He said unto me: Hold by me, Thy matters I will settle; I give myself all up for thee, And I will fight thy battle.

For I am thine, and thou art mine, And my house also shall be thine; The enemy shall not part us.

Like water he will shed my blood, Of life my heart bereaving; All this I suffer for thy good-- That hold with firm believing; My Life shall swallow up that Death; My innocence bears thy sins, He saith, So henceforth thou art happy.

To heaven unto my Father high, From this life I am going; But there thy master still am I, My spirit on thee bestowing, Whose comfort shall thy trouble quell, And teach thy heart to know me well, Thee into all truth guiding.

What I have done, what I have said, Thou must go doing, teaching; That so the kingdom of G.o.d may spread, To His praise all men reaching.

But take heed what men bid thee do-- That will corrupt the treasure true: With this last word I leave thee. Amen.

IX. THE COMMANDMENTS.

I.

These are the holy ten commands Which came to us from G.o.d's own hands By Moses, who thus did his will On the top of Sinai's hill.

Kyrioleis.

I am the Lord thy G.o.d alone; Of G.o.ds besides thou shalt have none; Thou shalt thyself trust all to me, And love me right heartily.

Kyrioleis.

Thou shalt not speak like idle word The name of G.o.d who is thy Lord; As right or good thou shalt not praise Except what G.o.d does and says.

Kyrioleis.

Thou shalt keep holy the seventh day, That rest thou and thy household may; From thine own work thou must keep free, That G.o.d his work have in thee.

Kyrioleis.

Honour thou shall and shalt obey Thy father and thy mother alway; To serve them ready be thy hand That thou live long in the land.

Kyrioleis.

In anger hot thou shalt not kill, Nor hate, nor take revenge for ill; Be patient and of gentle mood, And ev'n to thy foe do good.

Kyrioleis.

Thy marriage-bond thou shalt keep clean, That to no other thy heart lean; Thy life thou must keep pure and free, Temperate, with fine chast.i.ty.

Kyrioleis.

Money or goods steal not, nor yet Traffic in others' blood and sweat; But open wide thy kindly hand To the poor man in thy land.

Kyrioleis.

Evil reports thou shalt not bear, Nor 'gainst thy neighbour falsely swear; His innocence thou shalt defend, And hide his shame from foe or friend.

Kyrioleis.

Thy neighbour's wife or house to win Thou shalt not seek--or aught therein; But wish all good to him may be, As thy own heart doth to thee.

Kyrioleis.

To us come these commands, that so Thou, son of man, thy sins mayst know, And with this lesson thy heart fill, That man must live for G.o.d's will.

Kyrioleis.

May Christ our Lord help us in this, For he our mediator is; Our own work is a hopeless thing, Wrath alone all it can bring.

Kyrioleis.

II.

Oh man, wouldst thou live blissfully, And dwell with G.o.d eternally, Thou shalt observe the ten commands, Written by G.o.d with his hands: Kyrioleis.

Thy G.o.d and Lord I am alway; No other G.o.d shall make thee stray; Thy heart must ever trust in me; Mine own kingdom shalt thou be: Kyrioleis.

My name to honour thou shalt heed, And call on me in time of need.

Thou shalt keep whole the sabbath day, That so in thee I work may: Kyrioleis.

To thy father and mother thou Shalt, next me, in obedience bow; None kill, nor yield to anger wild; And keep thy marriage undefiled: Kyrioleis.

From any one thou shalt not steal; Falsely with others never deal; Thy neighbour's wife thou shalt not eye: Let his be his welcomely!

Kyrioleis.

X. THE CREED.

In one true G.o.d we all believe, Maker of the earth and heaven; Who, us as children to receive, Hath himself as father given.

Now and henceforth he will feed us; Soul and body, will be round us; 'Gainst mischances all will heed us; Nought shall come on us to wound us.

He watches for us, cares, defends; And everything to his might bends.

And we believe in Jesus Christ, His son, our Lord. Evermore he Sits beside the Father high'st, Equal G.o.d in might and glory.

He of Mary, the young maiden, Verily was born true human By the Holy Ghost. Grief-laden For our sakes, lost man and woman, He on the cross expired in faith, And rose again, through G.o.d, from death.

We believe in the Holy Ghost With the Father and the Saviour, In whom the fearful learn to boast, Who the meek doth crown with favour.

Christendom, in earth and heaven, Of one heart and mind he keepeth.

Here all sins shall be forgiven; Wake too shall the flesh that sleepeth; After these sufferings there shall be Life to all eternity. Amen.

XI. PRAYER.

I.

THE LORD'S PRAYER, BRIEFLY AND PLAINLY SET FORTH, AND TURNED INTO METRE.

Our Father in the heaven who art, Who tellest all of us, in heart Brothers to be, and on thee call, And wilt have prayer from us all-- Grant, not from mouth alone it flow; From deepest heart oh let it go!

Hallowed be thy name, O Lord; Amongst us oh keep pure thy word, That we too may live holily, And in thy true name worthily!

Defend us, Lord, from lying lore; Thy poor misguided folk restore.

Thy kingdom come now here below!

And after there on ever go!

The Holy Ghost his temple hold In us with graces manifold!

The devil's wrath and greatness strong Crush, that he do thy church no wrong.

Thy will be done the same, Lord G.o.d, On earth as in thy high abode!