Rex tremendæ majestatis, Recordare, Jesu pie, Quod sum causa tuæ viæ, Ne me perdas illâ die. Quærens me, sedisti lassus, * Tantus labor non sit cassus. Juste Judex ultionis, Ingemisco tanquam reus, Qui Mariam absolvisti, Preces meæ non sunt dignæ, *There is a very affecting reference in this "sedisti lassus" to the expression "Judex sedebit" in a preceding verse. Oh king of dreadful majesty, Remember, oh good Lord, I pray, Oft sitting faint, me thou hast sought, Thou just avenging Judge! oh shed I groan, as if arraigned I stood, Guilt dyes my face with shame's red flood; Who Mary Magdalen didst free, My prayers all worthless are, I mourn, * Or: Me thou didst seek with weary pain, For me upon the cross wast slain, Let not such labor all be vain. † So St. Peter calls the cross in 1 Epist. ii. 24; "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree." So also in other places. Inter oves locum præsta, Confutatis maledictis, Flammis acribus addictis, Oro supplex et acclinis, Lachrymosa dies illa, Judicandus homo reus. Huic ergo parce, Deus. Pie Jesu, Domine, Dona eis requiem. Amen. *My destiny as well as my death, as in Numbers xxiii. 10; "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!" Among the sheep grant thou my state, The cursed in speechless horror all, From piercing flames which them appal, My name among thy blessed call! I suppliant pray, and lowly bend, A day of sighs and tears and cries, Before the judgment-seat to stand! Spare him, oh GOD! oh stay thy hand! Oh LORD JESUS, Saviour blest, Grant to them thy endless rest. Amen. *Matt. xxv. 31, &c. THE DEPARTED. * "Blessed are the dead which die in the LORD from henceforth; yea, saith the SPIRIT, that they may rest from their labors."- Rev. xiv. 13. THE sun to his far ocean rest has passed, Spirits of the departed! where are ye ? "Ah me! where roves my fancy? what kind dreams Perhaps they sing To some new golden harp the almighty deeds His cross, Oh could I imitate the exalted notes, And mortal ears could bear them!" WATTS. |