Pity, O blessed Redeemer, the infirmities of thy children; strengthen with thy grace our fainting hearts. Arm us, O glorious Conqueror of sin and death, against all the fears and terrors of the world. Arm all our powers with those celestial virtues, of faith, and hope, and invincible love. That we may still go on, and resolutely oppose whatever stands in our way to Heaven. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. The LESSON.-From ISAIAH, the PSALMS, &c. Hearken unto me, my people, give ear unto me, O my nation; for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. I have trodden the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with me. I looked and there was none to help. All that see me, laugh me to scorn; they shoot out their lips, they shake the head, saying, He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. I was as one that is deaf and heard not, as a dumb man that opened not his mouth. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring lion; for dogs have compassed me, the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet: all my bones are out of joint. They part my garments among them, and cast lots for my vesture. They gave me gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. My strength is dried up as a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and thou hast brought me to the dust of death. These sufferings, O blessed Jesus, and infinitely more thou didst sustain in thy own glorious person; so that thy soul, in the bitterness of anguish, burst forth in the cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? I was betrayed and bound, and led away captive; I was reviled, buffeted, and scornfully spit upon; I was stripped, scourged, and condemned to a cruel death; I was crowned with thorns, and pierced with nails, and crucified among thieves. O all ye that pass by the way, behold my sorrow; was there ever sorrow like unto my sorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger! PSALM. Shall we indulge in joy, O my soul, to-day? Shall we not mourn at the death of our blessed Redeemer? Worthy of our profound adoration, O blessed Jesus, is thy mysterious love; for thou hast made thy sorrows the spring of our joys. Thou didst forbid thy followers to weep for thee; and didst reserve to thyself alone the shame and grief. Thou didst invite all the world to glory in thy cross; and dost command us to delight in the memory of thy passion. Sing, then, all ye nations of the earth; sing hymns of glory to the holy Jesus. Sing, O ye children of men; sing immortal praises to the God of our salvation: To him, who, for us, endured so much scorn; and patiently received so many injuries: To him, who, for us, sweat great drops of blood; and drank off the dregs of his Father's wrath: To the eternal Lord of heaven and earth, who, for us, was slain by the hands of the wicked: Who for us was led away as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a meek lamb opened not his mouth. Come, let us summon all our powers, and reverently offer our hearts at the foot of his cross. Thither let us fly from the troubles of the world; there let us dwell among the mercies of Heaven. Let us speedily prepare our richest sacrifice of praise; and make haste, and adore our blessed Redeemer. Let us look up to the cross, and behold our crucified Lord; and offer to him our devout adoration. Blest be the hands that wrought so many miracles; and were so barbarously pierced with cruel nails. Blest be the feet that so often travelled for us; and were at last unmercifully fastened to the cross. Blest be the head that was crowned with horns; the head that so industriously studied our happiness. Blest be the heart that was pierced with a spear; the heart that so passionately loved our peace. Blest be the entire person of our crucified Lord; and may all our powers join in his praise: U In thy eternal praise, O blessed Jesus; and in the enrapturing thoughts of thy infinite love. Can we remember, O Jesus, thy labours for us, and not be convinced of our duty to thee? Can our cold hearts recount thy sufferings, and not be inflamed with the love that suffered ? Can we believe that our salvation cost thee so dear, and yet live as if to be saved were not worth our pains? For all thy favours, thou dost seek no other return, than that we should follow thy steps to arrive at thy glory. O gracious Saviour! behold, to thee we bow; we prostrate ourselves at thy cross, adoring thy mercy. Behold, thus low we bow to implore thy blessing, and the powerful influences of thy divine grace. Wean our affections from all vain objects, and purify our hearts from all unhallowed passions. Then shall our lives be entirely dedicated to thee; and all the faculties of our souls to thy holy service. Our minds shall continually study thy knowledge; and our wills grow every day stronger in thy love. Our memories shall faithfully recount thy mercies; and both our tongues and our hearts rejoice for ever. O blessed Jesus! whose grace alone begins, and ends, and perfects all our hopes; How are we bound to praise thy love! how infinitely obliged to adore thy goodness! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. THE HYMN. From whence these direful omens round, Well may the earth astonish'd shake, And nature sympathize! The sun as darkest night be black! Their Maker, Jesus, dies! Behold fast streaming from the tree Is this the Infinite? 'tis he, For me these pangs his soul assai}, Let sin no more my soul enslave, To Father, Son, &c. Eternal Father, who didst send thy only Son into the world, to assume our frail nature, and by his sufferings and death to redeem the world; grant that the continual memory of his bitter passion and death upon the cross may excite in us sincere contrition for our sins, which were the cause of his sufferings; that humbly confessing and renouncing them, we may, through the merits of his precious blood receive forgiveness; and following through thy grace the blessed steps of his holy and suffering life, may finally be admitted to the fruition of that glory to which he is exalted; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen. Our Father, &c. [Add the Collects for the Day.] OFFICE FOR THE EVENING. Repeat the introductory Devotions and Psalm in the Morning Office.] The LESSON-PHILIPPIANS ii. 1. F there be, therefore, any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and, being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Christ was for us made obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He is the propitiation of our sins, and not for ours only; but for the sins of the whole world. THE PSALM, We are thine, O God, by creation; for thou hast made us after thine own image. We are thine, O God, by redemption; for thou hast bought us by the blood of thine only Son. To redeem us he humbled himself to this low world, and the infirmities of our miserable nature. He patiently endured hunger and thirst, and the malicious affronts of enraged enemies. His precious blood he shed in the garden; where his soul was overwhelmed in agony unutterable. His precious blood he shed on the cross; where meekly bowing his fainting head, he yielded up the ghost. Lord, how does the world requite thy love! how ungrate ful are we to thy blessed memory! We negligently forget thy sacred passion or rather, far worse; our sins renew thy sufferings. If we deprive others of their right, what do we but strip thee of thy garments? While we delight in strife and schisms, what do we else but rend thy seamless coat? If we despise the least of thy servants, are we not as so many Herods that scorned thee? If we through fear act against our conscience, how are we better than Pilate who condemned thee? |