to bear His cross, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

Lesson II. Christ, having tasted of the wine mingled with gall and myrrh, is crucified, and prays for His crucifiers.

And there were also two others, malefactors, led with Him to be put to death. And they bring Him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, or vinegar mingled with gall: and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink. And they crucified Him in the place which is called Golgotha, and two malefactors with Him, one on the right hand and the other on the left, and Jesus in the midst. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, And He was numbered with the transgressors. And it was the third hour, when they crucified Him. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Lesson III. Pilate honors the cross of Christ with a glorious superscription; the soldiers divide Christ's garments.

And Pilate wrote a title and the superscription of his accusation and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. This title then read many of the Jews; for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that He said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part: and also His coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. And sitting down they watched Him there. These things therefore the soldiers did, and the people stood beholding.

Lesson IV. Christ commends His mother to the protection of

John, and is reviled on the cross.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold

thy son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own house. And they that passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save Thyself. If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocked Him, with the scribes and elders, saying, He saved others: Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with Him, cast the same in his teeth. And the soldiers also mocked Him, and offered Him vinegar, saying, If Thou be the King of the Jews, save Thyself.

Lesson V. Heaven is opened to the converted malefactor; the sun is darkened; Christ complains that He is forsaken of God.

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, saying, If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked Him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy_kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

Lesson VI. Christ complains of thirst: testifies that all is accomplished; commends His soul into the hands of His heavenly Father, and gently falls asleep.

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar, and one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it upon hyssop; and put it on a reed, and put it to His mouth, and gave Him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take Him down. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished! And He cried again with a loud voice, and said: Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost.

Lesson VII. The miracles which took place after Christ's death.

And, behold, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened: and many bodies of the saints which

slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. And when the Centurion, which stood over against Him, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw that He so cried out, and gave up the ghost, and saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, and glorified God, saying, Certainly, this was a righteous man, and the Son of God. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all His acquaintance, and many women which followed Jesus from Galilee, among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome, and the mother of Zebedee's children, who also, when He was in Galilee, followed Him, and ministered unto Him; and many other women which came up with Him unto Jerusalem, stood afar off, beholding these things. The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was a high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with Him But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead aiready, they brake not His legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true, and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of Him shall not be broken. And again another Scripture saith, They shall look on Him whom they pierced.

CHAPTER V.

This chapter contains a record of Christ's burial.

Lesson I.

And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a city of the Jews, and a rich man, a counselor; who was a good man, and a just; the same had not consented to the counsel and deeds of them; which also waited for the kingdom of God, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews; the same went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. And Pilate marvelled if He were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether He had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And he bought fine linen, and there came also Nicodemus, (which at the first came to Jesus by night,) and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden; and in the

garden a new sepulchre, that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. Therein they laid Jesus; for that day was the preparation and the sabbath drew on. And they rolled & great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. And the women also, which came with Him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how His body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

Lesson II.

Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night, and steal Him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

PRAYERS.

Morning and Evening Prayers for each Day of the Week.

MORNING PRAYER FOR SUNDAY.

Eternal and Almighty God and Father! I heartily thank and praise Thee, that through the past night and all my days hitherto, Thou didst by Thy holy angels graciously protect me against all danger and harm both of body and soul, and beseech Thee with all my heart, forgive me all my sins with which I have provoked Thee to anger; and enkindle my heart by Thy Holy Spirit, that I may daily grow and increase in the knowledge of Thee. Grant me grace also that during this day I may shun all sin and disgrace, and walk according to Thy divine will; that I may so live, that, protected from every evil, I may continually bear Thee in my heart and mind. And finally, when my last hour shall come and I shall be called to leave this world, grant that I may fall asleep with a true knowledge of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, to inherit the blessed life eternal. Amen!

EVENING PRAYER FOR SUNDAY.

Lord God Almighty, Heavenly Father! With all my heart I give thanks to Thee for all Thy mercy and the benefits which Thy fatherly goodness bestowed upon me this day, and that Thou didst preserve me in health and strength against all evil, and I pray Thee now, as Thy dear child, preserve me in the true faith of Thy saving Word unto my last breath. Enlighten my heart by Thy Holy Spirit that I may know what is good and bad. All the sins which I committed this day knowingly or unknowingly, as well as my secret faults, do Thou graciously pardon, and grant me this night a peaceful slumber, that I may arise in health and strength to Thy praise. Dear Father, grant also that by Thy grace I may lead a new life according to Thy will, to my soul's salvation, through Christ Jesus our only Savior. Amen!

MORNING PRAYER FOR MONDAY.

O Thou kind and faithful God, Heavenly Father! With all my heart I praise, honor, and extol Thee; that by Thy fatherly love I was permitted to rest securely during the past night, and to arise in health and strength. I heartily beseech Thee graciously to protect me and all pious Christians, this day and at all times