And in may we that grace cerve From Him who doth the increase give. Aut we in time shall all be warmt In the bright garners of the Lord.
And now to God, the Three in One. Pe highest praise and glory done. Who calleth us from sin's dark might To walk in his eternal light.
(Pulsum supernis sedibus. No. 89.)
LONG time the fallen human race In sinful darkness laid,
And ignorant of the way to life, In hopeless wanderings strayed.
But now their King on earth descends To teach the way to heaven, To fetch poor exiles back to God, Himself to exile given.
He comes to wanderers here below His succour to afford :
Himself the way, himself the life, Himself their great reward.
Eternal God, within the veil Of human flesh confined,
Oh! may thy truth its beams unfold To every faithful mind!
Redeemer of the world, to Thee All glory we afford,
The Father and the Holy Ghost Be equally adored.
(Hæc illa solemnis dies. No. 90.)
THIS is the day, the solemn day, Which God appointed to convey Such news as made our sorrows cease, Glad news of mercy and of peace.
Our parents' guilt, our parents' fall, To certain death consigned us all : From certain death mankind to save, His only Son Jehovah gave.
Yes! He who was th' Eternal's Son, E'er time had yet its course begun, Our life of pain and weakness bore, Nor did the Virgin's womb abhor.
He took on him our mortal state, That he might bear the sinner's fate, That so his blood, in ransom given, Might take away the wrath of heaven.
Yes! He, the infinite great God, Iu human flesh awhile abode : That we might high in glory dwell, He came as our Immanuel.
Redeemer of the world, to thee All praise and glory rendered be: And to the Father, King of heaven, And Holy Ghost, all praise be given.
(Sinæ sub alto vertice. No. 91.)
THE law on Sinai's fiery height, 'Mid thunderings was given: The lightning flash, the trumpet clang Bespoke the God of heaven.
But now a veil of human flesh
Around his brightness thrown, Our God in milder beams arrayed, To favoured man is shown.
The stone-writ law no strength could give
Its precepts to fulfil :
The Gospel law converts the heart,
And sanctifies the will.
This Gospel law your faithful hands And faithful lips revealed; Commended by your holy lives,
And by your life-blood sealed.
And, oh! may these your words of life,
Which God's own hand hath traced, By him be written on our hearts, And never be effaced!
(Christi perennes nuntii. No. 92.)
HERALDS of Christ, to every age, Who open wide the Gospel page, Unfolding all the wondrous plan Of love divine to sinful man.
The mysteries, which beneath the law The holy Prophets dimly saw,
Ye now behold in open day,
For Christ removes these shades away.
The woes he bore, the words he taught, The wondrous miracles he wrought, All this ye wrote, as God decreed, That all posterity might read.
The self-same Spirit was your guide, On him your faithful minds relied; Oh! may that Spirit still be given To teach our hearts the laws of heaven!
Oh! praise the Father, praise the Son, Who victory o'er the grave hath won, And to the Spirit praise be given By all on earth, and all in heaven.
ST. PHILIP AND ST. JAMES.
(Prædicta Christi mors adest. No. 93.)
Ar length draws near the long-expected day, But, oh! ye saints, your anxious fears remove; For though no more on earth your Lord will stay, Ye lose his presence, but retain his love.
Oh! then be strong, and fortify your hearts, The vain contentions of the world despise ; In God's good time the wintry storm departs, And days of tranquil sunshine shall arise.
Though now ye weep, ye soon shall weep no more, The hand of God himself your tears shall dry, When sinners, now triumphant, shall deplore Their short-lived joys, their endless misery.
Then He who put your human nature on, The power of death by dying to destroy, Shall bid you come, and welcome to his throne, To see his glory, and to share his joy.
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