Service for the Dying.

The

When the sick person is very near death, short sentences and ejaculations, uttered slowly and solemnly, and sometimes only at intervals, will be found better than longer devotions. first portion of the following service is intended to be so used by the minister standing.

FROM THE PSALMS.

BE not Thou far from me, O Lord: Thou art my succour; haste Thee to help me. O keep my soul, and deliver me.

Thou far from me.

Forsake me not, O Lord my God: be not Haste Thee to help me, O Lord God of my salvation.

Save me, O God: for the waters are come in, even unto my soul.

Forsake me not, when my strength faileth me. Comfort the soul of Thy servant: for unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Into Thy Hands I commend my spirit: for Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, Thou God of truth.

The Lord is my light, and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?

This God is our God for ever and ever: He shall be our guide unto death.

Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel and after that receive me with glory.

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

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Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me. With Thee is the well of life: and in Thy light shall we see light.

Thou shalt show me the path of life; in Thy presence is the fulness of joy: and at Thy right Hand there is pleasure for evermore.

As for me, I will behold Thy presence in righteousness: and when I awake up after Thy likeness, I shall be satisfied with it.

FROM ST JOHN'S GOSPEL.

GOD so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.

My sheep hear My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My Hand.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if Í go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Because I live, ye shall live also.

Father, I will that they also, whom Thou

hast given Me, be with Me, where I am; that they may behold My glory.

FROM ST PAUL'S EPISTLES.

PART I.

I RECKON that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ That died; yea, rather, That is risen again, Who is even at the right Hand of God, Who also maketh intercession for us.

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.

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.

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.

Now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where

is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

FROM ST PAUL'S EPISTLES.

PART II.

OUR light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better.

When Christ, Who is our Life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.

I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.

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.

There remaineth . God.

FROM THE REVELATION OF ST

JOHN.

FEAR not; I am the First and the Last. I am He That liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.

I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things have passed away.

Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me.

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.