sum ■ HI HI IBI _^B aSSi 888? SB ^iBH SI i 5lpra (Btxmmita ; SECOND SERIES : THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. Jlpra <&ermanua: SECOND SERIES: THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY CATHERINE WINKWORTH. LONDON:^ LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO 1865. w \*w- PREFACE. [HOSE who are beft acquainted with the rich ftores of German hymnology will feel the leaft fur- prife at the appearance of a fecond feries of Tranflations from the fame fource. Many excellent and claffical compofitions were necefTarily excluded from the plan of the former volume, which it was felt would ftill be no lefs acceptable to Englifh Chriftians than thofe already tranflated. In this feries therefore hymns are admitted of a more perfonal and in- dividual character than in the former, — hymns adapted to particular circumftances or periods of life, and to peculiar ftates of feeling. At the fame time many will be found of fufficiently comprehenfive import to be fuited for congre- gational finging, and will be recognized by thofe familiar with the fervices of the German IJrrfarr. rcfa as constantly ulcd there in public wor- fhip, efpccially thofe on pa , 146, 170, and 68. The hrft of thefe indeed ho! many, with its Hue old tune, much the fame place as the Old Hundredth with us. fecond is remarkable as being, as far as we know, the only hymn of its author, a man of confideration and wealth in Frankfort. It publifhed without his name, and as it immedi- became popular it was afcribed at firft to Hugo Grotius, and other celebrated authors. The third is one of the well-known hymns of Joachim Neander, the moft important hymn- writer of the German Reformed Church, w productions are marked by great depth and tendernefs of feeling. Moft of the hymns under the laft two divifions of this feries are popular in Proteftant Germany in the trueft fenfe of the word, be found in the well-worn hymn-book^ every cottage home, or heard as the rift funeral palles on to the u court It will be obferved that one ot the h the burial of the dead bears the name ol i that fomc others are belonging to the Bohemian Brethren. Ue productions of that ancient Church which preface. vii exifted in Bohemia from the firft introduction of Chriftianity into that country by two Greek monks of the eighth century. In the eleventh century it formed itfelf into a feparate commu- nity, diftinguifhed from the Roman Church in Bohemia, among other things, by the celebration of public worfhip, according to the native ritual and in the vulgar tongue. After fufFering bitter perfecutions under various Popes, in one of which John Hufs was burnt in 1415, in 1453 * ts remaining members, including men of all clafTes, withdrew to a diftricl: affigned to them on the borders of Silefia and Moravia, where we find them, fifty years later, numbering about two hundred congregations, under the name of Brethren or United Brethren. But here too fierce perfecutions followed them ; their country- men were incited from the pulpits to hunt them down like wild beafts ; and in 1508, defpairing of peace at home, they fent out four meflengers to fearch whether anywhere a Chriftian people might be found, ferving Chrift truly, into whofe communion they might afk admiflion. One of thefe brethren went to Ruffia, one to Greece, one to Bulgaria, and one to Paleftine and Egypt; but they all returned unfuccefsful, no fuch Chriftian people had they found. Two more ^Jrrfarr. were then i'ent Jenfes in France and Italy, but they too brought back nothing but admonitions to patience and flcadfaftnefs. The Brethren therefore remained in their own country, and occupied themfelves in printing the Bible, no fewer than three editions having been publifhed in Bohemian before the Reform- ation. The dawn of that great event filled them with joy, and in 1522 they fent two mefTei to Luther to greet him and afk his advice, one of whom was Michael Weifs. In 1 531 Michael Wctft publifhed the hymns of the Bohemian Brethren tranflated into German, with the ad- dition of feveral of his own. They palled through many editions, and fome of them were introduced into Luther's hymn-book. They have great warmth of feeling, and dire&nefs of expreflion, (often with intricate metres,) and are marked by frequent pathetic reference to the troubles of this Church, and by a ftrong feir. the living union of Chriftians with each other and their Head. The fubfequent fettlement of the final] remnant of this Church on Count Zinzendorf's eftates in Saxony, and its rapid growth and fpread into other countries are well known. That the fpirit of Chriftian poctrv frill lives among them in modern times is proved ^Preface* . ix by the names of Zinzendorf, Chriftian Gregor, L. von Hayn, Spangenberg, and Albertini.