XIV.THE LORD’S SUPPER.I.A SONG OF ST. JOHN HUSS, IMPROVED BY DR. MARTIN LUTHER.Christ Jesus, our Redeemer born,Who from us did God’s anger turnThrough his sufferings sore and mainHelp he us all out of hell-pain!That we never should forget it,Gave he us his flesh, to eat it,Hid in poor bread, gift divine,And, to drink, his blood in the wine.Who will draw near to that table,Must take heed, all he is able!Who unworthy thither goes,Thence death instead of life he sows.God the Father praise thou duly,That he thee would feed so truly,And for ill deeds by thee doneUp unto death has given his son.Have this faith, and do not waver,‘Tis a food for every craverWho, his heart with sin opprest,Can no more for its anguish rest.Such kindness and such grace to getSeeks a heart with labour great.Is it well with thee? take careLest at last thou shouldst evil fare.He doth say, Come hither, O yePoor, that I may pity show ye:From the leech the sound will start,And make a mockery of his art.Hadst thou any skill to offerWhy for thee should I then suffer?Table this is not for theeIf saviour thou thine own canst be.If such faith thy heart possessesAnd the same thy mouth confesses,Fit guest then thou art indeedAnd so this food thy soul will feed.But bear fruit, or lose thy labour:Take thou heed thou love thy neighbour,That thou food to him mayst beAs thy God makes himself to thee.
II.A SONG OF PRAISE.Let God be blest, be praised, and be thanked,Who to us himself hath grantedThis his own flesh and blood to feed and save us!May we take right what he gave us:Lord, be merciful to us.By thy holy body dead in shame,Lord, which from thy mother, Mary, came,And by thy holy bloodEase us, Lord, from all our load:Lord, be merciful to us.The holy body is for us laid lowlyDown in death, that we live holy;No greater goodness he to us could renderThan make us mind his love tender.Lord, be merciful to us.Lord, thy love so great was, it hath drivenThee to death, and us great gifts hath givenOur old debt it has paid,And God has gracious made:Lord, be merciful to us.God on us all his blessing free bestow nowThat we in his ways may go now,Right-hearted love and brother-truth ensuing,Never the Lord’s supper ruing!Lord, be merciful to us.Let thy good Ghost us not forsake,Let him make us the just way takeThat thy poor ChristendomInto peace and union come!Lord, be merciful to us.
XV.DEATH.I.In the midst of life, we areAye in Death’s embraces.Who is there who help us canAnd in safety place us?Lord, thou art he, thou only.From our ill deeds we sorrowing turnThat have made thy anger burn.Holy, holy Lord God,Holy, mighty Lord God,Holy Saviour with the tender heart,Everlasting God,Let us not be swallowedIn the misery of death:Lord, have mercy upon us.In the midst of death, beholdHell’s jaws gaping at us!Who will from such dire distressFree and scathless set us?Lord, that dost thou, thou only:It fills thy tender heart with woeWe should sin and suffer so.Holy, holy Lord God,Holy, mighty Lord God,Holy Saviour with the tender heart,Everlasting God,Let us not be gastedBy hell’s hollows all aglow:Lord, have mercy upon us.When amidst the pains of hellUs our sins are baiting;Whither shall we flee awayWhere relief is waiting?To thee, Lord Christ, thee onlyWho didst outpour thy precious bloodFor our sins sufficing good:Holy, holy Lord God,Holy, mighty Lord God,Holy Saviour with the tender heart,Everlasting God,Let us not fall from thee,From comfort of the right faith:Lord, have mercy upon us.
II.SIMEON THE PATRIARCH’S SONG OF PRAISE.In peace and joy I now depart,For God hath willed it.Comforted is my mind and heart,For he hath stilled it;As my God did promise me,Death is grown only slumber.That shows that Christ is God’s own Son,And our saviour so,Whom thou, O Lord, to me hast shown,Making me knowHim the Life eternal,And health in pain and dying.In the fore-front thou hast him placed,In him delighted;The whole world to his kingdom blestHast invitedThrough thy precious wholesome wordIn every place resounding.He is the health and happy lightOf the heathen,To ope their eyes, and give them sightThee to see then.He to thy people, Isr’el,Is glory, honour, pleasure.
XVI.THE PRAISE OF GOD.I.Unto the seer, Isaiah, it was givenThat, in the spirit, he saw the Lord of heavenUp on a lofty throne, in radiance bright;The skirt of his garment filled the temple quite;Two seraphs at his side were standing there;Six wings, he saw, each one of them did wear:Two over their bright visages did meet,With two of them they covered up their feet,And with the other twain abroad did fly.Each to the other called with a great cry,Holy is God, the Lord of Zebaoth!Holy is God, the Lord of Zebaoth!Holy is God, the Lord of Zebaoth!His glory great the whole world filled hath.At the loud cry the beams and threshold shook,And the whole house was full of cloud and smoke.
II.THE SONG OF PRAISE “TE TEUM LAUDAMUS,” TURNED INTO GERMAN BY DR. MART.LUTHER.The first Choir.—Lord God, thee praise do we.The second Choir.—Lord, we give thanks to thee.1. Thee, Father, eternal God,2. Earth praises, far and broad.1. All angels and heaven’s host,2. All that in thy service boast,1. The cherubim and seraphim2. Sing thee ever with lofty hymn:1. Holy is our Lord God!2. Holy is our Lord God!Both Choirs.—Holy is our God, the Lord of Sabaoth.1. Thy godlike might and lordship go2. Wide over heaven and earth below.1. To thee the holy twelve do call,2. And thy beloved prophets all:1. The precious martyrs, with one voice,2. Praise thee, O Lord, with mighty noise.1. From all thy worthy Christendom2. To thee each day thy praises come;1. To Thee, the Father, on highest throne,2. Thy true and only-begotten Son;1. The holy Comforter always,2. With service true they thank and praise.1. Thou, king of glory, Christ, alone2. Art the Father’s eternal Son;1. Didst not the virgin’s womb despise,2. That so the human race might rise;1. Thou on the might of Death didst tread,2. And Christians all to heaven dost lead.1. Thou sittest now at God’s right hand,2. With glory of all i’ th’ heavenly land;1. The hour shall come when thou shalt yet2. To judge the dead and living sit;1. Now to thy servants help afford,2. Ransomed with thy dear blood, O Lord;1. Let us in heaven have our dole,2. And with the holy be always whole.1. Thy folk, Lord Christ, help and advance,2. And bless thine own inheritance;1. Them watch and ward, Lord, every day,2. And lift them always up, we pray.1. Daily, Lord God, we honour thee,2. And praise thy name continually.1. O God of truth, keep us this day2. From every sin and evil way.1. Be gracious to us, Lord, we plead—2. Be gracious to us in every need.1. Show unto us thy pitying grace,2. For all our hope in thee we place.1. Dear Lord, our hope is in thy name;2. Let us be never put to shame. Amen.
OF LIFE AT COURT.To the tune—Ein Lappisch Mann:A Silly Man.Who number oneKeeps in the van,And gently canHis hoop drive onAnd fawn and fan,And every manCounts dust and bran—Is now the cock to crow to Pan.Who has in sightTo live upright,Keep honour bright,And be true quite—In vain shall fightAnd lose his might,Shall meet with slightAnd scorn and spite,And serve the rest, unhappy wight.By flattery’s rodThere’s many a ladGreat wealth has had,And praises glad;Down in the mudHe’ll others treadAnd honour wed:So goes the world heels over head!Whatever manHas no such plan,From court must run;Such never wonBut scoff and ban.Who flatter can,And sting and tan—He is at court the best o’ the clan!