Page images
PDF
EPUB

and saith unto them, Go ye into | GOD. And when they had sung the city; and there shall meet an hymn, they went out into you a man bearing a pitcher the mount of Olives. And of water: follow him. And JESUS saith unto them, All ye wheresoever he shall go in, shall be offended because of me say ye to the good man of the this night: for it is written, I house, The Master saith, Where will smite the shepherd, and is the guest-chamber, where I the sheep shall be scattered. shall eat the passover with my But after that I am risen, I will disciples? And he will show you go before you into Galilee. But a large upper room furnished Peter said unto him, Although and prepared: there make ready all shall be offended, yet will for us. And his disciples went not I. And JESUs saith unto forth, and came into the city, him, Verily I say unto thee, that and found as he had said unto this day, even in this night, them: and they made ready the before the cock crow twice, passover. And in the evening thou shalt deny me thrice. But he cometh with the twelve. he spake the more vehemently, And as they sat, and did eat, If I should die with thee, I will JESUS said, Verily I say unto not deny thee in any wise. you, one of you which eateth Likewise also said they all. with me shall betray me. And And they came to a place which they began to be sorrowful, was named Gethsemane and and to say unto him one by he saith to his disciples, Sit ye one, Is it I? And another said, here, while I shall pray. And Is it I? And he answered and he taketh with him Peter, and said unto them, It is one of the James, and John, and began to twelve that dippeth with me in be sore amazed, and to be very the dish. The Son of man heavy; and saith unto them, indeed goeth, as it is written My soul is exceeding sorrowful of him: but wo to that man by unto death: tarry ye here and whom the Son of man is be- watch. And he went forward trayed! good were it for that a little, and fell on the ground, man if he had never been born. and prayed, that, if it were And as they did eat, JESUS took possible, the hour might pass bread, and blessed, and brake from him. And he said, Abba, it, and gave to them, and said, Father, all things are possible Take, eat: this is my body. unto thee: take away this cup And he took the cup, and when from me: nevertheless, not he had given thanks, he gave it what I will, but what thou wilt. to them and they all drank of And he cometh, and findeth it. And he said unto them, them sleeping, and saith unto This is my blood of the new Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? testament, which is shed for couldest not thou watch one many. Verily I say unto you, hour? Watch ye, and pray, lest I will drink no more of the fruit ye enter into temptation; the of the vine until that day that I spirit truly is ready, but the drink it new in the kingdom of flesh is weak. And again he

:

went away, and prayed, and away to the high priest and spake the same words. And with him were assembled all when he returned, he found the chief priests, and the elders, them asleep again (for their and the scribes. And Peter eyes were heavy); neither wist followed him afar off, even into they what to answer him. And the palace of the high priest: he cometh the third time, and and he sat with the servants, saith unto them, Sleep on now, and warmed himself at the fire. and take your rest: it is enough, And the chief priests, and all the hour is come; behold, the the council, sought for witness Son of man is betrayed into the against JESUS to put him to hands of sinners. Rise up, let death; and found none. (For us go; lo, he that betrayeth me many bare false witness against is at hand. And immediately, him, but their witness agreed while he yet spake, cometh not together.) And there arose Judas, one of the twelve, and certain, and bare false witness with him a great multitude, against him, saying, We heard with swords and staves, from the him say, I will destroy this chief priests, and the scribes, temple that is made with hands, and the elders. And he that and within three days I will betrayed him had given them a build another made without token, saying, Whomsoever I hands. But neither so did their shall kiss, that same is he; take witness agree together. And him and lead him away safely. the high priest stood up in the And as soon as he was come, midst, and asked JESUS, saying, he goeth straightway to him, Answerest thou nothing? what and saith, Master, Master; and is it which these witness against kissed him. And they laid their thee? But he held his peace, hands on him, and took him. and answered nothing. Again And one of them that stood by the high priest asked him, and drew a sword, and smote a said unto him, Art thou the servant of the high priest, and CHRIST, the Son of the Blessed? cut off his ear. And JESUS And JESUS said, I am and ye answered and said unto them, shall see the Son of man sitting Are ye come out as against a on the right hand of power, thief, with swords and with and coming in the clouds of staves, to take me? I was daily heaven. Then the high priest with you in the temple, teach-rent his clothes, and saith, What ing, and ye took me not; but need we any further witnesses? the Scriptures must be fulfilled. ye have heard the blasphemy: And they all forsook him, and what think ye? And they all fled. And there followed him condemned him to be guilty of a certain young man, having a death. And some began to spit linen cloth cast about his naked on him, and to cover his face, body; and the young men laid and to buffet him, and to say hold on him. And he left the unto him, Prophesy. And the linen cloth, and fled from them servants did strike him with naked. And they led JESUS the palms of their hands. And

Be

The Gospel. St. Mark xv. 1.

