Good Friday. THE COLLECTS. ALMIGHTY God, we beseech Thee graciously to behold this Thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross, who now liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified; Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before Thee for all estates of men in Thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve Thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. O MERCIFUL God, who hast made all men, and hatest nothing that Thou hast made, nor wouldest the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live; Have mercy upon all Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Hereticks, and take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of Thy Word; and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to Thy flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites, and be made one fold under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. THE EPISTLE. "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."-HEB. x. 22. OR a creature conscious of many shortcomings, FOR much wilful negligence, many infirmities, which, from inveterate habit, nature, and other causes, it were impossible wholly to eradicate, -for such a creature, with such a weight, to take it for granted that he can secure the immediate ear of the Holy God upon a professed intention of amendment, would be an irrational and dangerous delusion. Surely, man must feel that there exists a very immense distance between so pure and holy a Being and himself. If he does not, the judgment he has formed of his own character must be very high, or his ideas respecting the Creator must be very low. A bridge is wanting to span this awful distance. The Mosaic law and its commentator, the writer of this epistle, define what that bridge must be-some adequate, reasonable, and proper satisfaction. Since God has been pleased to supply this provision for us (as He did by the blood of bulls and goats for the Jews of old), when we approach Him in our prayers, thanksgivings, and other devotions, we shall not, if we are wise, fail to present them under a deep sense of the dreadful compensation which our sins required. This is the only way by which we can hope for access: "for it is through Him only we have access by one Spirit unto the Father." THE THE GOSPEL. "It is finished."—JOHN xix. 30. HE whole chain of prophecy has received its accomplishment: the communications which ages have continued between heaven and earth have found their conclusion in this point: the circle of types and shadows and figures with which time has travailed, is here at length drawn to a close. "It is finished;" the terrors of the Cross have ceased, the storm is over, and the flood of "the enemy" has spent its strength. “It is finished:" the flaming sword of the cherub has been turned back, and life and immortality restored to man. For "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." "It is finished." His work has not been done by halves. A royal road has been cut to heaven, broad and fair, which will convey the humble penitent thereto; no crazy bridge of precarious structure which requires the patchwork of other ages to complete its perfection. Oh, that we may not neglect the opportunity which has once been opened! Oh, that we may not miss the golden chain cast forth for our hands to catch! "It is finished." "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” "It is finished." "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Therefore "all things are ours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present or things to come-all are ours, and we are Christ's, and Christ is God's." Rock of Ages! cleft for me, Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure, Save from wrath and make me pure. Merit I have none to bring, Only to Thy cross I cling: While I draw this fleeting breath, Easter Eben. 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. THE EPISTLE. "It is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing than for evil doing. For Christ also," &c.-1 PET. iii. 17, 18. HE way to duty is through pain. We must be far THE from concluding adversity in general, or human opposition in particular, to be a valid reason for relinquishing an adopted plan of action. Nay, it often happens that the parties for whose benefit the plan is devised, are the very instruments employed by Providence in furnishing opposition. The sufferings of Christ are a |