Lord! now the time returns,
For weary man to rest,
And lay aside those pains and cares
With which our day’s opprest.
Or, rather, change our thoughts
To more concerning cares;
How to redeem our misspent time,
With sighs, and tears, and prayers.
How to provide for heaven,
That place of rest and peace,
Where our full joys shall never fade,
Our pleasures never cease.
Blest be Thy love, dear Lord!
That taught us this sweet way,
Only to love Thee for Thyself,
And for that love obey.
O Thou, our soul’s chief hope!
We to Thy mercy fly,
Where’er we are, Thou canst protect;
Whate’er we need, supply.
Whether we sleep or wake,
To Thee we both resign;
By night we see as well as day,
If Thy light on us shine.
Whether we live or die,
Both we submit to Thee:
In death we live as well as life,
If Thine in death we be.
William Austin (d. 1633) had not the devotional fervour of his younger
namesake (he does not seem to have been a relative, though both were
of Lincoln’s Inn), but he is among the noteworthy hymn-writers of a
time when hymns were few. As his poems are little known, I give a
charming little hymn and two verses of a bright Christmas carol—
What a gracious God have we,
In His gifts of grace how free!
How intent our prayers to hear,
And to them that pray how near.
How to balmy mercy prone,
And to kind compassion.
How regardfully He wakes,
For His chosen servants’ sakes.
How He gives them grace to pray,
And then to their suits gives way.
How He prompts each good desire,
And blows up that spark to fire.
He hath set no greater task,
To obtain of Him but ‘Ask!’
No exacter search to find,
But to seek with humble mind.
No more pains heaven to unlock,
But with spotless hands to knock.
Yet He joys to see man press Him,
And to wrestle till He bless him![81]
. . . . .
All this night bright angels sing;
Never was such carolling.
Hark! a voice which loudly cries,
‘Mortals, mortals, wake and rise;
Lo! to gladness,
Turns your sadness;
From the earth is risen a Sun,
Shines all night, though day be done.’
Hail, O Sun! O blessèd Light,
Sent into this world by night;
Let Thy rays and heavenly powers
Shine in these dark souls of ours;
For, most duly,
Thou art truly
God and Man, we do confess;
Hail, O Sun of Righteousness![82]
George Wither (1588-1667), lawyer, soldier, poet, Cavalier, Roundhead,
Puritan, Anglican, was a writer of many hymns. He finds a secluded
corner in a few modern hymnals; but had there been what we call
hymn-books in his day, he would have been a considerable contributor.
His hymns are more of the Evangelical than the Puritan type. His songs
of the Church form a ‘Christian Year,’ and some of the hymns for
Saints’ days are much more original and poetic than those commonly in
use. Here are three verses for—