one another." He that preferreth his brother to himself honoureth the law and Him that made the law. He that preferreth himself to his brother honoureth not the law, nor Him that made the law. He that honoureth his brother, honoureth himself also, because he hath honoured the law, and Him that made the law. Them that honour Him will He honour, and them that despise Him will be lightly esteemed. The true glory is from above, and the Father is the Source of it, who will glorify those who glorify Him. They who seek their own glory, or the glory of this world, glorify not Him. "For all that is in the world (as the Scripture says), the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world; and the world passeth away and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." THE GOSPEL. "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain," &c.— MATT. xxvii. 51. HIS is the narrative of the death of Jesus Christ. THIS If the subject of the account were the execution of some innocent man, it were a melancohly subject indeed; yet one which, in its outward circumstances at least, is 66 too common to claim an unusual amount of attention. But it is not the death of a man which is recorded here; were the subject of the narrative even the death of an angel, or of a superior being, this would be an event more solemn and mysterious in its nature. But it is not the death of an angel which is recorded here, nor of an archangel, nor of any created intelligence, but of the Lord of Life Himself. It seems too stupendous to estimate it fully. Like the numerical distances of the planets, we may express them in words, but we can form no adequate conception thereof. We may accurately express, but realize we cannot, or completely embrace the fulness of the extent of the mystery "which the angels desire to look into." Therefore the apostle prays for those who had already believed, that they "may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that they might be filled with all the fulness of God." Man sinned, and God in his manhood suffered. The sun could not look upon it; the graves opened their mouths; the veil of the temple was parted in twain, and the rocks were rent asunder. And shall I, for whom all this took place, be deader than the rocks, more silent than the graves? O Lord, forbid! May I be crucified with Thee, and may the sin which besets me be buried in Thy tomb! that I may know Thee and the power of Thy resurrection, and the fellowship of Thy sufferings, being made conformable unto Thy death! Oh what unbounded zeal and love With all His sufferings full in view, Our sorrows to remove, Prepare our hearts to love Thee, Lord, Yet, while we mourn, may we rejoice; May each exclaim, in faith and hope, Monday before Easter. THE COLLECT. ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of Thy tender love towards mankind, has sent Thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon Him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of His great humility; Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of His patience, and also be made partakers of His resurrection ; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. THE EPISTLE. "For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help;" &c. -ISAIAH lxiii. 4, 5. CHRIST says, "My redeemed.” He has an interest, a property in His people. He has paid for them the price of blood. "Ye are not your own," says the apostle, "for ye are bought with a price." This property is our security. Whoso toucheth them toucheth the apple of His eye. His will forbids it, and His Father, who hath given them to Him, forbids it too, and none can pluck them out of His Father's hands. In this wide world, where so many troubles and per plexities cross our path, where we are surrounded by so many spiritual enemies; in the event of that unknown world where so much is undiscovered, so little known, it is well to have One to call us His own, to take us under His wing, and to shelter us. And those who unfeignedly put themselves in His hands, will find a patron who will never fail them in the hour of need. The language of the speaker following illustrates the resentment with which He should receive any attempts to do them prejudice, "and I will tread down the people," &c. Is not the reflection soothing-considering the weakness of our human nature, and the uncertainty of all human goods-to find this credible certainty to lean upon? "Who will show us any good? Lord lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us." THE GOSPEL. "If I should die with thee, I will not deny Thee in any wise And when he thought thereon, he wept.”—MARK xiv. 31, 72. [OW jealous should we be of our hearts, and how How little reliance may be placed on our natural strength. The apostle Peter, when softened under the tender address of his Master, preparatory to His passion, felt, no doubt, a glow of sincere allegiance, and mistook it for a permanent habit of mind. And so, under a |