foreseen action of man which, together with its results, is embraced in
the eternal Predestination of God. To us this or that blessing may be
strictly contingent on our praying for it; but our prayer is
nevertheless so far from necessarily introducing change into the purpose
of the Unchangeable, that it has been all along taken, so to speak, into
account by Him. If, then, with 'the Father of Lights' there is in this
sense 'no variableness, neither shadow of turning,' it is not therefore
irrational to pray for specific blessings, as we do in the Litany,
because God works out His plans not merely in us but by us; and we may
dare to say that that which is to us a free self-determination, may be
not other than a foreseen element of His work."

_For suggested Meditations during the week see Appendix._




VIII

=Discipline through Self-sacrifice=

GOOD FRIDAY

1 Tim. ii. 6

"Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself a ransom for all."


To-day we reach the solemn climax which embraces in itself the whole
idea of discipline under each of those aspects upon which we have