hearty the joy and glee isThat shines on us from his face:The sun himself, ah! he is,Who, by his brightness divine,Through and through makes our hearts shine:The night of our sins is over. Halleluja!We eat—and well so we fare—True Easter cakes sans leaven;For th’ old leaven shall not shareIn the new word from heaven.Christ himself will be the food,He alone fill us with good:Faith will live on nothing other. Halleluja!
II. A SONG OF PRAISE FOR EASTER.Jesus Christ, our Saviour trueHe who Death overthrew,Is up arisen,And sin hath put in prison.Kyrieeleison.Born whom Mary sinless hath,Bore he for us God’s wrath,Hath reconciled us:Favour God doth now yield us.Kyrieeleison.Death and sin, and life and grace,All to his hands we trace:He can deliverAll who seek the life-giver.Kyrieeleison.
V. PENTECOST.I.Come, God, Creator, Holy Ghost,Visit the heart of all thy men;Fill them with grace the way thou know’st:What was thine, make so again;Our Comforter to soothe or chide;The blessed gift of highest God!A ghostly chrism to us applied,Live streams—fire—love spread abroad!O kindle in our minds a light;Give in our hearts love’s glowing gift;Our weak flesh, known to thee aright,With thy strength and grace uplift.In giving gifts thou art sevenfold—The finger thou on God’s right hand!His word by thee right soon is toldWith clov’n tongues in every land.Drive far the cunning of the foe;Thy grace bring peace and make us whole,That we glad after thee may go,And shun that which hurts the soul.Teach us to know the Father right,And Jesus Christ, his son, that soWe may with faith be filled quite,Spirit of both, thee to know!Praise God the Father, and the SonWho from the dead arose in power;Like praise to the Consoling One,Evermore and every hour! Amen.
II.Come, Holy Spirit, Lord and God,Fill full with thine own gracious goodThy faithful ones’ heart, mind, desire!Light in them of thy love the fire.O Lord, through thy light, flashing fast,Into the faith thou gathered hastPeople of all tongues under heaven:That to thy glory, Lord, be given!Halleluja! Halleluja!Thou holy light, retreat from strife,Cause shine on us the word of life,That we the truth of God gather,Call him heartily our Father.O Lord, protect us from strange lore,That we for teachers seek no more,But with true faith Jesus solely,And him with all our might trust wholly:Halleluja! Halleluja!Thou holy fire, thou comfort sweet,Now help us; with good cheer us meet;That in thy service nought shake us,Trouble never leave thee make us.O Lord, by thy might us prepare,And make the weak flesh strong to bear,That we strive[4] like knights campaigning,Through death and life to thee straining:Halleluja! Halleluja![Footnote 4: The Scotchwarslewould be perfect.]
III.A SONG OF PRAISE.Now let us pray the Holy Ghost,Of all things, for the true faith most,In that to preserve us when we are dying,And going home out of this vale of crying:Kyrioleis.Thou noble light, shine as thou hast shone;Teach us to know Jesus Christ alone,That we the true Saviour hold by the handWho us has brought to the real fatherland:Kyrioleis.Thou sweet Love, grant us thy favour, that soWe feel of thy love the inward glow,That we from our hearts may love each the other,Dwelling in peace, of one mind together:Kyrioleis.Comfort highest, in danger or blameHelp us to fear neither death nor shame;Nor let weak senses with fears confuse usWhen the enemy comes to accuse us:Kyrioleis.
VI. THE TRINITY.I.God, the Father, with us be,Let us not fall to badness;Make us from all sinning free,And help us die in gladness.‘Gainst the devil well us ware,And keep our faith from failing,Our hope in thee from quailing.Our hearts upon thee staying,Make us wholly trust thy care!Us, with good Christians sharing,Save from the devil snaring,Him with God’s weapons daring.Amen! well now may we fare!Now sing we Halleluja!Jesus, Master, with us be,Let us not fall to badness; &c.Holy Spirit, with us be,Let us not fall to badness; &c.
