Oh! praise the Father, and the Son, ASCENSION DAY. NOCTURN. (Salutis humanæ Sator. No. 71.) Он, Jesu, Lord of heavenly grace, To Thee our faithful eyes we bend, What wondrous love prevailed on Thee, That sinners might not die, but live! Now crushed is Satan's doleful reign, Oh! let thy mercy then prevail, G Be thou our passage to the skies, MATINS. (Opus peregisti tuam. No. 72.) REDEEMER! now thy work is done! A radiant cloud is now thy seat, And earth lies stretched beneath thy feet: While myriads, in their bright array, Attend thee homeward on thy way. Beside the everlasting gates The angel-host enraptured waits: comes, he comes, and God's high throne Receives at length the Holy One. There, Jesu, thou hast never ceased And thence the Church, thy chosen bride, Through all her members draws from Thee Her hidden life of sanctity. And thence, when perils close around, Thou makest us maintain our ground: 'Tis thy right arm subdues our foes, Thy hand the victor's prize bestows. All praise to Jesus Christ be given, The conqueror who returns to heaven : With praise exalt, ye heavenly host, The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. EVENSONG. (Jesu, nostra, redemptio. No. 73.) O CHRIST, our hope, our heart's desire, How vast the mercy and the love Which laid our sins on Thee: And led Thee to a cruel death, But now the bonds of death are burst, The ransom has been paid: And Thou art on thy Father's throne, In glorious robes arrayed. Oh, may thy mighty love prevail Our sinful souls to spare! Oh, may we come before Thy throne, And find acceptance there! But lo! the cross, which once the Jew And Gentile dared despise, The saint's delight, the sinner's scorn, That cross those wicked men behold, Lord, may we never to such guilt, Oh, future Judge, to thy great name The Father, and the Holy Ghost EVENSONG. (Nobis Olympo redditus. No. 76.) OH, Christ, who hast prepared a place Source of all good, thou, gracious Lord, With open face and joyful heart Thy never-failing grace to prove, O future Judge, Eternal Lord, Amen. WHITSUNDAY. EVE. (0 Christi, qui noster poli. No. 77.) O JESU, who art gone before Make us to those delights aspire, |