Hands, that sustain the pillars of heav'n's roof,

Handle the ignoble craft of feeble man; The Framer of the stars, that speed aloof,

Himself becomes a low-housed artizan. Lo, He who hath the world beneath His feet, He at whose dread behest Archangels fleet, And far and wide His Kingly mandates bear, Is subject to an humble carpenter.

Jesu, the Maiden-born, to Thee we sing-
Father, Son, Spirit; Maker, Lord, and King;—
Glory to Thee, when earth and heav'n have gone,
And everlasting time His course hath run.

AT THE VESPERS.

The Word whom God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all.-ACTs x.

"Christus tenebris obsitam."

AND now Heav'n's growing light is manifest Through Judah's land, which in the darkness lies;

But they have steel'd their breast,

And closed their earth-bound eyes.

Now signs of present Godhead teem around, The dead are rais'd, feet to the lame are given, The dumb a tongue hath found,

The blind man sees the heaven.

But Israel hath become blind, deaf, and dead ; He is their Sun; but they, like birds of night, To unclean haunts have fled,

And will not brook the light.

But we would turn to Thee, and court the ray; Thou art the eternal Father's Charity;

And never-setting day

For ever dwells in Thee

Let not the night creep o'er us Light divine; Let not the night creep o'er our hearts below; With Thy truth may they shine,

With Thy love burn and glow.

To Thee, with Father and with Spirit blest,
Jesu, to Thee, born of a Maiden pure,

Be highest praise addrest,

And evermore endure.

K 2

ON THE SEVENTH DAY BEFORE

SEPTUAGESIMA.

AT THE VESPERS.

The children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested.-EXODUS Xxxi.

"Te læta, mundi Conditor."

THOU, Lord, in endless rest,
Dost Thy sure Sabbath keep,

Where angels ever blest,

Do sing and never sleep;

To us, from virtue fallen, toils belong,

For how can exiles sad sing their lost country's song?

But Thou art pledg'd to spare

On tears of penitence;

Grant us to mourn with stedfast care

The sins that keep us thence,

That faith and hope may temper healthful woes, Until we be restored to Thy secure repose.

Thee, Lord, where in Thy rest,
Thou dost Thy Sabbath keep,
May angels, ever blest,

Sing Thee, and never sleep—

Sing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit divine, And we, though exiles sad, our feebler strain combine.

ON

THE SUNDAYS FROM SEPTUAGESIMA TILL LENT.

AT MIDNIGHT.

As the heavens are higher than the earth. so are My ways higher than your ways; for as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and watereth the earth, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth.-ISAIAH lv.

"Rebus creatis nil egens."

THOU of the things created nothing needing,
Wert hid in Thine essential blessedness,

But from Thine own mysterious shrine proceeding,
Didst speak the word which doth with being bless;
And things that were not to Thy hand

Before Thee instant all in duteous order stand,
And to the great Creator lift the song,

With multitudinous tongue;

And round Thy throne the buoyant welkin hung, So beauteous the great world from Thine own

bosom sprung.