II.Thou who art three in unity,A true God from eternity,The sun’s daylight withdraws his shine:Lighten us with thy light divine.At morn we praise thee with the day,At evening, too, to thee we pray;Our poor song glorifieth theeNow, ever, and eternally.God, Father, always be adored!God, Son, thou art our only Lord!Thee Comforter, the Holy Ghost,We praise now and for evermore! Amen.
VII. THE CHURCH AND WORD OF GOD.I.THE TWELFTH PSALM.Ah God, from heaven look down and view;Let it thy pity waken;Behold thy saints how very few!We wretches are forsaken.Thy word they grant nor true nor right,And faith is thus extinguished quiteAmong the sons of Adam.They teach a cunning false and fine—In their own wits they found it;Their heart in one doth not combine,Nor on God’s word they ground it;One chooses this, the other that;Endless division they are at,And yet they keep smooth faces.God will outroot the teachers allWho with false shows present us;Besides, their proud tongues loudly call—Tush! tush!—who can prevent us?We have the right and might in full;And what we say, that is the rule;Who dares to give us lessons!Therefore saith God: I must be up;My poor ones ill are faring;Their sighs crowd up to Zion’s top.My ear their cry is hearing.My wholesome word shall speedilyWith comfort fill them, fresh and free,And strength be to the needy.Silver that seven times is triedWith fire, is found the purer;God’s word the same test must abide—It still comes out the surer.It shall by crosses proved be;Men shall its power and glory seeShine strong upon the nations.God will its purity defendFrom this ill generation.Let us ourselves to thee commendLest we fall from our station;The godless rout is all aroundWhere these rude wanton ones are foundAgainst thy folk exalted.
II.THE FOURTEENTH PSALM.Although the fools say with their mouth:Great God, we magnify him;Their heart cares nothing for the truth,In action they deny him.Their being is corrupted quite;To God it is a horrid sight;Not one of them works goodness.From heaven God downward cast his eyeUpon men’s sons so many;He set himself to look and spyIf he could find out anyWho their own reason up had stirredEarnestly to obey God’s word,After his will enquiring.Upon the right path there was none;From it they all were straying;Each followed fancies of his own,Them to ill deeds bewraying.Not one of them did good even once,Though many, fooled by arrogance,Thought God with them well pleased.How long by lies will they be ledWho vain attempts redouble!They eat my people up as bread,And live upon their trouble!In God stands not their confidence;From ill they ask not his defence:They would themselves look after.Therefore their heart is never stillBut always full of fearing.Dwell with the good the Father will,Those who have ears for hearing.But ye despise the poor man’s ways,And scorn at everything he saysConcerning God his comfort.Who will to Israel, poor flock—To Zion send salvation?God will take pity on his folk,And free his captive nation;That will he do through Christ his Son—And then is Jacob’s weeping done,And Isr’el filled with gladness. Amen.
III.THE FOURTY-SIXTH PSALM.Our God he is a castle strong,A good mail-coat and weapon;He sets us free from every wrongThat wickedness would heap on.The ancient wicked foeHe means earnest now;Force and cunning slyHis horrid policy,—On earth there’s no one like him!Our strength is vain; do what we canOur hopes are soon dejected;But He fights for us, the right man,By God himself elected.Ask’st thou who is this?Jesus Christ it is;He is the Lord of HostsIn whom his people boasts;And he must win the battle.And did the world with devils swarmAll gaping to devour us,We fear not from them the least harm;Success lies sure before us.This world’s prince accurst,Let him rage his worst,Only roars about;His doom it is gone out,A word can overthrow him.The Word they’ll have to let it bide,Nor there claim any merit;He is with us, and on our sideWith his own gifts and spirit!Let them take our life,Goods, name, child, and wife—Everything may go:To them it is no gain;The kingdom ours remaineth.
