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Why Should We Start, and Fear to Die?

Representative Text

1 Why should we start and fear to die?
What tim’rous worms we mortals are!
Death is the gate to endless joy,
And yet we dread to enter there.

2 The pains, the groans, the dying strife,
Fright our approaching souls away;
And we shrink back again to life,
Fond of our prison and our clay.

3 O if my Lord would come and meet,
My soul would stretch her wings in haste,
Fly fearless through death’s iron gate,
Nor feel the terrors as she passed.

4 Jesus can make a dying bed
Feel soft as downy pillows are;
While on His breast I lean my head,
And breathe my life out sweetly there.

Source: The Sacred Harp: the best collection of sacred songs, hymns, odes, and anthems ever offered the singing public for general use (1991 rev.) #30b

Author: Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Why should we start, and fear to die?
Title: Why Should We Start, and Fear to Die?
Author: Isaac Watts
Meter: 8.8.8.8
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Instances

Instances (101 - 200 of 419)

Compilation of Hymns for the Use of the Churches of the Christian Union #d827

Conference Hymns and Tunes #d120

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Deutsches Lieder- und Melodienbuch #a71

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Devotional hymns #S196

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Die allgemeine Lieder-Sammlung zum privat und öffentlichen Gottes-Dienst #P16

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Dupuy's Hymns and Spiritual Songs (Rev. corr. and enl.) #268

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Dyer's Psalmist #425

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Evangelical Hymnal #574

Familiar Hymns, Alphabetically Arranged. #d307

Family and Social Melodies #d405

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Free Methodist Hymnal #576

Gems of Sacred Song #d236

General Baptist Hymn Book #d535

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Gospel Hymn and Tune Book #430

Hallowed Songs #d396

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Hallowed Songs #258

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Hallowed Songs #206

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Hymn and Tune Book for Use in Old School or Primitive Baptist Churches #517

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Hymn and Tune Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Round Note Ed.) #601

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Hymn Book for Christian Worship #648

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Hymn Book for Christian Worship. 8th ed. #a648

Hymn Book of the Colored M.E. Church in America #d602

Hymn Book of the Holiness Movement Church #d574

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South #601

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Protestant Church #629

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Protestant Church. (11th ed.) #629

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Protestant Church. (2nd ed.) #705

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Hymn book of the Methodist Protestant Church. (4th ed.) #705

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Hymn Book of the United Evangelical Church #574

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Hymn-Book of the Evangelical Association #799

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Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church #976

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Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church #976

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Hymnal #492

Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of Christians. 9th ed. #d223

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Hymns and Offices of Worship #238

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Hymns and Songs for Social and Sabbath Worship #588

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Hymns and Songs for Social and Sabbath Worship. (Rev. ed.) #588

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Hymns and Songs of Praise for Public and Social Worship #1289

Hymns and Spiritual Songs #d128

Hymns and Spiritual Songs #d436

Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the Use of Christians. 8th ed. #d216

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Hymns and Spiritual Songs, in Three Books #II.XXXI

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Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Original and Selected, for the Use of Christians. (5th ed.) #54

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Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Original and Selected, for the Use of Christians. (8th ed.) #54

Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Selected and Original. 7th ed. #d501

Hymns and Spiritual Songs. 1st Canadian ed. #d330

Hymns and Tunes for Home Worship #d254

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Hymns and Tunes for Prayer and Social Meetings #120

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Hymns and Tunes #71

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Hymns for All Christians #S99

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Hymns for all Christians #199

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Hymns for Christian Devotion #534

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Hymns for Christian Devotion #534

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Hymns for Christian Melody #873

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Hymns for Church and Home #396

Hymns for Conference Meetings and Private Devotions #d147

Hymns for Schools and Families #d190

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Hymns for Schools and Families #154

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Hymns for Social Worship #496

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Hymns for the Camp. (3rd ed. rev. and enl.) #126

Hymns for the Hospital Chapel, Worcester #d245

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Hymns for the Sick-Room #84a

Hymns for the Use of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Impr. ed. #d556

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Hymns for the Use of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. ed. #1070

Hymns for the Use of the New Jerusalem Church #d281

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Hymns for the Use of the Society of United Christian Friends #CIII

Hymns for the Vestry and the Fireside #d368

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Hymns of the Church Militant #226

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Hymns selected from various authors #423

Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Songs, including Some Never Before in Print #d357

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Hymns, Selected and Original, for Public and Private Worship #708

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Hymns, Selected and Original #708

Hymns, Selected from Various Authors, for the Use of Young Persons 3rd Am. from 9th London ed. #d281

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Hymns #708

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Hymns #708

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Hymns #708

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Hymns #708

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Indian Melodies #46

Indian Melodies #46

Jubilant Voices #d238

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Laudes Domini #576

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Laudes Domini #1094

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Laudes Domini #544

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Luther League Hymnal #246

Manly's Choice #d254

Manual of Catholic Melodies #d179

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Manual of Christian Psalmody #611

Manual of Devotion and Selection of Hymns for ... Girard College for Orphans #d219

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Manual of Devotion #124

Melodies of Heaven #d151

Melodies of the Church #d1139

Methodist Hymn and Tune Book #d881

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Methodist Hymn-Book #848

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Millennial Harp #C95

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Millennial Harp #M95

Millennial Musings #d115

Pages

Exclude 411 pre-1979 instances
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