Christopher Dock

“ Then know that short the measure, ⁠For life is never sure, And through eternity, The soul will ever be, ⁠The time for pardon wasted, In woful misery. 3. Saint Luke has plainly written ⁠About a man of pride — With riches was he smitten, ⁠And worldliness beside — He lived a little while, Luxurious in style, ⁠And fixed his heart on pleasures That only do beguile. 4. In purple was he clothed, ⁠The whiles he lived on earth, Soon vanities were loathed ⁠And pride of little worth. Death put an end to gain — He found himself in pain — ⁠And from the direst sorrow He ne'er was free again. ”

“ If thou shouldst speak without restraint One could soon put thee to silence. 17. Call upon God in every time of trouble, He will indeed be thy help and strength; He leadeth each one out of anguish, Who only doth His righteous will. 18. Provide for thyself, the time is evil, The world is full of deceit and godlessness; Wilt thou cling to worldly things, Harm and shame thou canst not escape. 19. Always seek to do what's right, Even if not all do praise thee; For no one can act in such a way, That each and all are pleased thereby. ”

“ Put thy trust in God alone, On the help of men thou shalt not rely, It is only God whose faith doth hold, No other trust is there on earth. 2. Guard thine honor, avoid shame; Honor is indeed the greatest gain; If thou should'st miss a single chance, Then wilt thine honor pass away. 3. Talk not too much, but listen more, It will bring thee glory, honor, praise, With silence no one makes a slip, Gabbling leads many into sin and shame. ”

“ If we the way pursuing ⁠Should ever turn aside Unto our own undoing, ⁠Induced by worldly pride, As oft indeed has been, And for the grievous sin ⁠Might punishment severest Deservedly begin. 23. Oh, God, and glorious Father, ⁠Our failures do not heed, But for Thy Son's sake rather ⁠Be merciful indeed, So that when sorrows toss No earthly trial or loss, ⁠Not even death, itself, can Divide us from the cross. ”

“ I submit anew to Thee, and break with Satan, the world and my flesh-loving selfishness, that until now have turned me from Thee and Thy grace. O God, be merciful to me, a sinner, and give me the mediator between Thee and men, that is Thy dear Son, in whom Thou art well pleased. For He is the peace-offering for my sins and those of the whole world. Him hast Thou given us in love, commit me to His care as His own, that I may be cleansed of my sins through His bitter sufferings and death. ”

“ God is willing to forgive his sin. Christ, through His righteousness, Will renew him through His spirit, And clothe him with the wedding garment. Then begins the rejoicing of the angels, When one soul is willing to repent. 19. Consider well, dear children, And practice godliness; Let not the world be a hindrance to you In your salvation and blessedness. Then you will yonder in eternity, Rejoice without pain or sorrow. ”

“ If any one hath done good by thee, Of him shalt thou ever mindful be; A heartfelt sorrow shall come to thee If thou shalt show ingratitude. 9. In thy youth thou shalt keep Thyself at labor with all zeal; Hereafter labor will be o'erhard, When thou shalt be of ripe old age. 10. Be not disturbed by every one Who claims before thine eyes to serve thee; Not all proceeds from a true heart. However sweet and lovely speaks the tongue. 11. Let not misfortune trouble thee, When success doth withdraw itself; Beginning and end are not the same, As one hath often noticed this. ”

“ The sun and e'en the moon Are with darkness overcast; In pain He now doth reap The penalty, the reward of sin 4. Therefore, ye Christians all, Be mindful of this time, They moist His tongue with gall, In His great suffering; Through thorns, scoffs and scorn, He wins the heavenly crown, These we shall bear with joy, A trophy of His victory. 5. Oh, Jesus, let Thy sorrow, Thy bitter pain of death On me, when I must part, Be not in vain. Grant to us Thy grace, When life's end draws nigh, And when I pass death's dark vale, Then lend to me Thy guiding hand. ”

“ If thou observe thyself without self-love or flattery thou shalt find that thy heart is by nature an abyss of sin, and that the seed of all vice lies hidden within thee only awaiting the chance of breaking loose. ”