IV.THE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOURTH PSALM.Were God not with us all the time—Israel may loud declare it—Were God not with us all the time,We must have now despaired;For we are such a little flockDespised by such a crowd of folk,Who all do set upon us!‘Gainst us so angry is their mood,If God had given them tetherUs they had swallowed where we stood,Body and soul together.We should have been drowned all, like thoseO’er whom the waters great did close,And swept them off relentless.Thank God! their throat who did not letUs swallow when it gaped;As from a snare a bird doth flitSo is our soul escaped.The snare’s in two, and we are through:The name of God it standeth true,The God of earth and heaven. Amen.
V.A CHILDREN’S SONG, TO SING AGAINST THE TWO ARCHENEMIES OF CHRIST AND HISHOLY CHURCH, THE POPE AND THE TURKS.Lord, keep us by thy word in hope,And check the murder of Turk and Pope,Who Jesus Christ, thine only Son,Would fain from off thy throne cast down.Proof of thy strength, Lord Christ, afford,For thou of all the lords art Lord;Thy own poor Christendom defend,That it may praise thee without end.God Holy Ghost, who Comfort art,Give to thy folk on earth one heart;Stand by us breathing our last breath;Into life lead us out of death.
VI.A SONG OF THE HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH, FROM THE TWELFTH CHAPTER OF THEAPOCALYPSE.Her, the worthy maid, my heart doth hold,And I shall not forget her.Praise, honour, virtue of her are told;Than all I love her better.I seek her good,And if I shouldRight evil fare,I do not care:With that she’ll make me merry!With love and truth that never tireGlad she will make me very,And do all my desire.She wears a crown of pure gold, whereTwelve stars their rays are twining;Her raiment like the sun is fair,And bright from far is shining.Her feet the moonAre set upon;She is the brideBy Jesus’ side!She hath sorrow, must be motherTo her fair child, the noble Son,Of all men lord and brother,Her king, her crowned one.That makes the old dragon ramp and roar;The child he tries to swallow;His rage is rage and nothing more!No hurt that rage will follow.The child up highInto the skyAway is heft,And he is leftOn earth, all mad with murder.The mother all alone is she,But God will watch and ward her,And her true Father be.
VII.A SONG CONCERNING THE TWO MARTYRS OF CHRIST, BURNT AT BRUSSELS BY THESOPHISTS OF LOUBAINE, WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE YEAR 1523.A new song here shall be begun—The Lord God help our singing!—Of what our God himself hath done,Praise, honour to him bringing:At Brussels in the Netherlands,By two young boys, He graciousDisplays the wonders of his hands,Giving them gifts right precious,And richly them adorning.The first right fitly John was named,So rich he in God’s favour;His brother, Henry—one unblamed,Whose salt had lost no savour.From this world they are gone away,The diadem they’ve gained!Honest, like God’s good children, theyFor his word life disdained,And have become his martyrs.The ancient foe on them laid hold,With terrors did enwrap them;To lie against God’s word them told,With cunning would entrap them:From Louvaine too, to see the gameAnd in his crust nets take them,Many a sophist gathered came:The Spirit fools did make them—Their cunning could gain nothing.Oh! they sung sweet, and they sung sour;Oh! they tried every double;The boys they stood firm as a tower,And mocked the sophists’ trouble.The serpent old it filled with hateTo be thuswise defeatedBy two such youngsters—he, so great!—His wrath sevenfold was heated,And he resolved to burn them.Their cloister-garments off they tore,Undid their consecrations;All this the boys were ready for,And said Amen with patience.To God their Father they gave thanksThat they would soon be rescuedFrom Satan’s scoffs and mumming pranks,Whereby with false pretencesThe world he so befooleth.Then gracious God did grant to themTo pass true priesthood’s border,And offer up themselves to him,Thus entering Christ’s own order;So to the world to die outright,With falsehood make a schism;And coming to heaven pure and whiteGive monkery the besom,And leave behind men’s prattle.They wrote for them a paper small:At their request they read it;They showed them every point there, allTo which themselves gave credit.There was an error great indeed!In God we should trust solely:To cheat and lie, man maketh speed;We should distrust him wholly:For that they burn to ashes.Two awful fires they kindled then,The boys they carried to them;Great wonder seizes every manThat with contempt they view them.With joy themselves they yielded quite,With singing and God-praising:The sophists had small appetiteFor these new things so dazingWhich God was thus revealing.They now repent the deed of blame,Would gladly gloze it over;They dare not glory in their shame;The facts almost they cover.In their hearts gnaweth infamy—They to their