IN THE SEASON OF LENT.

AT MIDNIGHT.

Cast away from you all your transgressions; and make you a new heart, and a new spirit. For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.-EZEK. Xviii.

"Quod lex adumbravit vetus."

It is the holy fast,

Which Christ hath sanctified,

Shadow'd of ages past

For them who to the world have died.

Let there be holy guard

O'er word, and food, and sleep,

'That in her widow'd ward,

The soul her strictest watch may keep.

That so she best within

Her rebel lusts may quell,
Lest the dark foe, unseen,

Steal in and seize the citadel.

Let us bow down and weep,
Ere yet it be too late,

His path with tears to steep

Before the Judge be at the gate.

Tremendous Judge, e'en now Our crimes like mountains rise, But yet a Father Thou, And mightier are Thy clemencies.

Frail as the potter's clay,

But yet Thy work are we :

O leave us not a prey

For whom Christ paid the penalty.

Heal us from all our sin,

Restore us to our place,

With contrite hearts to win

Thine all-abounding pitying grace.

This boon on us confer,

Our Father and our Lord,
And Thou, sole Comforter,

Of godly woe the fruits afford.

L

AT THE MATTINS.

Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins. ISAIAH lviii.

"Solemne nos jejunii."

AND now the season grave and deep
Unto the solemn temple calls,

The priest laments, and sounds that weep,

With prayers for mercy fill the walls.

But vainly penitential cries

To our offended God would rise,

Unless the sounds that speak of sin

But echo the deep voice that doth lament within.

Nought ashes on the forehead spread,
Nor garments profit rent and torn;
But hearts awak'ning from the dead,
And torn and rent by sighs that mourn,
And tears upon the pallid cheek,
Which the deep labouring spirit speak,
May turn away His hand e'en now,

When He hath ta'en His shafts and bent the
deadly bow.

Thou Judge of justice, holy God,
O turn a little while away,
Turn aside Thine avenging rod,
And give us time and hearts to pray.
O Three in One, bless'd God above,
O One in Three, great God of love,
Bless and make fruitful this our fast,
Lest that repentance need when it hath gone

and past.

AT THE VESPERS.

If the wicked walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity, he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of the sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him.-EZEK. xxxiii.

"Audi, benigne Conditor."

MERCIFUL Maker, hear our call,

On idle winds O let not all

Our prayers and tears be spent

In sacred Lent.

Thou who dost know each hidden part,
And with Thy sunbeam search the heart,

We unto Thee return,

O, do not spurn.

Much have we sinned, we confess,
Spare us! O, for our helplessness,
Upon us pity take,

For Thy Name's sake.

May the stern rein of abstinence *
So bring the body down, that thence
The soul may watch and pray
Her stains away.

Grant, One in Three, blest Trinity,
Grant, Three in One, blest Unity,
Our Lent may blessed prove
In fruits of love.