Rex tremendæ majestatis,
Qui salvandos salvas gratis,
Salva me, fons pietatis.

Recordare, Jesu pie,

Quod sum causa tuæ viæ,

Ne me perdas illâ die.

Quærens me, sedisti lassus, *
Redemisti crucem passus,

Tantus labor non sit cassus.

Juste Judex ultionis,
Donum fac remissionis,
Ante diem rationis.

Ingemisco tanquam reus,
Culpâ rubet vultus meus;
Supplicanti parce, Deus!

Qui Mariam absolvisti,
Et latronem exaudisti,
Mihi quoque spem dedisti.

Preces meæ non sunt dignæ,
Sed tu bonus fac benigne,
Ne perenni cremer igne.

*There is a very affecting reference in this "sedisti lassus" to the expression "Judex sedebit" in a preceding verse.

Oh king of dreadful majesty,
Who sav'st thy chosen graciously,
Full fount of pity, save thou me !

Remember, oh good Lord, I pray,
For me thou trod'st earth's dreary way,
Lest thou destroy me in that day!

Oft sitting faint, me thou hast sought,
My ransom on the cross thou 'st wrought,
Be so great toil not all for nought! *

Thou just avenging Judge! oh shed
Thy free remission on my head,
Before that day of reckoning dread!

I groan, as if arraigned I stood,

Guilt dyes my face with shame's red flood;
The prostrate suppliant spare, oh God!

Who Mary Magdalen didst free,
And heard'st the thief upon the tree,†
Thou too hast given hope to me.

My prayers all worthless are, I mourn,
But thou, good Lord, benignly turn,
Lest in eternal fire I burn!

* 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,
Et ab hædis me sequestra,
Statuens in parte dextrâ.

Confutatis maledictis,

Flammis acribus addictis,
Voca me cum benedictis.

Oro supplex et acclinis,
Cor contritum quasi cinis,
Gere curam mei finis. *

Lachrymosa dies illa,
Quâ resurget ex favillâ

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,
And from the goats me separate,
And place at thy right hand to wait! *

The cursed in speechless horror all, From piercing flames which them appal, My name among thy blessed call!

I suppliant pray, and lowly bend,
My contrite heart in ashes rend,
Oh take thou care of my last end!

A day of sighs and tears and cries,
When from the ashes man shall rise,

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,
The gleamings of twilight are fading fast,
And the stars shine out from the eastern sky,
And the soft breeze of even is murmuring by,
And thoughts of hopes of fond affection fled
Mingle with thoughts of the absent and dead.

Spirits of the departed! where are ye ?
Are ye watching as guardians around me ?
Or hymn ye with seraphs your Saviour's love?
Have ye your home with the holy above?
Do ye reign with the perfect just on high?
Do ye taste of pleasures that cannot die ?
Are ye free from temptation's many fears?
Are
ye free from sin? are ye free from tears?

"Ah me! where roves my fancy? what kind dreams
Crowd with sweet violence on my waking mind!
Perhaps illusions all!

Perhaps they sing

To some new golden harp the almighty deeds
The names, the honors, of their Saviour GOD,
his grave, his victory, and his crown:

His cross,

Oh could I imitate the exalted notes,

And mortal ears could bear them!"

WATTS.