EVENSONG.

(0 fortis, O clemens Deus. No. 28.)

Он, God of our salvation, Lord,
Of wond'rous power and love,
May faith, salvation's holy seed,
Be sent us from above!

'Tis faith that gives us strength to fight, That we our foes may quell;

And with the shield of faith we quench The fiery darts of hell.

By faith we make our prayers to Thee,
In that most holy Name,

On which, for mercy and for peace,
Hope rests her stedfast claim.

For that Name's sake assist us, Lord,
To run our heavenward race;
And, oh! may no unholy life,
Our holy faith disgrace.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Be praise and glory given;
pour into the hearts of men

Who

True light and heat from heaven.

FRIDAY.

NOCTURN.

(Jam sanctius moves opus. No. 29.)

AND now, O God, thy mind resolves,
A holier work to frame;

A ruler for thy new-made world,
A herald of thy name.

And man is made: to favoured dust

The breath of life is given;

The likeness of a holy God,

The lineaments of heaven.

The wide expanse of earth must own

His delegated sway,

To God alone, his rightful Lord,
Due homage he must pay.

Alas for man! corrupt, depraved,
The yoke he will not wear:
Vile dust presumes with God above
A rival front to rear.

And, oh! from hence what wretchedness
The world hath overspread;

If Jesus had not succoured us,
E'en hope itself were dead.

Oh! praise the Father, and the Son,
Who saved us by his death,
And Holy Ghost, who quickens us
By his celestial breath.

MATINS.

(Ultricibus nos undique. No. 30.)

WHILE thine avenging arrows, Lord,

Encompass us around,

What hand but that which caused the smart Can cure the deadly wound?

Depart, vain world, for how can'st thou

Relieve the festering sore?

Thy comfort is but vanity,

And irritates it more.

We tremble, Lord, beneath thy rod,

But we do not despair;

We see the good Physician's hand

In all he bids us bear.

But oh! so fierce the contest burns,
Good Lord, no more delay;
Oh! yield not to their deadly foes
Thy people for a prey.

Our prayer is heard: our foes depart;
And we once more take breath:
Thy death, O Christ, relieves the soul
From all its fears of death.

All praise and glory be ascribed

To God, who reigns above;

Who scourges those whom He receives,

And chastens them in love.

EVENSONG.

(Lugete, pacis angeli. No. 31.)

LAMENT, ye saints, behold your God
Your sinful likeness wears;

Behold, upon the accursed tree,
Your sins the Saviour bears.

Oh, Christ, with wondering minds we see
What mighty love was thine!

Did God consent to suffer thus,
And, oh! shall man repine ?

No, Saviour, no! the power of death
Thy cross hath overcome;
To save us, not from earthly woe,
But from th' eternal doom:

The flesh may shrink, but we submit,
Whate'er our cross may be :
So thou by grace enable us

To bear it after Thee.

Thy stripes have healed us, and thy blood

Our guilty stains effaced;

Then may thy name by sins of ours

Be never more disgraced.

Praise God, who gave his only Son

To be for sinners slain,

And Holy Spirit, by whose breath
Our souls are raised again.

SATURDAY.

NOCTURN.

(Tandem peractis, 0 Deus. No. 32.)

Ar length creation's days are past,
The universe is made;

And Thou, O God, thy handywork
With pleasure hast surveyed;

But while thou hallowest the day,
A day of rest to be,
Behold a new creating work,

Still calling, Lord, for Thee.

See! all thy works their homage bring,
The earth, the sea, the sky:
Man, sinful man, alone declines
To join the harmony.

Create, oh! Lord, our hearts anew,
Our hearts of stone remove;
And we shall then the concert join,
With new-born fruits of love.

Oh, only may our lives agree,
With these our notes of praise,
And then what all-prevailing prayers
Our fervent hearts shall raise !

All praise to God, who strong in might
And endless glory reigns,

Who with a word hath made the world, And with a word maintains.