friends deplore it:The Spirit cannot silent be;Good Abel’s blood out-pouredMust still old Cain discover!To spread, their ashes will not cease;Into all lands they scatter;Stream, hole, ditch, grave will them release;All winds shall tell the matter.Them whom from life their murderous handDrove down to silence triple,They hear them now in every land,In tongues of every people,Go about gladly singing.Still their foul lies they will not leave,But trim and dress the murther;The fable false which out they giveShows conscience grinds them further.God’s holy ones, even after death,They still go on belying;They say that with their latest breathThe boys, in act of dying,Repented and recanted!Let them lie on for evermore—Nothing by that they’re gaining;For us, we thank our God therefore:His word is yet remaining!Even at the door is summer nigh,The winter hard is ended,The tender flowers come out to spy:His hand when once extendedStays not till it has finished. Amen.
VIII. GRACE.I.THE SIXTY-SEVENTH PSALM.Would that the Lord would grant us grace,And in his volume write us!With its clear shining let his faceTo life eternal light us;That we may know his work at length,And what men him have faith in;And Jesus Christ our health and strengthBe known to all the heathen,And unto God convert them.God then will thank, and thee will praiseThe heathen with glad voices;Let all the world for joy upraiseA song with mighty noises,Because thou art earth’s judge, O Lord,Nor leav’st the righteous quailing;Thy word it is both bed and board,And for all folk availingIn the right path to keep them.Let them thank God, and thee adore,Thy folk of deeds of grace full.The land grows fruitful more and more;Thy word it is successful.Bless us the Father and the Son,And bless us, God, the Holy Ghost,To whom by all be honour done!Before him fear the human host!Now heartily say Amen.
II.THE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHTH PSALM.Happy who in God’s fear doth stay,And in it goeth on his way;Thine own hand thee shall find thy food,So liv’st thou right, and all is good.So shall thy wife be, in thy house,Like vine with clusters plenteous,Thy children sit thy table roundLike olive plants all fresh and sound.See, such rich blessing hangs him onWhom God’s fear maketh live a man;From him the old curse away is wornTo which the sons of men are born.From Zion God will prosper thee;Thou shalt behold continuallyJerusalem’s now happy caseSo pleasing to the God of grace.He will thy days prolong for thee,With goodness ever nigh thee beThat thou with thy sons’ sons may’st dwell,And there be peace in Israel.
III.A SONG OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE BENEFITS MOST GREAT WHICH GOD HATH SHOWN TOUS IN CHRIST.Dear Christians, let us now rejoice,And dance in joyous measure;That, of good cheer, and with one voice,We sing in love and pleasureOf what to us our God hath shown,And the sweet wonder he hath done:Full dearly hath he bought it!Forlorn and lost in death I layA captive to the devil;My sin lay heavy, night and day,For I was born in evil.I fell but deeper for my strifeThere was no good in all my life,For sin had all-possessed me.My good works they were worthless quite,A mock was all my merit;My free will hates God’s judging light,To all good dead and buried.Me to despair my anguish drove,Down unto death my soul did shove:I must be plunged in hell-fire!Then God was sorry on his throneTo see such torment rend me;His tender mercy he thought on,And his good help would send me.He turned to me his father-heart:Ah, then was His no easy part;His very best it cost him!To his dear son he said: Go down;Things go in piteous fashion;Go thou, my heart’s exalted crown,Be the poor man’s salvation.Lift him from out sin’s scorn and scathe;Strangle for him that cruel Death,And take him to live with thee.The son he heard obediently;And, by a maiden mother,Pure, tender—down he came to me,For he must be my brother!Concealed he brought his strength enorm,And went about in my poor form,Meaning to catch the devil.He said unto me: Hold by me,Thy matters I will settle;I give myself all up for thee,And I will fight thy battle.For I am thine, and thou art mine,And my house also shall be thine;The enemy shall not part us.Like water he will shed my blood,Of life my heart bereaving;All this I suffer for thy good—That hold with firm believing;My Life shall swallow up that Death;My innocence bears thy sins, He saith,So henceforth thou art happy.To heaven unto my Father high,From this life I am going;But there thy master still am I,My spirit on thee bestowing,Whose comfort shall thy trouble quell,And teach thy heart to know me well,Thee into all truth guiding.What I have done, what I have said,Thou must go doing, teaching;That so the kingdom of God may spread,To His praise all men reaching.But take heed what men bid thee do—That will corrupt the treasure true:With this last word I leave thee. Amen.
