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THE PASSION OF JESUS.

They shall look on Him whom they pierced." St. John xix. 37.

The Garden.

Wrestling in agony,
Wrestling alone;
Weary for human love,
Finding none.

While over Olivet

Sleeps the moon-light,
Whose is that broken prayer

Troubling night?

What are those drops of blood
Falling like rain,

Wrung from that heart of Thine
Man of pain?

Anguish unspeakable

Writ on Thy brow,—

Suppliant Sufferer,

Who art Thou?

The Way of Sorrows.

Hark, in thy bosom's depths
Speaks He to thee,

"Child of My dying love,

Follow Me.

"Shall I not drink the cup

My Father gave?—
Drink it, when drinking it
Thee will save?

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Buffeted, spitted on,

Loaded with scorns,

Smitten, scourged, purple-robed, Crown'd with thorns :

"Onward to Golgotha ; There I must die;

All for the love of thee:

It is I."

The Seven Words upon the Cross.

Nail'd to the bitter wood;

Never a groan :

Bearing our guilt and sin,

Not His own.

Darkness wraps earth and sky:
Night at midday:

Moments like centuries

Pass away.

Hark, through the gloom is heard
One dreadful cry,
"Thou hast forsaken Me,
Father, why?"

Oh that abandonment !

Oh death accursed!

What means that plaint of woe,

That" I thirst"?

Hark, "It is finish'd."

Warfare is done;

Thy

Death and hell grappled with ;

Victory won.

"Father, I breathe to Thee

That Thou hast given."

Now is there peace betwixt
Earth and heaven.

The Appeal.

“ Child of My agonies,
Bought with My blood,
Ransom'd from Satan's thrall,
Saved for God;

"Come to Me, weary one,

Come to My breast:

Here in My bleeding wounds
Hide and rest.

"Come to My Father's feet,
Come without fear:-
I am thy Advocate,
Always near.

"Drink of the Spirit's grace, All things are thine:

I am thy heritage,

Thou art Mine."

The Response.

"Yea, Lord, I give myself
Wholly to Thee:
Only Thy priceless love
Give Thou me.

All I have, all I am,

Body and soul, Nothing refuse I Thee;

Take the whole.

Only abide with me,

Lord, to the end;

Jesus, Emmanuel,

Saviour, Friend.

And when Thy time is come,

Let me adore

Thee in Thy home of light
Evermore.

EASTER EVEN.

Lessons Zech. ix.; Hosea v. 8 to vi. 4; Luke xxiii. 50; Rom. vi. I-14.

Epistle 1 Peter iii. Gospel St. Matt. xxvii. 57.

THE COLLECT.

GRANT, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of Thy blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections we may be buried with Him; and that through the grave and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection; for His merits, who died, and was buried, and rose again for us, Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out in the rock."-St. Matt. xxvii. 59, 60.

"There laid they Jesus."-St. John xix. 42.

And was it Jesus Christ Himself they laid
Upon the rocky floor of Joseph's tomb ?
O speak the words again; for, softly said,
Methinks they lighten many a mourner's gloom.
There laid they Jesus. Yet before He died,
In answer to the prayer, Remember me,

Assured He not the felon by His side

That day in Paradise with Him to be?

There laid they Jesus. Yet His parting breath
Into His Father's hands His spirit gave.

Was He not with His Father after death,
His tabernacle only in the grave?