Oh, Thou, who wilt forgiving be,
To all who truly turn to Thee,
Grant us to mourn the hapless cause
Of all our woe, Thy broken laws!
Then to such salutary grief

Let faith and hope bring due relief,
And we, too, shall be soon possessed
Of ceaseless songs of endless rest.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And Holy Ghost, be glory done :
Let equal praise to each be given,
By all on earth, and all in heaven.

SEXAGESIMA.

(Rebus creatis nil egens. No. 57.)

OUR God, in His celestial seat,

In glory and in power complete,

To make that power and glory known,
Lays the round world's foundation-stone.

The elements, before unmade,
Are now in beauteous order laid:
And wondrous harmony they raise,

To celebrate their Maker's praise.

But e'en while thus the world comes forth, In all the beauty of its birth,

His mind hath in itself unfurled

Another and a nobler world.

Its builder is His only Son,

In grace and love it is begun :
'Tis carried on through every age
By His own word, the Gospel page.

In heaven at length, when time is o'er,
"Twill stand complete, to move no more:
Made meet for such a blessed abode,
Meet for the dwelling-place of God.
Oh, God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Preserve, direct, maintain in love,
The world below, and world above!

QUINQUAGESIMA.

(Vos ante Christi tempora. No. 58.)

Он, ye, who followed Christ in love,
While yet He dwelt in realms above,
First children of Almighty grace:
First fathers of the faithful race!

Oh, how can words of equal worth
The wonders of your faith set forth!
Or tell of all your panting sighs,
Which hope uplifted to the skies!
In dreary exile here below,

Ye found the world an empty show;
On real delights you fixed your love,
Not here below, but there above.

The heart, O God, that loves Thee well,
Still longs with Thee in peace to dwell:
Forbid, O Lord, our souls to roam,
And fix them on our future home.

Praise to the Father, and the Son
And Holy Spirit, Three in One;
Eternal praise to each be given,
By all on earth, and all in heaven.

SEASON BEFORE LENT.

(Alleluia! dulce carmen.

No. 59.)

ALLELUIA! best and sweetest

Of the hymns of praise above!
Alleluia! thou repeatest,

Angel host, these notes of love,
This ye utter.

While your golden harps ye move.

Alleluia! Church victorious,

Join the concert of the sky!

Alleluia! bright and glorious,

Lift, ye saints, this strain on high!
We, poor exiles,

Join not yet your melody.

F

Alleluia! strains of gladness

Suit not souls with anguish torn: Alleluia! sounds of sadness

Best become our state forlorn :
Our offences

We with bitter tears must mourn.

But our earnest supplication,
Holy God, we raise to thee:
Visit us with thy salvation,
Make us all thy joys to see!
Alleluia !

Ours at length this strain shall be.

OR THUS.

Alleluia! dulce carmen.

On! glorious is the song

Of everlasting praise, When all the angel throng Their joyful chorus raise: Alleluia!

When seraphs sing

To God their King,

Alleluia!

Thou too, Jerusalem,

The concert thou may'st join,

And this

may be the theme

Of every saint of thine :

Hallelujah!

Thou too may'st sing
To God thy King,
Hallelujah.

But oh! we may not now

This joyful strain begin: Our heads we first must bow In sorrow for our sin.

Alleluia!

We may not sing
To God our King,
Alleluia!

O Lord, our hearts incline,
To worship only Thee!

We then that choir may join,

And ours that strain

may

Alleluia!

be:

We then may sing

To God our King,
Alleluia !

LENT.

NOCTURN.

(Quod lex adumbravit vetus. No. 60.)

THIS solemn fast the Fathers saw
Forth shadowed in the ancient law,
And Jesus, when on earth he came,
Taught us to celebrate the same.