CVIII.

THURSDAY EVENING.

THANKSGIVING FOR THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST.

*

O holy and gracious Lord Jesus Christ, we give thee most humble and hearty thanks for the deep and anxious sorrow wherewith thy soul was afflicted for our sake, even unto death. Hereby thou hast removed from us everlasting grief and sorrow, and purchased for us eternal joy and happiness. We thank thee for thy humble falling down in Gethsemane before thy Heavenly Father, thereby to procure for us his fatherly grace and favour, and keep our faces from everlasting shame and confusion. We thank thee for thy holy prayer and obedience, wherein thou didst entirely offer up thy will to thy Father, saying, not my will but thine be done; thereby to make atonement for the evil committed by our own will, to heal its various disorders, and to sanctify us according to the will of God.

We thank thee for thy bitter agony whereby thou hast broken the power of death, subdued it, and taken away its sting. We thank thee for that dreadful sweat, which in drops of blood fell down to the ground, thereby to sanctify to us cold and anxious sweat in the hour of death, and to turn its pangs into quiet repose.

O thou innocent and unspotted Lamb of God, we

* From Arnt.

thank thee for thy being taken that we might be set free; for thy being bound that we might be released from sin; for thy being falsely accused that we might be absolved before the tribunal of God; for thy being smitten in the face that we might have peace.

O thou meek and patient Lord, we thank thee that for our sake thou hast been mocked to atone for our follies, and to become unto us eternal wisdom; that thou hast been spit upon to deliver us from shame and confusion; that thou hast been blasphemed and insulted to raise us to honour and glory; that thou hast been scourged that we might be delivered from stripes hereafter, which we have justly deserved.

O thou King and Lord of glory, we thank thee that for our sakes thou wast in derision clothed with a purple robe, to purchase for us the wedding garment of honour; thou wast crowned with thorns to gain for us a crown of righteousness; thou wast mocked with a reed put into thy hand that we might take thy kingdom and possess it for ever and ever; thy holy head was smitten that we might have the palm in our hands and wear the crown of life in thy heavenly kingdom. O may all this astonishing grace and goodness lead every one of us to compunction, godly sorrow and repentance not to be repented of Amen.

CIX.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING.

TO LEARN THE LESSONS TAUGHT BY CHRIST'S

PASSION.

O thou Lord of lords and King of kings, whose visage was once so marred more than any man, and thy form more than the sons of men, who gavest thy back to the smiters and thy cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, and didst not hide thy face from shame and from spitting, help us to gaze upon and admire, to realize and be filled with love and humility while we commemorate thy humiliation. Thou didst become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, for us and for our salvation; help us then now to come near to that scene of thy sufferings, and behold thee the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world.

Help us to view thee first in Gethsemane, where thy soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death, and hear thy repeated prayers and thy strong crying, that if possible the hour might pass from thee, and to copy thy perfect resignation to the holy will ofGod. In thy agony, in thy dreadful sweat of great drops of blood, help us to see the costly price of our redemption, the inexpressible evil of sin, and the unsearchable fulness of thy love. O`may we, too, before our lighter trials, abound in prayer lest we enter into temptation.

In the traitor Judas coming with the band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, may we see the dreadful wickedness of the unconverted, of thy false disciples and thy open enemies, and in the vain repentance and self-destruction of Judas learn the sad end of such transgression. In the forsaking of all thy disciples, of John who lay in thy bosom, of James who said he was able to drink of thy cup, and of Peter who had so often promised never to deny thee, may we discern what our hearts would be in the hour of temptation, and that the only safety of any one of us is in thy keeping us, so that our faith fail not.

May we be warned by Peter's example from carnal weapons of defence, and in the darkest seasons have entire confidence in the infinite resources of thy heavenly Father, and full assurance of the fulfilment of all thy word. And may we be guarded by Peter's affecting fall, from presumption, from associating with the ungodly, and from being ashamed of thee and denying thee. O Lord, hold us up that we may

be safe.

In thy open confession, O Christ, before the High Priest, may we learn to speak the truth though we have to lay down life itself for it, and not be surprised if we have to suffer for truth itself. We would view thee, O Jesus, brought before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, and there witnessing the good confession that thou art the King of the Jews,

and that thy kingdom is not of this world, but a heavenly kingdom; give us grace then to belong to that kingdom, and willingly bear to suffer for it that we may reign with thee for ever.

O deliver us from that blindness of heart which prefers a robber to him who is the desire of all nations, chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. O preserve us from the dreadful guilt of despising and rejecting our only Saviour, and being guilty of the body and blood of Christ.

And help us to see in thy crown of thorns the way opened for our wearing the crown of life; in thy stripes our healing; in thy wounds may we discern our transgressions, in thy bruises our iniquities, in thy chastisement our peace; thyself who knewest no sin made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in thee.

Help us to learn all the lessons taught us by thy patience and meekness. As thou, like as a lamb before its shearers is dumb, openedst not thy mouth, so grant that we when reviled may not revile again, and when suffering may not threaten, but may in patience possess our souls, and commit ourselves to thee.

Help us yet farther to view in lively faith and love unutterable, thee our Divine Redeemer hanging on the tree; thy head so full of bruises crowned with thorns, thy back wounded with stripes, thy hands and feet penetrated with iron nails, and suspended