“ Let the world no longer deceive you with pleasures of the eye and of the flesh and vain living. Free your hearts from such false love, and love and betroth yourselves with Jesus, our soul's Bridegroom, who for love gave His life. ”

“ Christ tells us very plainly ⁠The gate is open wide And many enter vainly ⁠In worldliness and pride; The way is very broad, It is an easy road, ⁠Which leadeth to destruction And sorrow's dread abode. 9. We read with greatest wonder ⁠In many places more, That Christ with trumpet's thunder, ⁠While angels round Him soar, Will come upon that day, The Holy Scriptures say, ⁠When everything material Will crash and pass away. ”

“ O, children, would you cherish ⁠A worthy lasting love? The good that does not perish ⁠Is only found above. Seek God, the highest goal, With spirit and with soul, ⁠Then you will find a rapture The heart cannot control. ”

“ Whoever follows His footsteps will not err. He alone is the right pathway That leadeth to the heavenly Canaan. 14. God taketh no pleasure in destruction, The sinner's death doth not please Him. He hath no joy in our death Nor our falling into judgment. Unbelief and the lusts of the flesh Alone bring us to a bitter end. ”

“ Come, then, sinners, and those who sorrow on account of their sins, to Him who turns no one away who comes in the humility of heart. Why wilt thou stand in thine own light, and thus be lost? Wilt thou longer serve sin, when He appeared to save thee? ”

“ This crying touches the mother's heart, she cleanses it, offers it her breast, and it is the mother's joy when the child accepts it for its body's and life's nourishment. But if the child does not accept it the mother is sad, for she knows that then the body's and life's strength of the child will diminish. ”

“ Now as helpless as new born babes are we to cleanse ourselves, but if we recognize our worthlessness and how wretched we are and are eager for the same pure milk of grace, as the new born child for its mother's milk, this healing grace of God is available for every man. If we are willing to be chastised by the wholesome grace of God, to leave our ungodly conduct and worldly desires, and would fain live piously, righteously and godfearingly in this world, we are of our own strength as unable to do this as the new born child. ”

“ He is the lamb, that here on earth Hath borne the sin of the world; He that heartily believes shall be saved, And find with God peace and grace. Thus, I will cling to Jesus when death Shall rend my heart asunder. ”

“ Then praise to God above ⁠Upon the highest throne, To Him we offer love, ⁠To Christ His blessed Son, And to the Holy Ghost, In whom we place our trust, ⁠They bring at last together The pious and the just. ”

“ But whoever in the time of grace feels his many short-comings, that he is heavily laden with sin, will enter with the lost son, in true penitence, the throne of grace. What heretofore was to him a joy, that now is for him a heartfelt sorrow and sadness. He will now gladly renounce the world and carry the cross for Christ. He who can thus surrender himself to God, him will God help from death into life. ”

“ Who believeth not, will be guilty Of neglecting his own salvation. He that doeth evil hateth the light, And thereby he falls into judgment. 17. Who here in time of grace, In his awful state of sin, Through God's word and spirit takes In true repentance, admits his sin, And believes in Christ unerringly And follows Him, will be comforted. ”

“ Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the Gospel's sake the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? ”

“ Make yourselves purses that do not grow old. A treasure that never diminishes in Heaven, where no thief breaks through and no moth corrupts.
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. ”

“ Through anger the heart becometh blind That no one knows himself aright. 13. Be not ashamed, is my best advice, If one doth teach thee something new; Him who knows, one doth prize, The foolish all do despise. 14. Oh consider, if one makes complaint Before thee, not to believe too soon, Nor pass a hasty judgment, But hear also the defendant's word. 15. Pomp and arrogance avoid always, That thou may'st not fall into disgrace; Many a man was high esteemed If he disdained haughtiness and display. 16. Neither speak nor think of any one evil, For no one lives without a break ”

