O Lord Jesu Christ, my Saviour, my Redeemer, Thou hast sanctified death and the grave. Thou hast taken away the curse of death, and made it the gate of immortality; for Thou hast subdued death, and put it under Thy feet. Thou hast risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. I will thank Thee, O Lord my Saviour, I will bless Thy name for ever. I will thank Thee for my life and for my death; for my joy and for my sorrow, for my health and for my sickness. Praised be Thy name, who livest and reignest with the Father, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. VIII. THANKSGIVING FOR THE JOYS OF HEAVEN. O Lord, I will praise Thee: though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me. I will praise Thee, O God, for it is a good thing to sing praises to our God; yea, a joyful and a pleasant thing it is to be thankful. O Lord, Thy love is wonderful, for Thou hast set before us a hope full of immortality, an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, which fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for those who are kept by Thy power, through faith unto salvation. Teach me, O Lord, how to praise Thee, for I cannot order my speech before Thee, by reason of darkness. According to Thine abundant mercy, Thou hast begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom having not seen we love, in whom, though now we see Him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory, receiving the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which Thou hast prepared for them that love Thee. O Lord, it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. I give Thee hearty thanks, O my Father, that Thou hast revealed to us, that there remaineth a rest for Thy people, and that Jesus is gone to prepare a place for us. Whilst I am in this tabernacle, I am wearied with the burden of my sin, but there shall be no sin there. O Lord, how wonderful to be freed from sin! that even I, who am sore let and hindered in running the heavenly race, shall one day be faultless before Thy throne, without fear of sinning, or of grieving Thee any more, for Thou hast said, there shall be no more curse. In Thy love to my soul, Thou hast chastened me with strong pain here, but there shall be no more pain there. Wearisome nights Thou hast appointed me here, but there shall be no night there, nothing shall enter in that defileth; sorrow and sighing shall flee away. The inhabitant shall no more say, I am sick; the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, the lame man shall leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. Help me, O Lord, having this hope, to purify myself, even as Thou art pure, before Thou dost take me to that way of holiness. O my Father! in Thy house are many mansions; I praise and bless Thee for the hope, that there I shall meet again so many of those whom I have loved on earth, and that we shall go no more out, for there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying: Thou wilt wipe away tears from off all faces, and they shall hunger no more, nor thirst any more. Thou hast taught me to believe in the Communion of Saints, and that we are all members of one body: how joyful it is to think of that multitude which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues; who have come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, therefore are they before the Throne of God. O Lord, my flesh is weak, and I am soon weary of serving Thee here, but there they shall serve Thee day and night in Thy temple. These things are faithful and true. Lord, I believe, help Thou my unbelief; and when it pleaseth Thee, may I enter into that rest, and join that multitude in saying, Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, be unto our God, for ever and ever. Amen. Prayers SUITABLE TO BE READ TO PERSONS IN THEIR LAST HOURS. FROM THE SERVICE FOR THE VISITATION OF THE SICK. The short Litany. The third Collect, O most merciful God. Verses (occasionally and very slowly repeated) from the lxxi. Psalm. O Saviour of the world, &c. The Almighty Lord, who is a most strong tower, &c. Unto God's gracious mercy we commit. thee, &c. Prayer when there appeareth small hope of recovery. Commendatory prayer. |