Montgomery wrote of Ken’s three hymns that, ‘had he endowed three hospitals, he might have been less a benefactor to posterity.’[74] The importance of his hymns as setting a standard of simplicity and directness can hardly be overstated. Yet it is curious how slowly they won general acceptance. They were not printed in the supplement to the Book of Common Prayer till 1801, and though John Wesley included them in his _Psalms and Hymns_, 1738, he omitted them from his later publications and from his hymn-book. Dean Plumptre, however, says that both the hymns had appeared in some of the earlier collections of hymns for congregational use by English clergymen between 1750 and 1760. The three hymns are given in the _Moravian Hymn-book_ of 1754. After Ken the seventeenth century had no sweeter hymn-writer than John Austin (1613-69), who left St. John’s College, Cambridge, in 1640, on becoming a Romanist. He wrote two volumes of _Devotions in the Ancient Way of Offices_. These were ‘a family piece among Catholics,’ and were much used by devout Protestants. The nonjuring Bishop Hickes edited them for Protestant use, and John Wesley included seven of the hymns in his Charlestown hymn-book—a larger number than by any other author except Watts. Austin did not complete his work. ‘Death, for which he had fitted his soul by a well-spent life, interrupted his labours.... When he perceived death immediately seizing its prey, he gave up the ghost with these remarkable words: ... “Now, heartily for heaven, through Jesus Christ!”’[75] Austin’s hymns are used chiefly outside his own communion,[76] though Romanism has no English hymn-writer to compare with him till the time of Faber. In the _Arundel Hymns_ his verses are attributed to W. Austin (a Protestant contemporary). The following hymn illustrates the similarity of Austin and Faber’s writing. Few readers would guess that one of these four verses was written two centuries after the others. FROM DEATH TO LIFE Jesu! all hail. Who for my sin Didst die, and by that death didst win Eternal life for me; Send me Thy grace, good Lord! that I Unto the world and flesh may die, And hide my life with Thee. Jesu! who on that fatal wood Poured forth Thy life’s last drop of blood, Nailed to a shameful cross; O may we bless Thy love, and be Ready, dear Lord, to bear for Thee All grief, all pain, all loss. Jesu! who by Thine own love slain, By Thine own power took’st life again, And from the grave didst rise; O may Thy death our souls revive, And at our death a new life give, The life that never dies. Jesu! who to Thy heaven again Returned in triumph, there to reign Of men and angels King; O may our parting souls take flight Up to that land of joy and light, And there for ever sing.[77]