“ And then must all assemble ⁠To meet His searching glance, Both strong and weak will tremble ⁠To see that countenance, The reckoning to hear, What each in his career ⁠Has done of good or evil — Oh, children, think and fear. ”

“ To all servants and elders, fathers and mothers, as well as their children and relatives, I wish in greeting that the God of Peace may rule our hearts and minds and lead us to God-fearing lives, to do as he bids through Jesus Christ, to whom be honor from everlasting to everlasting. ”

“ Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let them also that hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. ”

“ For in no one else is salvation, and no other name under heaven is given us in which to seek salvation, than that of Christ. He is the innocent lamb that bore the sins of the whole world. He is the propitiation for our sins and those of the whole world. ”

“ Do not imagine the joys of the world lovelier and true Christianity more difficult than they really are.
80. — Learn betimes to curb thy affections and emotions that they do not enslave thee.
81. — Do not disturb thine emotions by a desire for earthly things, vain hopes, unprofitable fear, neither by worldly sorrow nor excessive joy.
82. — Anger, envy and jealousy are tormentors of the soul. Beware of their power.
83. — Let no rank or improper lusts arise in thy heart, for they destroy body and soul.
84. — From wicked self-love arise three chief vices, ambition, avarice and lust. ”

“ We need at all times to turn with watching and praying to the door of grace and beg for strength of spirit and of faith. For daily we find enemies that war against our soul, against whom of our own strength we can do nothing, but by God's help we can do everything. ”

“ Though riches and honor part from thee, Yet abideth still true piety. 7. At all times, be mindful of the poor, If thou hast been blest by God, Or thou mayest have the fate That Christ ascribes to the rich man. ”

“ Take time to consider alone and in the presence of God whether thou hast faithfully and constantly observed what thy baptismal covenant requires of thee: whether thou hast loved God simply, feared and obeyed Him. ”

“ If such meditation convinces thee that thou hast torn thyself from God through conscious sin, that stubbornness, laziness, disobedience, lying, impudence and other such misdemeanors have been allowed to rule thee, do not neglect renewing thy covenant.
4. Admit thy sinful acts and inborn deep-seated corruption most heartily before thy Creator; turn with a contrite heart to Jesus Christ thine only mercy seat, seek through faith forgiveness of sin in his blood, and make a new resolve to sin no more, but to serve Jesus Christ and be ruled by His spirit. ”

“ Just as we sinners go to Christ who came to redeem sinners, so the lost sheep comes to its shepherd, the lost coin is found, the prodigal son returns to his father, at which the angels in heaven rejoice, and the more we determine to unite ourselves with Christ by willing obedience, the more we shall find that those things which pleased our fleshly selfishness become now a heavy burden, which causes us to turn toward the door of repentance with suppliant kneeling until the wounded conscience is healed and we find rest for our souls, which rest we shall find with Christ if we go to Him. ”

“ Whene'er our hearts are sinking ⁠Within the narrow way, Assist us then in thinking ⁠That any wish to stray May, from Thy judgment stool Into the fiery pool, ⁠Us hurl below forever, Where waters never cool. ”

“ To your enemies who laugh at thee or otherwise offend thee, do not return evil for evil, nor insult for insult, but pray God rather to forgive their sin and to convert them, and miss no opportunity of doing them good. ”

“ As long as we are living ⁠Is danger ever here, Unless assistance giving ⁠Thy helping hand be near. Thy Holy Spirit send, That He support may lend, ⁠So that we faithful follow Thy word unto the end. 16. ”

“ But thy love for thy parents cannot be better expressed than by a willing obedience, doing their bidding, accepting their punishments, bearing their weaknesses with patience, and never intentionally offending them. ”

“ Instead of idle talk with your sisters and brothers, seek while dressing to have good thoughts. Remember the garb of righteousness in Jesus that has come to you through Jesus, and resolve this day not to sully it by deliberate sinning. ”

“ To the great give way, be humble, That they bring thee not into trouble; To the lowly also do no harm, Then thou wilt always be in peace and rest. 5. Be not puffed up with lofty pride, If thou hast gained a great success ”