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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 (301 - 400 of 419)

The Choice #S175

The Choralist #d401

The Chorister, and School Harmonist, 1st ed. #d142

The Christian Harmony #d400

The Christian Hymn Book #d711

The Christian Hymn Book (Ohio Auglaize Christian Conference) #d293

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The Christian Hymn Book #1043

The Christian Hymn Book. 7th ed. #d712

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The Christian Hymn-Book (Corr. and Enl., 3rd. ed.) #226

The Christian Hymnal #d788

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The Christian Hymnal #703

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The Christian hymnal #233

The Christian Hymnist #d606

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The Christian's Duty #S.XXXII

The Church Hymn Book #d1181

The Church Hymn Book #d652

The Church of God Selection of Spiritual Songs for the Church and Choir #d1031

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The Clifton Chapel Collection of "Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs" #1422

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The Cluster of Spiritual Songs, Divine Hymns and Sacred Poems #DCXXXIX

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The Columbian Repository #535

The Confederate Sunday School Hymn Book #d143

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The Congregational Hymn Book #1021

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The Cyber Hymnal #7670

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The Devotional Hymn and Tune Book #119

The Devotional Hymn Book #d568

The Evangelical Hymn and Tune Book #d837

The Good Old Songs #d657

The Good Old Songs #581

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The Gospel Psalmist #705

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The Great Redemption #274

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The Heart and Voice #62a

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The Hymn Book of the African Methodist Episcopal Church #710

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The Hymn Book of the Free Methodist Church #817

The Hymnal of the Reformed Church in the United States #d728

The Imperial Harmony #d329

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The Lexington Collection #33

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The Liturgy and Hymns of the American Province of the Unitas Fratrum #873

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The Melodeon #161

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The Methodist Hymnal (Text only edition) #581

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The Methodist Hymnal #581

The Methodist Pocket Hymn Book. 35th ed. #d298

The Methodist Pocket Hymn Book. Rev. #d303

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The Methodist Pocket Hymn-book, revised and improved #CCLXVIII

The Methodist Protestant Church Hymnal #d515

The National Baptist Hymn Book #d604

The National Baptist Hymn Book #ad604

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The National Baptist Hymnal #596

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The New Baptist Psalmist and Tune Book #349

The New Christian Harp. 10th ed. #d278

The New Harp of Columbia #d119

The New Harp of Columbia, Restored Edition #15

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The New Harp of Columbia #15

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The New Hymn Book, Designed for Universalist Societies #439

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The New Hymn Book, Designed for Universalist Societies #439

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The New Hymn Book #249

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The New Laudes Domini #1136

The Old Baptist Hymn Book #d328

The Prayer Meeting Hymn Book #d303

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The Presbyterian Hymnal #732

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The Presbyterian Hymnal #732

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The Primitive Baptist Hymnal #387

The Primitive Hymns #d667

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The Primitive Methodist Church Hymnal #489

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The Psalmist #1072

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The Psalmist #1072

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The Psalmody #1094

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The Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts #657

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The Psalms of David #II.XXXI

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The Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D. #B31

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The Reformed Church Hymnal #316

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The Reformed Methodist Pocket Hymnal #II.146

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The Sabbath Hymn and Tune Book #308c

The Sabbath Hymn Book. Baptist ed. #d1245

The Sacred Harp #30b

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The Sacred Harp #30b

The Sacred Harp #111b

The Sacred Harp #275b

The Sacred Melodeon #d125

The Sanctus #d277

The School Psalter #d329

The Select Hymn and Song Book #d363

The Service of Song for Baptist Churches #d1020

The Social Harp #d361

The Social Harp. Rev. #d442

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The Social Psalmist #313

The Soldier's Hymn Book. 2nd ed. #d263

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The Songs of Zion #317

The South Western Psalmist #d450

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The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion (New ed. thoroughly rev. and much enl.) #92b

The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion. New ed. #92b

The Southern Psalmist #d966

The Southern Psalmist. New ed. #d1016

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The Standard Church Hymnal #490

The Temple Harp #d402

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The Tribute of Praise and Methodist Protestant Hymn Book #115

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The Tribute of Praise #115

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The Tribute of Praise #115

Pages

Exclude 411 pre-1979 instances
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