* As the object of this work is chiefly devo- tional, the hymns are arranged according to their fubjects, not in chronological order, and have been felected for their warmth of feeling and depth of Chriftian experience, rather than as fpecimens of a particular mafter or fchool. Still it is believed that thefe two feries afford on the whole fair examples of moft of the principal writers, not of courfe without omiffions, fince only about two hundred and twenty hymns are given from a literature containing feveral thou- fands. Of Luther none are given in this feries, (unlefs the hymn known as " Queen Maria of Hungary's fong" were written by him for that princefs,) for thofe productions of his which no collection of German hymns could omit, had been already inferted in the previous volume, and there feemed the lefs neceffity for introduc- ing any of minor importance, as all his hymns are acceflible to the Englifh reader in the excel- lent tranflation of Mr. Mafiie.f * See Bunfen's larger Gefangbuch, and Sketch of the Hiftory of the Church of the United Brethren by James Montgomery. f Spiritual Songs of Luther, tranflated by R. Maflie, Efq. Hatchard and Co. x ilrrfarr. The writers perhaps the leaft fully reprefentcd, are Gc'.lert, Klopftock, and others of the middle and latter half of the lad century, whofe pro- ductions conftitute a large proportion of moft of the collections made fifty or fixty years ago. But thefe hymns are, for the mod part, either of a purely reflective or didactic character, many inftances are merely verfions of more ancient hymns, fmoothed down to a dead level of tame correclnefs in form, and robbed of their original fervour and ftrength. Gellcrt, however, appreciated the characterise excellences of the ancient hymns, and his own have high merit, as leflbns of Chriftian duty, or paraphrall Scripture, exprefTed in fimple, clear, and un- affected verfe, fometimes with much true poetic feeling. Yet while they thus fupplied a want among the hymns of his country, — which, during the laft century efpeciallv, had loft that direct application to real life which maL hymn fpeak to the hearts of all, — and have therefore become very popular in Gem. for the fame reafon they more nearly referable what we already poflefs in our own language. There is a very large fchool of hymn-writers fpringing up in Germany at the prefent whole works are ditlinguilhed by much thought- deface, . xi ful feeling and great fluency and fweetnefs of expreffion. In general, however, thefe hymns are fuited rather to private reading, than congregational finging ; the length of the lines, and the reflective tone of thought, deprive them of that ftrength and fimple grandeur which many of the older hymns pofTefs. Specimens are given here from Spitta, Puchta, Knapp, Henfel, and others ; thofe hymns to which no dates are affixed being written by authors living or very recently deceafed. The hymns in this feries have been chofen from various fources, moft of them being fuch as would be found in any ftandard collection. The greater number, however, are taken from Bunfen's " Verfuch eines allgemeinen Gefang und Gebet buchs, ,, a collection diftinguifhed above moft others by its wide range of Chriftian experience and fympathy, and the poetic merit of the verfions it gives. The fhort notices pre- fixed to fome of thefe hymns are derived from the fame fource. One or two verfes have been omitted in feveral of the hymns, for in many inftances even fine hymns are weakened by repetition, or disfigured by verfes of decidedly