ON THE ASCENSION.

AT THE FIRST AND SECOND VESPERS.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? It is the Lord strong and mighty, even the Lord mighty in battle.-Ps. xxiv.

BLEST Saviour, now Thy work is done

Of death and hell the victory;

And Thou ascended to put on

The glories of eternity.

Now borne upon a glittering cloud,
Thou seest afar earth's little bound;
While, following, flock a happy crowd,
Their Saviour and their King around.

'Mid wondering angels, without end,
Th' eternal doors are open wide;
While Man and God Thou dost ascend,

To set Thee at Thy Father's side.

Our One High-Priest, our Advocate,
Our Intercessor there on high,
Offering for us without the gate

The blood of boundless Charity.

Thence Thou Thy bride dost here adorn,
And cherish her in her unrest,

And she, when harass'd and forlorn,
Reclines upon Thy faithful breast.

Thou midst her conflicts art at hand,
Thou o'er her head dost hold Thy shield,
By Thee alone she is sustain'd,

By Thee hath power her arms to wield.

Where Thou our Head art gone before,
Do Thou to Thee the body draw-
On ways, where Thine own steps of yore
Have trod Thine own life-giving Law.

Now to the Father let us sing,
And Holy Spirit, unto Thee,
And to our Heav'n-ascended King
Who captive led captivity.

AT MIDNIGHT.

Behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom.—DAN. vii.

"Promissa, tellus, concipe gaudia."

AND now, glad earth, take up thine Hallelujah, Bright day, spousal of Heav'n and earth, all hail: Averted is the wrath of dread Jehovah,

The Mediator gone within the veil !

O Christ, put on Thee now Thy hard-earn❜d glory,
Conqueror of hell and death, as is most meet,
Go on, and reign, for to all time before Thee
Thy kingdom lies, the world is 'neath Thy feet.

And who are ye, where your Lord hath ascended, Gazing where on Heav'n's vault His footsteps burn?

As He ascends with golden clouds attended,

So as a dreadful Judge shall He return.

O Christ, upon Thy Father's right-hand sitting, Make us partakers of Thy triumph now, Fierce is the warfare, but it were most fitting,

While Thou dost lead, that we o'ercome the foe.

Glory to God the Father, into Heaven

Who hath received the hostage of our peace,
And to the Spirit Divine be glory given,
And glory to the Son, our sure release.

AT THE MATTINS.

Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.-HEB. i.

"Jesu, nostra Redemptio."

JESU, who our redemption art,
God, Maker of all things, ere time began,
In the world's evening seen as Son of Man,
Sole love and light of the sad heart.

What tender pity won Thee so

That Thou shouldst take on Thee our sinful stains,

And bear the very worst of dying pains,
That we might 'scape the penal woe.

To rescue thence Thy captive band Thou went'st below, and through th' infernal bars Girt with Thy ransom'd, like a robe of stars, Didst sit down at Thy Father's side.

Let that dear pity spare us still,
And so, by sparing, overcome our sin,
That here Thy blissful countenance may win
Our yearning hearts, hereafter fill.

Thou art the Crown for evermore

Which doth await Thy faithful soldier's brow :
In Thee be all our peace and glory now,
In Thee upon the eternal shore.