As thou dost join with holiest bonds So fill thy saints with mutual love, To God the Father, God the Son, OR THIS. (Nunc sancte nobis Spiritus. No. 5. St. Ambrose.) BLEST Spirit, one with God above, Oh, may our lips confess thy name, Oh Holy Father, Holy Son, SIXTH HOUR, or 12. (Jam Solis excelsum Jubar. No. 6.) AND now the sun's meridian beams Oh Christ, thou Sun of righteousness, To God the Father, God the Son, OR THIS. (Rector potens, verax Deus. No. 7.) OH God of truth, Almighty Lord, Extinguish, Lord, th' unhallow'd fire Oh Holy Father, Holy Son, NINTH HOUR, or 3 IN THE AFTERNOON. AND now the sun's declining rays E'en so our years are sinking down To their appointed end. Lord, on the cross thine arms were stretched, To draw us to the sky: Oh grant us then that cross to love, And in those arms to die. To God the Father, God the Son, OR THIS. (Rerum Deus tenax vigor. No. 9. St. Ambrose.) ALMIGHTY God, thy throne above No time can change, no power can move: Thy word the fleeting hours obey, They speed the night, they close the day. Oh cheer the evening of our days To bring our ransom'd souls to God. Oh Holy Father, Holy Son, EVENSONG, OR VESPERS. (Oh luce qui mortalibus. No. 10.) On Thou, whose throne is hid from men Before whose face e'en seraphs shrink, Here we thy people sit forlorn, This day thou hast in store for us, But ah! too long thou lingerest, Thou long-expected day: For why! this body's toilsome load Must first be cast away. But when my soul hath ta'en her flight, To see thee, love thee, praise thy name, Oh may we so, blest Three in One, OR THIS. (Lucis creator optime. No. 11. St. Gregory.) SOURCE of light and life divine, Thou didst cause the light to shine; Shade of night, and morning ray, May we ne'er, by guilt deprest, Rather lift them to the skies, Where our much-loved treasure lies; Help us in our daily strife, Make us struggle into life. |