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The Sunday next before Easter.

ST. MATTHEW xxvii. 1.

"When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas who had betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Teacher.

The week which begins this day, is called Passion week, because it has been set apart, from the earliest times of Christianity to keep in mind our blessed Lord's suffering on the cross, thereby to obtain the pardon of our sins. This history begins in the 26th chap. of St. Matthew, which relates the conspiracy of the elders and chief priests, to bring Him to trial.-Also His eating the passover with His disciples, in which He ordained the sacrament (which is continued to the present day)— His dreadful agony in the garden, just before Judas betrayed Him; and lastly His trial before Caiphas, the high priest.

Questions.

What is the week called, which begins this day? Passion week. Why is it so called? Because it has been set apart from the earliest times of Christianity, to keep in mind the sufferings of our blessed Lord. Why did He undergo these sufferings? To obtain the pardon of our sins. In which of the Evangelists does this history begin? In the 26th chapter of St. Matthew. Who does it say conspired together to bring our Saviour to trial? The elders and chief priests. With whom did He eat the passover? With His disciples. What did He then ordain? The Sacrament. Has it not been continued from that time to this? Yes. Where did he suffer that dreadful agony, before Judas betrayed him? In the Garden. What was the name of the high priest by whom he was sent to Pontius Pilate? Caiphas.

Teacher.

The Jews having been subdued by the Romans, were not allowed to put any criminal to death, till he had been tried by the Roman Governor.— Pontius Pilate was at that time the Roman Governor, and owing to the misrepresentations of the Jews, and the weak fear of offending the Roman Emperor; he condemned our Saviour to die the painful and shameful death of the cross.

Questions.

By what nation had the Jews been subdued? By the Romans. Were they allowed to put criminals to death before they had been tried by the Roman Governor? No. Who was the Governor at that time? Pontius Pilate. Who misrepresented to him the conduct of our Saviour? The Jews. And who was he afraid of offending, if he let our Saviour escape? The Roman Emperor. To what death did they condemn our Lord? To the painful and shameful death of the cross.

Teacher.

When Judas saw that the end of business was likely to be dreadful, the stings of his conscience became unbearable. The money for which he had consented to betray his kind Lord and Master, became hateful in his eyes.-He threw it down in the temple; and driven by the Devil to the horrid feelings of uupardonable guilt, he went and hanged himself. The use to which the Jews applied this money (that of purchasing a piece of ground to bury strangers in) served the purpose of keeping the event in memory, and exactly fulfilled a prophecy in Zechariah, delivered several hundred years before our Saviour was born.

Questions.

What did Judas find unbearable when he saw that our Saviour was condemned? The stings of conscience. What became hateful in his eyes? The money for which he had consented to betray his kind Lord and Master. Where did he throw it down? In the temple. And when driven by the Devil to the horrid feeling of unpardonable guilt, what did he do? He went and hanged himself. To what use did the Jews apply the money? They bought a field to bury strangers in. What other purpose was answered by it? To keep the event in memory. Who foretold this event? The prophet Zechariah, several hundred years before our Saviour was born.

Good Friday.

Teacher.

This day is called Good Friday from the blessed effects of our Saviour's sufferings and death, which took place on this day. The first cause of these sufferings, and that death, was the trangression of Adam, in Paradise; by which, Sin and Death were brought into the world. Our Saviour, who is the eternal Son of God, and was living in

happiness and glory, (as was explained to you a few Sundays ago) long before this world was made, took compassion upon the wretched condition to which mankind had been brought by their transgressions. He knew, that the justice of God Almighty must be satisfied, before His mercy could be hoped for; and therefore, at the time appointed by God, and foretold by the prophets, He left His state of happiness in heaven, and came down upon this earth to die for each of you.

Questions.

What took place upon this day, more than eighteen hundred years ago? The sufferings and death of our blessed Saviour. What is the day called? Good Friday. And why was it called Good Friday? From the blessed effects of those sufferings, and of that death. What was the first cause of those sufferings? The transgression of Adam in Paradise. What did that transgression cause to come into the world? Sin and Death. Who was living in happiness and great glory, long before this world was made. Our Saviour. What did He take compassion upon? The wretched condition to which mankind had been brought by Adam's transgression. Did He not know, that the justice of God must be satisfied, by an atonement, before His mercy could be hoped for? Yes.

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