IX. THE COMMANDMENTS.I.These are the holy ten commandsWhich came to us from God’s own handsBy Moses, who thus did his willOn the top of Sinai’s hill.Kyrioleis.I am the Lord thy God alone;Of Gods besides thou shalt have none;Thou shalt thyself trust all to me,And love me right heartily.Kyrioleis.Thou shalt not speak like idle wordThe name of God who is thy Lord;As right or good thou shalt not praiseExcept what God does and says.Kyrioleis.Thou shalt keep holy the seventh day,That rest thou and thy household may;From thine own work thou must keep free,That God his work have in thee.Kyrioleis.Honour thou shall and shalt obeyThy father and thy mother alway;To serve them ready be thy handThat thou live long in the land.Kyrioleis.In anger hot thou shalt not kill,Nor hate, nor take revenge for ill;Be patient and of gentle mood,And ev’n to thy foe do good.Kyrioleis.Thy marriage-bond thou shalt keep clean,That to no other thy heart lean;Thy life thou must keep pure and free,Temperate, with fine chastity.Kyrioleis.Money or goods steal not, nor yetTraffic in others’ blood and sweat;But open wide thy kindly handTo the poor man in thy land.Kyrioleis.Evil reports thou shalt not bear,Nor ‘gainst thy neighbour falsely swear;His innocence thou shalt defend,And hide his shame from foe or friend.Kyrioleis.Thy neighbour’s wife or house to winThou shalt not seek—or aught therein;But wish all good to him may be,As thy own heart doth to thee.Kyrioleis.To us come these commands, that soThou, son of man, thy sins mayst know,And with this lesson thy heart fill,That man must live for God’s will.Kyrioleis.May Christ our Lord help us in this,For he our mediator is;Our own work is a hopeless thing,Wrath alone all it can bring.Kyrioleis.
II.Oh man, wouldst thou live blissfully,And dwell with God eternally,Thou shalt observe the ten commands,Written by God with his hands:Kyrioleis.Thy God and Lord I am alway;No other God shall make thee stray;Thy heart must ever trust in me;Mine own kingdom shalt thou be:Kyrioleis.My name to honour thou shalt heed,And call on me in time of need.Thou shalt keep whole the sabbath day,That so in thee I work may:Kyrioleis.To thy father and mother thouShalt, next me, in obedience bow;None kill, nor yield to anger wild;And keep thy marriage undefiled:Kyrioleis.From any one thou shalt not steal;Falsely with others never deal;Thy neighbour’s wife thou shalt not eye:Let his be his welcomely!Kyrioleis.
