Alas! my Lord Jesus Christ, when I behold Thee, as Thou wast in the
garden bowed down with heartfelt sorrow, and in great anguish didst sweat
drops of blood, as Thou wast afterwards taken prisoner, bound, and during
the whole night and hour of darkness mocked and insulted, in the morning
early as the innocent Lamb accused, whipped with scourges, and finally
sentenced to death, suspended on the cross, pierced in your hands and
feet with ruthless nails, and not a member of Thy most holy body
remaining without a wound:--Alas! when I see all this, I see nothing but
my sins, guilt and iniquities which brought Thee into this plight, and
for the sake of which Thou didst freely enter into such anguish and
distress, into such sadness, pain and suffering. Alas! my Lord, it is all
my guilt for which Thou didst suffer--I am the cause of it all. How
wonderful are the ways and purposes of God! The Innocent One must pay for
the guilt of the guilty, the Good One must suffer the punishments of the
wicked. The Lord must atone the guilt of the servant, and that which
sinful man has brought upon himself God must bear. O Thou Son of the
living God, how great is Thy love and favor towards us mortals! What hast
Thou not done and suffered to redeem me, a poor lost sinner, and to
deliver me from death and eternal damnation. I have done evil, and Thou
art punished; I have sinned, and Thou must atone. I have been
disobedient, and Thou must for my disobedience be overwhelmed with such
anguish and distress. Alas! Thou Lord of Glory, what can I give Thee in
return for this Thy great goodness and faithfulness which Thou hast shown
towards me! Wherewith shall I, poor needy mortal, requite such
unspeakable benefit? Alas! my Lord, it shall forever remain unrequited.
There is no service in heaven or on earth whereby to pay Thee
sufficiently for it. It is Thy pure grace and favor towards me, a poor
sinner, and that remains by me forever unrequited, forever unmerited. And
since I have nothing wherewithall to pay my debt, therefore my heart
shall evermore thank Thee for what Thou hast done to me, and I shall
magnify, glorify and praise Thy name now and forever. Amen.