I

LORD,

78.

as to Thy dear Cross we flee,

And plead to be forgiven,

So let Thy life our pattern be,

And form our souls for heaven.

2 Help us through good report and ill,
Our daily cross to bear,

Like Thee to do our Father's will,
Our brethren's griefs to share.

3 Let grace our selfishness expel,
Our earthliness refine,

And kindness in our bosoms dwell,
As free and true as Thine.

4 If joy shall at Thy bidding fly,
And grief's dark day come on,
We in our turn would meekly cry,
Father, Thy will be done.

5 Kept peaceful in the midst of strife,
Forgiving and forgiven,

O may we lead the pilgrim's life,

And follow Thee to heaven. Amen.
J. H. Gurney.

Fourth Sunday in Lent.

79.

I LORD, in this Thy mercy's day,

Ere it pass for aye away,

On our knees we fall and pray.

2 Holy Jesu, grant us tears,

Fill us with heart-searching fears,
Ere that awful doom appears.

3 Lord, on us Thy Spirit pour,
Kneeling lowly at the door,
Ere it close for evermore.

4 By Thy night of agony,
By Thy supplicating cry,
By Thy willingness to die,

5 By Thy tears of bitter woe
For Jerusalem below,

Let us not Thy love forego.

6 Grant us 'neath Thy wings a place,
Lest we lose this day of grace

Ere we shall behold Thy face. Amen.
I. Williams.

I

80.

MOURNING o'er our great transgressions,

Lord, behold Thy people pray;
Listening to their deep confessions,
Take our numerous sins away.
Vast their sum, all sum exceeding,
Yet o'er all shall mercy rise,
Mercy from the throne proceeding,
Mercy loftier than the skies.

I

2

2

Blest are they, how blest in glory,
Objects of Thy boundless love,
Who around Thy throne adore Thee,
Dwelling in Thy courts above.
Humbly we at distance bending
Worship in Thy courts below;
Yet e'en here Thy love descending
Bids our joy to transport grow.

81.

COME, ye souls, by sin afflicted,

Bowed with fruitless sorrow down;
By the broken law convicted,

By the tempter's snares undone ;
Look to Jesus;

Mercy flows through Him alone.

Take His easy yoke and wear it ;

Love will make obedience sweet; Christ will give you strength to bear it, While His wisdom guides your feet Safe to glory,

Where His ransom'd captives meet.

3 Sweet as home to pilgrims weary,
Light to newly opened eyes,
Flowing springs in deserts dreary,
Is the rest the Cross supplies.
All who taste it,

Shall to joys immortal rise.

I

THE

82

Vexilla Regis prodeunt.

royal banner is unfurled,

And lo! the Cross is reared on high,
On which the Saviour of the world.

Is stretched in cruel agony.

2 Pierced by the spear, He yielded forth
Water and Blood, a mingled tide,
That so a fount of priceless worth
Might flow for sinners from His side.

3 Then were the wonders plainly shown,
Which saints of old rejoiced to sing,
How of the Tree He made a Throne,
Whereon He reigned a gracious King.

4 Lord, in Thy Cross may we discern
Our only hope, our path to heaven:
And oh! to Thee may sinners turn
With longing eyes to be forgiven.

5 O God, the Blessed Three in One, From every soul all glory be: And grant in us there may be won,

Through Thee, the Cross's victory. Amen.

Fortunatus.

83.

Lugete, pacts angel.

I WEEP, holy Angels, lo! your God

2

Man's sinful likeness wears;

Upon the bitter Cross of shame
Our sin the Saviour bears.

O Christ, with wondering minds we see
This mighty love of Thine;
Did God consent to suffer thus,
Shall man at pain repine?

3 No, Saviour, no! Thy blessed Cross
Death's power hath overcome;
To save us not from earthly woe,
But from the eternal doom.

4 The flesh may shrink, but we submit, Whate'er our cross may be,

So Thou by grace enable us

To bear it after Thee.

5 Thy stripes have healed us, and Thy Blood Our guilty stains effaced;

Then may Thy Name by sin of ours
Be never more disgraced.

6 By Thy sweet Passion, to our souls
Fresh grace and hope afford;
That so hereafter we may gain
Thy measureless reward.