inferior merit ; this is efpecially the cafe with Paul Ger- xii $rffacf. hardt, notwithstanding the remarkable beauty of his works. The original metre has been almoft invariably maintained ; in fome hymns metres ftrange to our ears have been preferved with care for the fake of the fine chorales attached to them. Alderley Edge, May 19th, 1858 %* From the frequent inquiries received from clergymen and others for tunes adapted to thefe hymns, it has been arranged to bring out an edition of the work, containing the fine old German chorales to which they are fung in their own country by vaft congregations. This edition, which will fhortly be completed, is now in progrefs, under the fuperintendence of Profeflbr Sterndale Bennett and Mr. Otto Goldfchmidt, and will be adapted for ufe in choirs and families. Feb. 15, 1859. CONTENTS. PART I. AIDS OF THE CHURCH. Holy Seasons. Page Advent I Chriftmas 13 Epiphany 20 PafiionWeek .* 26 Eafter 37 Afcenfion 46 Whitfuntide 53 Trinity 62 Services. Morning Prayer 66 Evening Prayer 77 Baptifm 86 The Holy Communion 93 For Travellers 107 At the Burial of the Dead 117 PART II. THE INNER LIFE. Penitence 129 Praife and Thankfgiving 145 'The Life of Faith 160 Songs of the Crofs 178 The Final Conflict and Heaven 203 LYRA GERMANICA. PART I. AIDS OF THE CHURCH. I. HOLY SEASONS. II. SERVICES. ADVENT. I. Cfje Bagsptmg from on Jgtgf). E heavens, oh hafte your dews to fhed, Ye clouds, rain gladnefs on our head, Thou earth, behold the time of grace, And blofTom forth in righteoufnefs ! O living Sun, with joy break forth, And pierce the gloomy clefts of earth ; Behold, the mountains melt away Like wax beneath Thine ardent ray ! O Life-dew of the Churches, come, And bid this arid defert bloom ! The forrows of Thy people fee, And take our human flefh on Thee. Refrefh the parch'd and drooping mind, The broken limb in mercy bind, Upra Grrmanica. Us finners from our guilt releafe, And fill us with Thy heavenly peace. O wonder ! night no more is night ! Comes then at laft the long'd-for light ? Ah yes, Thou fhineft, O true Sun, In whom are God and man made one ! J. Franck. 1653. II. Cfje Qeltbero. j|RISE, the kingdom is at hand, The King is drawing nigh ; Arife with joy, O faithful band, To meet the Lord molt high ! Ye Chriflians, haften forth, With holy ardours greet your King, And glad Hofannas to Him fing, Nought elfe your love is worth. Look up, ye drooping hearts, to-day! The King is very near, Oh caft your griefs and fears away, For lo ! your Help is here ; And comfort rich and fweet In many a place for us is flored, Where in His facraments and word Our Saviour we can meet. Look up, ye fouls weigh 'd down with care ! The Sovereign is not far. Egra 4&ttmmita. Look up, faint hearts, from your defpair, Behold the Morning Star ! The Lord is with us now, Who fhall the finking fpirit feed With ftrength and comfort at its need, To whom e'en Death fhall bow. Hope, O ye broken hearts, at laft ! The King comes on in might, He loved us in the ages pafl When we fat wrapp'd in night ; Now are our forrows o'er, And fear and wrath to joy give place, Since God hath made us in His grace His children evermore. O rich the gifts Thou bringeft us, Thyfelf made poor and weak ; O love beyond compare that thus Can foes and finners feek ! For this to Thee alone We raife on high a gladfome voice, And evermore with thanks rejoice Before Thy glorious throne. Rist. 1 65 1. Uma (T.mnamca. III. Cfje Jftrart longing for tijc inner iEMfnt. THEREFORE doft Thou longer tarry, Blefled of the Lord, afar ? Would it were Thy will to enter To my heart, O Thou my Star, Thou my Jefus, Fount of power, Helper in the needful hour! Sharpeft wounds my heart is feeling, Touch them, Saviour, with Thy healing ! For I fhrink beneath the terrors Of the law's tremendous fway ; All my countlefs crimes and errors Stand before me night and day. Oh the heavy, fearful load Of the righteous wrath of God ! Oh the awful voice of thunder Cleaving heart and foul afunder ! While the foe my foul is telling, " There is grace no more for thee. Thou muft make thy endlefs dwelling In the pains that torture me." Yes, and keener ftill thy fmart, Confcience, in