to be put to death.

a

33 And when they were come to the place, which is called 'Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

u Mat, xxiv. 19. ch. xxi. 23.- Is. ii. 19. Hos. x. 8. Rev. vi. 16; & ix. 6.-y Prov. xi. 31. Jer. xxv. 29. Ezek. xx. 47 ; & xxi. 3, 4. 1 Pet. iv. 17.-z Is. liii. 12. Mat. xxvii. 38.-a Mat. xxvii. 33. Mark xv. 22. John xix. 17, 18.- Or, the place of a scull.

e

35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,

37 And saying, if thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

38 Anda superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and He

h

39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, if thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath

done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in

paradise.

b Mat. v. 44. Acts vii. 60. 1 Cor. iv. 12.-c Acts iii. xxii. 17. Zech. xii. 10.-ƒ Mat. xxvii. 39. Mark xv.29.g Mat. xxvii. 37. Mark xv. 26. John xix. 19.- Mat. xxvii. 44. Mark. xv. 32.

17-d Mat. xxvii. 35. Mark xv. 24. John xix. 23.- Ps.

READER. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, &c.-As he prayed for his enemies, so must we; as he blessed them that cursed him, so must we; as he freely forgave the men that wronged him, so must we; as he died for the truth, so must we; as he defended it to the last, without wavering, so must we; as he would not suffer any outward respects to discourage him from conscientiousness, so neither must we; as he, before his foes, witnessed a good confession, so must we; as he did good for evil, so must we; as he showed pity to men in distress, though they had affronted and done

him an injury, so must we; as he bore his cross contentedly, so must we; as he despised the world, so must we. He that remembers not his death, so as to endeavour to be like him, forgets the end of his redemption, and dishonours the Cross, on which his satisfaction was wrought: for the honour due to the Cross of Christ, is not, with the Church of Rome, to pray to a piece of Wood, called the Cross of Christ, "Hail Christ's Cross, our only hope, in this most blessed Passion Week! Increase the goodness of the good, and pardon to the guilty give;" but to live in the world as the Lord Jesus did, who was crucified for us; and by living so, to adorn the doctrine of the Cross of Christ Jesus; that is, to admire and reverence his Cross.— HORNECK.

And the people stood beholding, &c. See Commentary on Mat. XXVII. 39. § XCII.

And a superscription also was written,

See Commentary on Matthew

XXVII. 37. § XCI.

One of the malefactors which was hanged with him, railed on him, &c. What rudeness was this! strange! that his misery should not make the wretch more modest! But his concern was only for this present life: all that he desired was to be free from his present pain, that he might persue his sensual inclinations as formerly. How may a man's sensuality be known by his talk! O my soul, look well to thy words and discourses. If thy heart be touched with a sense of a future glorious life, thy tongue will delight to speak of

it. If thou have an aversion from such discourses, all thy professions of eternal life will be mere wind and air: "From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." If heaven and a glorious eternity hath possessed thy heart thou wilt find opportunities to utter thy inward feelings of those things with thy tongue.

But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? Friendly reproof is a great duty: yet, O my soul! how loth hast thou been to give it; and how loth hast thou been to take it, when this precious balm hath been poured out upon thy head, by a charitable neighbour! How hast thou looked upon it as gall and wormwood? and what hard thoughts hast thou entertained of the kind monitor; calling him either saucy, or medling with things that did not concern him! and how often hast thou let thy neighbour sleep and rest in sin, when thy fraternal correction might have roused him from his slumber! O, be humbled for this great omission! And when a malefactor on the Cross thinks himself obliged not to suffer sin upon his neighbour, be not thou backward to save a soul from death.

And we, indeed, justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss.—An humble acknowledgment of our sins and demerits is the way to God's bosom. This is the first discovery of this poor man's repentance: and he begins with the noblest act of it; which is, seeking to draw others to a

sense of better things. In this, O my soul, thou hast been very remiss and neglectful, even in propagating religion, and exhorting others to see God's face. Henceforth be more diligent in gaining proselytes to Christ Jesus. And what if thy admonition prevails not; thou hast discharged a duty, and mayest rejoice in having acted according to the will of God.

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Here is a mind set upon Heaven, and despising the world; than which nothing is more acceptable to God. He is content to endure shame, pain, tortures, piercings, aches, and all the indignities that man can offer to him, so Christ will but remember him in his kingdom. O Jesu, Son of God! give me such a mind, and temper, which may be content with any thing, so I may but obtain a share in the pleasures at thy right hand! Let even sword, and famine, and hunger, and thirst, and nakedness, seem nothing to me, so I may but enjoy thy embraces in the end! Assure me, and convince me, that the afflictions of this present life, though never so great, never so painful, never so lasting, never so bitter, or piercing, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which ere long shall be revealed in me!

Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.-How ready is Christ to cherish the penitent, that abhors himself for his deformity, and sees greater beauty,

the ways of holiness, and a spiritual life, than in all the comforts of this world. Blessed Saviour, how ready art thou to stretch forth thine arms to such humble and contrite spirits! "Thou art readier to grant, than they to ask; and even before they cry, thou hearest them." Oh, let this be an encouragement to me, to deplore my sins; and to bewail mine offences; to detest what I have been doing against thee, and to seek first thy kingdom, and its righteousness; that now thou art in thy kingdom, thou mayest remember me; and when I leave this world, mayest bid me enter into my master's joy. HORNECK.

HYMN.

Father, forgive, his mercy cried,
With his expiring breath;
And drew eternal blessings down,
On those who wrought his death.
Thus may I hope for pardon too,

Though I have pierced the Lord;
Blest Jesus! in my favour speak

That all prevailing word.

I knew not what my madness did,
While I remained thy foe;
Soon as I saw the wounds were thine,
My tears began to flow.

Melted by goodness so divine:

I would its foosteps trace; And, while beneath thy cross I stand, My fiercest foes embrace.

til the ninth hour.

k

45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: "and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

47 "Now, when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

0

49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. 50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor and he was a good man, and a just:

51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them ;) he was of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

52 This man went unto Pilate,

and begged the body of Jesus.

53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn

54 And that day was 'the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

55 And the women also, 'which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and "beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments ; and rested the sabbath day "according to the commandment.

Mat. xxvii. 45. Mark xv. 33. Or, land.-k Mat. xxvii. 51. Mark xv. 38.- Ps. xxxi. 5. 1 Pet. ii. 23.m Mat. xxvii. 50. Mark xv. 37. John xix. 30.-n Mat. xxvii. 54. Mark xv. 39.-o Ps. xxxviii. 11. Mat. xxvii. 55. Mark xv. 40. See John xix. 25.-p Mat. xxvii. 57. Mark xv. 42. John xix. 38.-q Mark xv. 43. ch. ii. 25, 38.-r Mat. xxvii. 59. Mark xv. 46.-s Mat. xxvii 62.

ch. viii. 2.- Mark xv. 47.- Mark xvi. 1.-y Ex. xx. 10.

READER.

And it was about the sixth hour, &c. See Commentary on Matthew XXVII. 45. § XCII.

And the sun was darkened, &c. See Commentary on Matthew XXVII. 51. § XCIII.

He gave up the ghost. See Commentary on Matthew XXVII. 50. § XCIII.

When the centurion saw what was done, &c. See Commentary on Matthew XXVII. 54. § XCIII.

And behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor, &c. See Commentary on Matthew XXVII. 57— 60. § CXIV.

And the women also, &c. See Commentary on Matthew XXVII. 61. § XCIV.