X. THE CREED.In one true God we all believe,Maker of the earth and heaven;Who, us as children to receive,Hath himself as father given.Now and henceforth he will feed us;Soul and body, will be round us;‘Gainst mischances all will heed us;Nought shall come on us to wound us.He watches for us, cares, defends;And everything to his might bends.And we believe in Jesus Christ,His son, our Lord. Evermore heSits beside the Father high’st,Equal God in might and glory.He of Mary, the young maiden,Verily was born true humanBy the Holy Ghost. Grief-ladenFor our sakes, lost man and woman,He on the cross expired in faith,And rose again, through God, from death.We believe in the Holy GhostWith the Father and the Saviour,In whom the fearful learn to boast,Who the meek doth crown with favour.Christendom, in earth and heaven,Of one heart and mind he keepeth.Here all sins shall be forgiven;Wake too shall the flesh that sleepeth;After these sufferings there shall beLife to all eternity. Amen.
XI. PRAYER.I.THE LORD’S PRAYER, BRIEFLY AND PLAINLY SET FORTH, AND TURNED INTO METRE.Our Father in the heaven who art,Who tellest all of us, in heartBrothers to be, and on thee call,And wilt have prayer from us all—Grant, not from mouth alone it flow;From deepest heart oh let it go!Hallowed be thy name, O Lord;Amongst us oh keep pure thy word,That we too may live holily,And in thy true name worthily!Defend us, Lord, from lying lore;Thy poor misguided folk restore.Thy kingdom come now here below!And after there on ever go!The Holy Ghost his temple holdIn us with graces manifold!The devil’s wrath and greatness strongCrush, that he do thy church no wrong.Thy will be done the same, Lord God,On earth as in thy high abode!In pain give patience for relief,Obedience in love and grief;All flesh and blood keep off and checkThat ‘gainst thy will makes a stiff neck.Give us this day our daily bread,And all that doth the body stead;From strife and war, Lord, keep us free,From sickness and from scarcity;That we in happy peace may rest,By care and greed all undistrest.Forgive, Lord, all our trespasses,That they to us have no access;As to our debtors we gladly letPass every wrong and every debt.To serve make us all ready beIn honest love and unity.Into temptation lead us not.When th’ evil spirit makes battle hotUpon the left and the right hand,Help us with vigour to withstandFirm in the faith, armed ‘gainst a hostThrough comfort of the Holy Ghost.From all that’s evil free thy sons—The time, the days are wicked ones.Deliver us from endless death;Comfort us in our latest breath;Grant us also a blessed end:Our spirit take into thy hand.Amen! that is, let this come true!Strengthen our faith ever anew,That we may never be in doubtOf that we here have prayed about.In thy name, trusting in thy word,We say a soft Amen, O Lord.
II.THE LITANY.1. Chorus: Kyrie, 2. Chorus: Eleison.1. Christe, 2. Eleison.1. Kyrie, 2. Eleison.1. O Christ, 2. Hear us!1. Lord God, the Father in heaven,1. Lord God, the Son, Saviour of the world,1. Lord God, the Holy Ghost,2. Have pity upon us.1. Be gracious unto us.2. Spare us, dear Lord God.1. Be gracious unto us.2. Help us, dear Lord God.1. From all sins,From all error,From all evil,2. Defend us, dear Lord God.1. From the deceit and wiles of the devil,From violent, sudden death,From pestilence and famine,From war and bloodshed,From uproar and discord,From fire and flood,From hail and tempest,From the eternal death,2. Defend us, dear Lord God.1. Through thy holy birth,Through thy death-struggle and bloody sweat,Through thy cross and death,2. Help us, dear Lord God.1. Through thy holy resurrection and ascension,In our final distress,At the last judgement,2. Help us, dear Lord God.1. We poor sinners pray2. That thou wouldst hear us, dear Lord God!1. And thy holy Church govern and lead.All bishops, parsons, and clerks, keep in the wholesome word and holylife.All factions and offences prevent.All that wander and all that are led astray, bring back.Tread Satan under our feet.Into thy harvest send forth true labourers.Give to the word thy spirit and power.All that are troubled and faint-hearted help and comfort them.To all kings and princes give peace and concord.To our emperor grant constant victory over his enemies.Our governors, and all their mighty ones, guide and defend.Our council, school, and congregation, bless and protect.To all in distress and on a journey, appear with help.To all that are with child and that give suck, grant happy result andgood success.All children and sick persons foster and tend.All prisoners loose and unburden.All widows and orphans defend and provide for.Take pity upon all men.Our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, forgive and convert.The fruits of the earth give and preserve;And graciously hear us.2. Hear us, dear Lord God.1. O Jesus Christ, God’s Son,2. Have pity upon us.1. O thou Lamb of God, that bearest the sins of the world,2. Have pity upon us.1. O thou Lamb of God, that bearest the sins of the world,2. Have pity upon us.1. O thou Lamb of God, that bearest the sins of the world,2. Grant us lasting peace.1. Christ, 2. Hear us.1. Lord, 2. Have pity,1. Christ, 2. Have pity,1. 2. Lord, have pity. Amen.