my anguifhed heart, By thy venomed tooth tormented, Long-pall fins are fore repented. Hgta <£ermantca. Would I then, to foothe my forrow, And my pain awhile forget, From the world a comfort borrow, I but fink the deeper yet ; She hath comforts that but grieve, Joys that Hinging memories leave, Helpers that my heart are breaking, Friends that do but mock its aching. All the world can give is cheating, Strengthlefs all, and merely nought ; Have I greatnefs, it is fleeting ; Have I riches, are they aught But a heap of glittering earth ? Pleafure ? Little is it worth When it brings no joy or laughter That we fhall not rue hereafter. All delight, all confolation Lies in Thee, Lord Jefus Chrift, Feed my foul with Thy falvation, O Thou Bread of Life unpriced. Bleffed Light, within me glow, Ere my heart breaks in its woe ; Oh refrefh me and uphold me, Jefus, come, let me behold Thee. Joy, my foul, for He hath heard thee, He will come and enter in ; Lo ! He turns and draweth toward thee, Let thy welcome-fong begin ,• ILpra (Grnnanica. Oh prepare thee for fuch gueft, Give thee wholly to thy reft, With an open'd heart adore Him, Pour thy griefs and fears before Him. Thy mifdeeds are thine no longer, He hath caft them in the fea, And the love of God fhall conquer All the ftrength of fin in thee. Chrift is victor in the field, Mightieft wrong to Him muft yield, He with bleffing will exalt thee O'er whatever would aflault thee. What would feem to hurt or fhame thee Shall but work thy good at lad ; Since that Chrift hath deign'd to claim thee, And His truth ftancls ever faft ; And if thine can but endure, There is nought fo fixed and lure, As that thou fhalt hymn His praifes In the happy heavenly places. Gerhardt. 1653. Hgra ©fermantca. IV. W&z iieto gear* Composed on his journey to Gotha after his unjuft expulfion from Erfurt ; as we are told in the oration de- livered at his grave, " in the full experience of the un- fpeakable confolations of the Holy Spirit." i ; -J I HANK God that towards eternity Another ftep is won! Oh longing turns my heart to Thee As Time flows flowly on, Thou Fountain whence my life is born, Whence thofe rich ftreams of grace are drawn That through my being run ! I count the hours, the days, the years, That ftretch in tedious line, Until, O Life, that hour appears, When, at Thy touch divine, Whate'er is mortal now in me Shall be confumed for aye in Thee, And deathlefs life be mine. So glows Thy love within this frame, That, touch'd with keeneft fire, My whole foul kindles in the flame Of one intenfe deiire, To be in Thee, and Thou in me, And e'en while yet on earth to be Still preffing clofer, nigher ! Upra tSrrmanica. Oh that I foon might Thee behold ! I count the moments o'er ; Ah come, ere yet my heart grows cold And cannot call Thee more ! Come in Thy glory, for Thy Bride Hath girt her for the holy-tide, And waiteth at the door. And fince Thy Spirit fheds abroad The oil of grace in me, And Thou art inly near me, Lord, And I am loft in Thee, So mines in me the Living Light, And fteadfaft burns my lamp and bright, To greet Thee joyoufly. Come ! is the voice, then, of Thy Bride, She loudly prays Thee come ! With faithful heart fhe long hath cried, Come quickly, Jefus, come ! Come, O my Bridegroom, Lamb of God, Thou knoweft I am Thine, dear Lord ; Come down and take me home. Yet be the hour that none can tell Left wholly to Thy choice, Although I know Thou lov'ft it well, That I with heart and voice Should bid Thee come, and from this day Care but to meet Thee on Thy way, And at Thy fight rejoice ! Egta <&nmmm. I joy that from Thy love divine No power can part me now, That I may dare to call Thee mine, My Friend, my Lord, avow, That I, O Prince of Life, (hall be Made wholly one in heaven with Thee ; My portion, Lord, art Thou ! And therefore do my thanks o'erflow, That one more year is gone, And of this Time, fo poor, fo flow, Another Hep is won ; And with a heart that may not wait, Toward yonder diftant golden gate I journey gladly on. And when the wearied hands grow weak, And wearied knees give way, To linking faith, oh quickly fpeak, And make Thine arm my Hay ; That fo my heart drink in new ftrength, And I fpeed on, nor feel the length Nor fteepnefs of the way. Then on, my foul, with fearlefs faith, Let nought thy terror move ; Nor aught that earthly pleafure faith E'er tempt thy fteps to rove ; If flow thy courfe feem o'er the wafte, Mount upwards with the eagles' halte, On wings of tirelefs love. ILpta <&ftmamca. O Jefus, all my foul hath flown Already up to Thee, For Thou, in whom is love alone, Haft wholly conquer'd me. Farewell, ye phantoms, day and year, Eternity is round me here, Since, Lord, I live in Thee. A. H. Franco, i 69 i. Egta ©ronantca. 