Not by the martyrs' death alone

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Not by the martyrs' death alone

Author: Isaac Williams
Published in 15 hymnals

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Representative Text

1. Not by the martyr’s death alone
The saint his crown in Heav’n has won;
There is a triumph robe on high
For bloodless fields of victory.

2. What though he was not called to feel
The cross, or flame, or torturing wheel,
Yet daily to the world he died;
His flesh, through grace, he crucified.

3. What though nor chains, nor scourges sore,
Nor cruel beasts his members tore,
Enough if perfect love arise
For Christ a grateful sacrifice.

4. Lord, grant us so to Thee to turn
That we through life to die may learn,
And thus, when life’s brief day is o’er,
May live with Thee forevermore.

5. O Fount of sanctity and love,
O perfect Rest of saints above,
All praise, all glory be to Thee
Both now and through eternity.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #4495

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Author: Isaac Williams

Isaac Williams was born in London, in 1802. His father was a barrister. The son studied at Trinity College, Oxford, where he gained the prize for Latin verse. He graduated B.A. 1826, M.A. 1831, and B.D. 1839. He was ordained Deacon in 1829, and Priest in 1831. His clerical appointments were Windrush (1829), S. Mary the Virgin's, Oxford (1832), and Bisley (1842-1845). He was Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford, from 1832 to 1842. During the last twenty years of his life his health was so poor as to permit but occasional ministerial services. He died in 1865. He was the author of some prose writings, amongst which are Nos. 80, 86 and 87 of the "Oxford Tracts." His commentaries are favourably known. He also published quite a large num… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Not by the martyrs' death alone
Author:	Isaac Williams
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

Non parta solo sanguine. Jean Baptiste de Santeüil. [Saints, not Martyrs.] Appeared in the Cluniac Breviary, 1686, p. lvii., and his Hymni Sacri et Novi, 1689, p. 214 (edition 1698, p. 252). In the Paris Breviany, 1736, it is given for the "Common of Just Persons." The text is also in J. Chandler's Hymns of the Primitive Church, 1837; and Cardinal Newman's Hymni Ecclesiae, 1838 and 1865. Translated as:—
1. Not by the martyr's death alone. By I. Williams, in the British Magazine, Dec, 1833, p. 622, and again in his Hymns translated from the Parisian Breviary, 1839, p. 315, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines. This text is rarely given in its original form in the hymnbooks. That in Hymns Ancient & Modern is very considerably altered by the compilers; and that in the Hymnary by the editors. Thring takes the Hymns Ancient & Modern text, and adds thereto emendations by himself. Others adopt a somewhat similar plan, so much so that it is almost always safe to say that any given text beginning "Not by the martyr's, &c." is based upon I. Williams.