The Life and Works of Christopher Dock/Spiritual Magazine II/No. 15

by Christopher Dock

SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE

Part II, Number 15

Two Edifying Hymns, which the Godfearing Christopher Dock (schoolmaster on the Skippack) has left to his pupils and all others that read them, for contemplation.

Tune: Who Only Letteth God Command; or to the following notes:

(Meter and Rhyme like “Dying Song.”)

1.

The thread of my life runs to an end,

My pilgrimage is soon over;

Lord, send me an angel

To guide me to the heavenly Canaan.

Who stands beside me at the rudder

When I ride through the final storm?

2.

That my little boat may pass

Straight through the waves of death's anguish,

To Canaan, and my soul may look

Intent upon her guiding star,

Upon my Savior, Jesus Christ, who

In death still my life shall be.

3.

O Lord, my God, this is my prayer,

Look not upon my righteousness.

I hope that Thou wilt keep me

By Thy grace and mercy.

For our own righteousness is

Before Thee as a filthy rag.

4.

To increase faith, love, hope,

Does not lie within the power of man.

I trust in Christ my Lord

And in His unfailing Word.

This, upon my last journey, shall be

The draught of life, the food of soul.

5.

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.

6.

Now will I say in love, brothers and sisters,

Wife and child, every friend that's dear,

Also those that we do hate,

Or are turned against me;

Pray you all, forbear,

Forgive and spare the debt.

7.

Where you my manner, act and life,

In something have offended,

I will gladly forgive all of you

And pray God that He, in mercy,

Will look upon us and be gracious,

And forgive us all our sin.

8.

Yet one thing more I can't conceal,

It still weighs upon my heart;

It is the tender souls of youth,

These I must in memory cherish.

Because Satan in this world hath laid for them

Many nets, stumbling blocks and snares.

9.

These entangle their souls

And lead them forth in chains

Along the broad path through his treachery,

Direct to the gate of Hell,

To steep them throughout Eternity

In anguish, pain and great torment.

10.

He exalts for them the lusts of the eye,

The love of the world, through which

They may feed the lusts of the flesh,

Through fame, sensuality, success and wealth,

Through vanity, avarice, deceit;

Through guile, lying, and hypocrisy;

11.

By eating, drinking, dancing, carousing,

Swearing and cursing without restraint;

By singing frivolous, vulgar, wicked songs,

By spreading sensuality.

Then from these proceed hatred,

Jealously, envy, enmity, war and murder.

12.

I pray you, dear children,

O, I admonish and beg you,

Go not in the way of sinful men,

It leads you away from God's kingdom;

Fear God and beseech Him early and late

To lead you along the right path.

13.

Hath not God given His Son,

As a light for this dark world;

As the way of truth and life?

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.

15.

As I have learned from God's word,

And as our Savior Himself says;

That light has come into the world

And appeared as a condemnation

To those who in darkness

Walk without faith and penitence.

16.

Therefore for the children of men

The Gospel is still prepared;

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.

18.

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.

20.

Consider it also, ye children of men

Who still live in vanity;

Consider it well, ye fearless sinners,

And take counsel in time,

Before God turns His face away from you,

And His righteous wrath is kindled.

21.

Now, good-night, ye dear youth,

God bless and keep you.

May He adorn you with modesty and virtue,

And lead you to His kingdom.

Good-night, to all of you together,

Young and old, large and small.

22.

This little hymn I give in parting

To all my dear pupils,

And beg you to prepare

For eternal joy in God's kingdom.

Let lamp and vessel not be empty,

Pour the oil of faith into them with virtue.

II Peter i, 5 to 16.

Verse 8 on Manuscript omitted:

Mark well, I mean to say
That my prayer is to Jesus only.
What concerns Jew, Turk and Gentile,
These I never have offended.
I wish for them a view that's clear,
To see the Light of Life in God's Word.

 

ANOTHER SPIRITUAL SONG

by the same Author^[1]

Tune: Ye Sinners Come.

1.

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.

2.

Is indolence a pleasure?

Does worldliness allure?

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.

5.

Then piteous was his wailing

To Father Abraham;

“O come and help me failing

In this tormenting flame —

If I could only sip —

If Lazarus would drip

A little drop of water

Upon my parching lip.”

6.

No hope to him was given,

No answer from the Lord

To say that he was living

Choose good for his reward.

And so, beloved child,

Take this for warning mild,

Abandon idle living,

To good be reconciled.

7.

It is a truthful story

As Christ Himself does teach,

Not simply allegory,

Or other idle speech,

And also can we say

That on the judgment day

The one will be rejoicing,

The other mourning stay.

8.

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.

10.

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.

11.

Our secret inclinations

Will then be open thrown,

Our strongest aspirations

Will in the light be shown,

And he who then with heed,

The Book of Life can read,

And find his name there written,

Is fortunate indeed.

12.

He who is so appointed

Aside at Christ's right hand,

Along with the anointed,

Among the sheep will stand,

To him great joy will be

For all eternity,

No tongue can give description

Of his felicity.

13.

While bells are softly ringing,

The angel music choir

With chanting and with singing,

Will enter through the door

To Zion's golden town,

On mortals looking down,

And every lamb of Jesus

Shall then receive his crown.

14.

Oh, truest shepherd Jesus!

Count us among Thine own,

Come quickly and release us,

Amid enticements thrown,

For here does Satan old

His wicked nets unfold

And ever seek to win us

With honors and with gold.

15.

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.

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.

17.

Whenever earthly rapture,

Or arrogance or lust,

Shall with allurements capture,

Oh! help us to distrust —

Enable us to see

What endless misery

For transitory pleasures

Will ever ready be.

18.

Oh, let us be o'erflowing

With true humility;

The lamp of faith be glowing

That all of us may see

False glimmerings to shun:

The world be overdone;

The victory o'er fleshly things

By lowliness be won.

19.

Oh! send us from above,

Thou Bridegroom of the soul!

Thou source of purest love!

A living burning coal

To kindle in the heart

The fear of Satan's art

That all things may be hateful

Which would from Thee us part.

20.

The virtuous, oh Father!

Acceptable to Thee,

And all the children gather

Who still unready be

That, spread on every side,

Thy kingdom may be wide,

And that Thy will be followed,

Thy name be glorified.

21.

And since the way to Jordan,

The long and narrow road,

Is full of toil and burden,

The Cross a weary load,

Oh, give us patience, Lord,

Thy precious help afford,

Withhold not from our failings

Thy sweet forgiving word.

22.

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.

24.

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.

---

1. In Governor Pennypacker's “Historical and Biographical Sketches,” p. 148 ff, the following translation is given. In the translation the Governor says: “The effort has been made to preserve the thought, versification, metre and rhyme — a somewhat difficult task.” The task has been so artfully performed that it seemed best to give it in this interesting form.