III.Peach to us in thy mercy grant;In our times, Lord, it settle;Sure there is not another oneAble to fight our battleExcept thee, our Lord God, only.
XII.BAPTISM.A SPIRITUAL SONG, CONCERNING OUR HOLY BAPTISM, WHEREIN IS BRIEFLYCONTAINED WHAT IT IS, WHO HAS INSTITUTED IT, WHERETO IT SERVES, &C.To Jordan when our Lord had gone,His Father’s pleasure willing,He took his baptism of St. John,His work and charge fulfilling;Therein he did appoint a bathTo wash us from defilement,And there to drown that cruel DeathIn his blood of assoilment:‘Twas no less than a new life.Let all then hear and right receiveThe baptism of the Father;And learn what Christians must believe,Shunning where heretics gather.Water indeed, not water mereTherein can work his pleasure:His holy Word is also thereWith Spirit rich, unmeasured:He is the one baptizer.This clearly showed He by his wordOf open recognition;The Father’s voice men plainly heardAt Jordan claim his mission.God said, This is my own dear SonIn whom I am well contented;To you I send him, every one—That all may hear I have sent him,And follow what he teaches.Also God’s Son himself here standsIn human presentation;On him the Holy Ghost descendsIn dove-like shape and fashion,That not a doubt should ever riseThat, when we are baptized,All the three Persons do baptize;And they be recognizedThemselves come to dwell with us.Christ to his scholars says: Go forth,Give to all men acquaintanceThat lost in sin lies the whole earth,And must turn to repentance.Believe, and be baptized, and thenEach man is blest for ever;From that hour he’s a new-born man,And thenceforth, dying never,The kingdom shall inherit.But who in this grace puts no faithAbides in sin, life misses;He is condemned to endless deathDeep down in hell’s abysses.Nothing avails his righteousness,And lost are all his merits;Sin original holds its place—The sin which he inherits;And help himself he cannot.The eye but water doth beholdAs from man’s hand it floweth;But inward faith the power untoldOf Jesus Christ’s blood knoweth:Faith sees therein a red flood roll,With Christ’s blood dyed and blended,Which hurt of every kind makes whole,Whether from Adam heiredOr by ourselves committed.
XIII.REPENTANCE.THE HUNDRED AND THIRTIETH PSALM.From trouble deep I cry to thee;Lord God, hear thou my crying;Thy gracious ear oh turn to me,Open it to thy sighing.For if thou mean’st to look uponThe wrong and evil that is done,Who, Lord, can stand before thee?With thee availeth nought but graceTo cover trespass mortal;Our good deeds cannot show their face,In best life they come short all.Before thee no one glory can,And so must tremble every man,And live by thy grace only.Hope therefore in my God will I,On my deserts nought founding;Upon him shall my heart rely,All on his goodness grounding.What his true word doth promise meMy comfort shall and refuge be;That will I always wait for.And if it last into the night,And last again till morning,Yet shall my heart hope in God’s might,Despair and foresight scorning.Thus Israel must keep his post,For he was born of the Holy Ghost,And for his God must tarry.Although our sin be great; God’s graceIs greater to relieve us;His hand from helping nothing stays,Howe’er the hurt be grievous.The shepherd good alone is He,Who will at last set Israel free,From all and every trespass.