as Peter was beneath in the who is mine adversary? let him palace, there cometh one of the come near to me. Behold, the maids of the high priest; and LORD GOD will help me; who when she saw Peter warming is he that shall condemn me? himself, she looked upon him, Lo, they all shall wax old as a and said, And thou also wast garment: the moth shall eat with JESUS of Nazareth. But them up. Who is among you he denied, saying, I know not, that feareth the LORD, that neither understand I what thou obeyeth the voice of his sersayest. And he went out into vant, that walketh in darkness, the porch; and the cock crew. and hath no light? let him And a maid saw him again, and trust in the name of the LORD, began to say to them that stood and stay upon his GOD. by, This is one of them. And hold, all ye that kindle a fire, he denied it again. And a little that compass yourselves about after, they that stood by said with sparks; walk in the light again to Peter, Surely thou art of your fire, and in the sparks one of them; for thou art a that ye have kindled. This Galilean, and thy speech shall ye have of mine hand, ye agreeth thereto. But he began shall lie down in sorrow. to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second AND straightway in the morntime the cock crew. And Peter ing, the chief priests held a called to mind the word that consultation with the elders JESUS said unto him, Before and scribes, and the whole the cock crow twice, thou shalt council, and bound JESUS, and deny me thrice. And when he carried him away, and delivered thought thereon he wept. him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, Art thou the king of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest For the Epistle. Isaiah 1. 5. it. And the chief priests acTHE LORD God hath opened cused him of many things: but mine ear, and I was not re- he answered nothing. And bellious, neither turned away Pilate asked him again, sayback. I gave my back to the ing, Answerest thou nothing? smiters, and my cheeks to them behold how many things they that plucked off the hair: I hid witness against thee. not my face from shame and spitting. For the LORD GOD will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together;

TUESDAY BEFORE EASTER.

But JESUS yet answered nothing: So that Pilate marvelled. Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in

the insurrection. And the mul- | unto the place Golgotha, which titude, crying aloud, began to is, being interpreted, the place desire him to do as he had ever of a skull. And they gave him done unto them. But Pilate to drink wine mingled with answered them, saying, Will myrrh; but he received it not. ye that I release unto you the And when they had crucified King of the Jews? (For he him, they parted his garments, knew that the chief priests had casting lots upon them, what delivered him for envy.) But every man should take. And the chief priests moved the it was the third hour, and they people, that he should rather crucified him. And the superrelease Barabbas unto them.scription of his accusation was And Pilate answered, and said written over, THE KING OF again unto them, What will ye THE JEWS. And with him then that I shall do unto him they crucify two thieves; the whom ye call the King of the one on his right hand, and the Jews? And they cried out again, other on his left. And the Crucify him. Then Pilate said Scripture was fulfilled, which unto them, Why, what evil hath saith, And he was numbered he done? And they cried out with the transgressors. And the more exceedingly, Crucify they that passed by railed on him. And so Pilate, willing to him, wagging their heads, and content the people, released saying, Ah, thou that destroyest Barabbas unto them; and the temple, and buildest it in delivered JESUS, when we had three days, save thyself, and scourged him, to be crucified. come down from the cross. And the soldiers led him away Likewise also the chief priests into the hall, called Prætorium; mocking, said among themand they called together the selves, with the scribes, He whole band. And they clothed saved others, himself he cannot him with purple, and platted a save. Let CHRIST the King of crown of thorns, and put it Israel descend now from the about his head, and began to cross, that we may see and salute him, Hail, King of the believe. And they that were Jews. And they smote him on crucified with him reviled him. the head with a reed, and did And when the sixth hour was spit upon him, and bowing come, there was darkness over their knees worshipped him. the whole land, until the ninth And when they had mocked hour. And at the ninth hour, him they took off the purple JESUS cried with a loud voice, from him, and put his own saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama saclothes on him, and led him bachthani? which is, being out to crucify him. And they compel one Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his And they bring him

cross.

interpreted, My GoD, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a sponge full

of vinegar, and put it on a reed, | the heavenly things themselves and gave him to drink, saying, with better sacrifices than these. Let alone; let us see whether For CHRIST is not entered into Elias will come to take him the holy places made with down. And JESUS cried with hands, which are the figures of a loud voice, and gave up the the true; but into heaven itself, ghost. And the vail of the tem- now to appear in the presence ple was rent in twain, from the of Gon for us: nor yet that he top to the bottom. And when should offer himself often, as the Centurion, which stood over the high priest entereth into against him, saw that he so the holy place every year with cried out, and gave up the ghost, blood of others: (for then must he said, Truly this man was he often have suffered since the the Son of GOD. foundation of the world) but now once, in the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so CHRIST was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation.

WEDNESDAY

BEFORE EASTER. The Epistle. Heb. ix. 16.

WHERE a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator: for a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all, whilst the

testator liveth. Whereupon,

The Gospel. St. Luke xxii. 1

neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For NOW the feast of unleavenwhen Moses had spoken every ed bread drew nigh, which is precept to all the people, ac- called the Passover. And the cording to the law, he took the chief priests and scribes sought blood of calves and of goats, how they might kill him; for with water, and scarlet wool, they feared the people. Then and hyssop, and sprinkled both entered Satan into Judas, surthe book, and all the people, named Iscariot, being of the saying, This is the blood of number of the twelve. And he the testament which God hath went his way, and communed enjoined unto you. Moreover, with the chief priests and he sprinkled likewise with captains how he might betray blood both the tabernacle, and him unto them. And they were all the vessels of the ministry. glad, and covenanted to give And almost all things are by him money. And he promised, the law purged with blood; and sought opportunity to and without shedding of blood betray him unto them in the is no remission. It was there- absence of the multitude. Then fore necessary that the patterns came the day of unleavened of things in the heavens should bread, when the passover must be purified with these; but be killed. And he sent Peter

1

« PreviousContinue »