THE SIXTH DAY.

AT MIDNIGHT.

Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of Thy hands and Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet.-PSALM viii.

"Jam sanctius moves opus."

Now a holier work, O Lord,

Thou dost move,

Taking counsel with the Word
Of Thy love,

Of the new-born world a King,
And a Priest Thyself to sing.

Man is made, lit with the light

Of Thy breath,

He doth walk with day and night
Free from death,

And beneath the vaulted air,

Doth his Maker's image bear.

Where the bays of beauteous sea
Range around,

Earth with rock and mount and tree
Doth abound,

He shall reign a monarch true,
Paying Thee allegiance due.

Ah, how blind the reckless soul
Set on ill,

This one yoke the sole control
On his will;

Haughty dust doth nothing dread
E'en to God to lift his head.

Hence how great the dismal band
Of our woes,

While the world on either hand

Doth us close,

Christ, unless Thou bear us aid Hope from guilty souls must fade!

Unto God who did us make

Low we bow,

To the Son who for our sake

Bore all woe,

And to Spirit from above,

By whose breath we live and move.

AT THE MATTINS.

O Lord, be gracious unto us: we have waited for Thee; be Thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.-ISAIAH XXxiii.

"Ultricibus nos undique."

WHILE Thine avenging arrows fall
On every side,

Unto what mountains shall we call?
Where but in Thee for shelter hide?

The busy world with all her skill

Can nothing bring,

Her remedies foment the ill,

And but augment the secret sting.

But from Thy scourges which we fear
Our hopes arise,

The ills a Father bids us bear

Are of our wounds the remedies.

On our heart's lusts that rage and swell

Lay Thou the rein,

These the worst ills that with us dwell,

The ills Thou only canst restrain.

Why tarriest Thou? without-within-
There gathers war

To try the soul Christ died to win ;—
Shall the great foe His conquest mar?

Our prayers are heard,—the heart that grieves
Again is strong,

Thy death alone can, Lord, relieve

The fears that on our dying throng.

Glory to God above the skies,

Who thus doth prove,

And those most dear with chastening tries,
But in His wrath remembers love.

AT THE VESPERS.

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame.-HEB. xii.

"Lugete, pacis Angeli."

ANGELS of peace, look down from heav'n and mourn,
Lo, your own God low to the earth is bent,
Wearing guilt's image, of His glories shorn,
Of wicked men He bears the punishment.

O miracle stupendous of vast love!

O deadness of man's heart that still remains! To die for you your God comes from above; Ye will not walk with Him and share His pains.

It is Thy Cross alone, alone Thy Cross,

From everlasting flames our souls sets free; Chasten us with fire, sword, or worldly loss, But spare us for a long eternity.

The flesh shrinks back, but 'tis His Father's will,
He bows His head and drinks the bitter cup,-
In this Thy strength may we Thy law fulfil,
Take from Thy hand the chalice, and look up.

Heal'd by the stripes which Thy pure body stain, Wash'd by the blood which floweth from Thy side,

Leave us not, lest we sin, and fall again,
And thus another Cross for Thee provide.

Glory to Him, who gave His Son to die;
Glory to Him, who for the guilty dies;
Glory to Him, who came down from on high
To sanctify the holy sacrifice.

E