26. PRAYER OF MEDITATION ON THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST.

     O my dear Lord Jesus, when I look upon Thee now in the Garden Thou wast exceeding sorrowful and Thy sweat was as it were great drops of blood; when I see Thee taken prisoner, bound, mocked, and treated despitefully during that whole night and time of darkness; then in the early morning behold Thee, the spotless Lamb, falsely accused, beaten with many stripes, condemned to death, hanged on the cross, Thy hands and feet pierced, yea, every member of Thy holy body wounded, -- when I behold all this, I see in it nothing but my sin, guilt, and iniquity, which has driven Thee to this and on account of which Thou didst subject Thyself to all this anguish, suffering, and pain.  Alas!  I, O Lord, have deserved to suffer all Thou didst endure; I am the cause of it all.  How mysterious are God's ways that the innocent must pay what the guilty has incurred, that the godly must atone for the guilt of the ungodly!
     The debts the servant incurred the Master must pay; what sinful man has laden upon himself his God must bear.  O Thou Son of the living God, how great is Thy love and mercy towards us men!  What hast Thou not done and suffered in order to redeem me, a poor, lost sinner, and to save me from death and eternal damnation!  I have transgressed, and Thou art stricken:  I have sinned, and Thou didst make amends.  I have been disobedient, and because of my disobedience Thou must endure this anguish and distress.  O Thou Lord of Glory, what return am I able to render for all the mercies and all the truth which Thou hast shown unto me? How can I poor, needy mortal recompense Thee?  O Lord, this debt remains unpaid and cannot be canceled by anything in heaven or on earth.  It is Thy grace and mercy, Thy love and truth, and this will ever remain unrequited by me, a poor sinner.  But since I have not wherewithal to pay my debt, I render Thee most heartfelt thanks for all Thy mercy towards me and I will praise and magnify Thy name from henceforth and even forevermore.  Amen.