13 CHRISTMAS. I. a Song of 3fos at Baton. ^LL my heart this night rejoices, As I hear, Far and near, Sweeteft angel voices ; " Chrift is born," their choirs are finging, Till the air Everywhere Now with joy is ringing. For it dawns, — the promifed morrow Of His birth Who the earth Refcues from her forrow. God to wear our form defcendeth, Of His grace To our race Here His Son He lendeth : Yea, fo truly for us careth, That His Son All we've done As our offering beareth ; As our Lamb who, dying for us, 14 Upta ©etmanira. Bears our load, And to God Doth in peace reftore us. Hark ! a voice from yonder manger, Soft and fvveet, Doth entreat, " Flee from woe and danger ; Brethren come, from all doth grieve you You are freed, All you need I will furely give you." Come then, let us haften yonder ; Here let all, Great and fmall, Kneel in awe and wonder. Love Him who with love is yearning ; Hail the Star That from far Bright with hope is burning ! Ye who pine in weary fadnefs, Weep no more, For the door Now is found of gladnefs. Cling to Him, for He will guide you - Where no crofs, Pain or lofs, Can again betide you. Hither come, ye heavy-hearted ; Who for fin Deep within, Upra <&ermantca. * 15 Long and fore have fmarted ; For the poifon'd wounds you're feeling Help is near, One is here Mighty for their healing ! Hither come, ye poor and wretched ; Know His will Is to fill Every hand outflretched ; Here are riches without meafure, Here forget All regret, Fill your hearts with treafure. BlefTed Saviour, let me find Thee ! Keep Thou me Clofe to Thee, Call me not behind Thee ! Life of life, my heart Thou ftilleft, Calm I reft On Thy breaft, All this void Thou filleft. Thee, dear Lord, with heed I'll cherilh, Live to Thee, And with Thee Dying, fhall not perifh ; But fhall dwell with Thee for ever, Far on high, In the joy That can alter never. Paul Gerhardt. i 65 i . 16 Egra i&ermamca. II. £2ae lobe ?6tm for Jge first lobe* 2E8. JHOU faireft Child Divine, In yonder manger laid, In whom is God Himfelf well pleafed, By whom were all things made, On me art Thou beftow'd ; How can fuch wonders be ! The deareft that the Father hath He gives me here in Thee ! I was a foe to God, I fought in Satan's hoft, I trifled all His grace away, Alas ! my foul was loft. Yet God forgets my fin, His heart, with pity moved, He gives me, Heavenly Child, in Thee ; Lo ! thus our God hath loved ! Once blind with fin and felf, Along the treacherous way, That ends in ruin at the laft, I haften'd far aftray ; Then- God fent down His Son ; For with a love moft deep, Mod undeferved, His heart Hill yearn'd O'er me, poor wandering fheep ! 3Lgta <&ermantra. God with His life of love To me was far and flrange, My heart clung only to the world Of fight and fenfe and change ; In Thee, Immanuel, Are God and man made one ; In Thee my heart hath peace with God, And union in the Son. Oh ponder this, my foul, Our God hath loved us thus, That even His only deareft Son He freely giveth us. Thou precious gift of God, The pledge and bond of love, With thankful heart I kneel to take This treafure from above. I kneel befide Thy couch, I prefs Thee to my heart, For Thee I gladly all forfake And from the creature part : Thou pricelefs Pearl ! lo, he By whom Thou'rt loved and known, Will give himfelf and all he hath To win Thee for his own. Oh come, Thou Bleffed Child, Thou Saviour of my foul, For ever bound to Thee, my name Among Thy hoft enrol. 1 8 Hgra ©ermantca. Oh deign to take my heart, And let Thy heart be mine, That all my love flow out to Thee, And lofe itfelf in Thine. Tersteegen. i 73 i. III.