Walpole: Augustine definitely says that Ambrose
wrote this hymn ; see de Natura et Gratia 63
quem Spiritum memoratus episcopus etiam precibus impetrandum admonet, ubi in hymno
dicit : notisque praestat sedulis sanctum mereri Spiritum. Even without his
authority we might know from the style and from the treatment of the subject- matter
that it came from Ambrose. Caesarius of
Arles, in his Regula ad virgines, and
Aurelian both appoint it to be sung in
primo die paschae ad tertiam, the latter adding cotidianis . . .diebus (i.e. on week days as opposed to Sundays and
festivals) ad tertiam sex psalmos dicite antiphonam,
ymnum lam surgit hora tertia.
Iam
surgit hora tértia, (1)
qua
Christus ascéndit crucem;
nil
ínsolens mens cógitet, (2)
inténdat
afféctum precis. (3)
Qui
corde Christum súscipit, (4)
innóxium
sensum gerit
votísque
præstat sédulis
Sanctum
meréri Spíritum. (5)
Hæc
hora, quæ finem dedit (6)
diri
vetérno críminis;
hinc
iam beáta témpora
cœpére
Christi grátia.
Iesu,
tibi sit glória,
qui
morte victa prænites,
cum
Patre et almo Spíritu,
in
sempitérna sæcula. Amen.
1. surgit is used of time; 2. nil insolens: 'no proud thought’; the hour of Christ's humiliation is no season
for this. 3. inténdat afféctum: appears to mean' the mind to pray '; intendere: to apply oneself to it, to give all one's
attention to it; 4. This we are invited to do by a reminder of
what happen toke place at the third hour. 5. meréri: 'win,' ' obtain' ; Augustine quotes these lines to shew
that Ambrose held the belief that men can do nothing without the grace of God.
Clearly he had no idea that mereri could
be used against him in the sense of ' to merit'; 6. Walpole does not include this verse but Walsh and Husch have
it: finem… críminis: the people before Christ , defaced by original sin, are
now cleansed; Walsh and Husch read for the last two lines of this stanza: mortisque regnum diruit/ culpamque ab aevo
sustulit;
Now rises the third hour, when Christ ascends
the cross; let the mind think no haughty thoughts, but be intent on the love of
prayer. He who receives Christ in his heart carries no harmful feelings, but
with watchful prayers merits the Holy Spirit.
This is the hour which put to an end the old grievous sins; now is the
blessed season, when the grace of Christ begins. O Jesus, to you be glory,
shining by your victory over death, with the Father and loving Spirit, in
eternal ages. Amen
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