XVIII. SCOURGED.

And now behold (0 my soul) with the eye of devout meditation, such a portion of thy Saviour's sufferings, as is the wonder and astonishment both of Heaven and earth. See with what profound humility and patience the great Lord of all the world condescends to be whipped by a merciless crew of soldiers see with what a sweet silence this innocent Lamb yields to have His fleece torn off, His body stripped naked, and strictly bound to a whippingpost: see Him all alone, naked and helpless, where there was no eye to pity Him, no heart to have compassion on Him; whilst those merciless caitiffs, with their sharp and forked whips, rip up and tear His delicate skin and tender flesh, so that His blessed back and breasts, by the violence of their cruel lashes, doubled and redoubled, are all gore blood, which from the ghastly wounds streamed down His innocent sides.

"Now when I think hereupon, I pour out my heart by myself," even to weeping and wonder: wondering, that the eternal Son of God, the glory of angels and

beauty of men, should suffer such a cruel and shameful punishment; and weep, that my sins should both deserve and cause such sufferings; and weeping wonder, that the Son of God should suffer what I deserved.

But since Thou disdainest not, O merciful Lord, to be wounded for my transgressions, and bruised for mine iniquities; O let Thy chastisement procure my peace with offended Heaven; and grant, that "by Thy stripes my soul may be healed."

XIX. CROWNED WITH

THORNS.

Holy Jesus, Whose venerable Head was crowned with thorns, the curse of the earth, and those thorns beaten into Thy Temples with a reed, and with much rage; pardon, Lord, all those sins which by the instrumental mediation of all the senses of my head I have committed; "break not the bruised reed," my broken heart, with the sad pressure of Thy heavy wrath: let Thy thorns, the fruits of the curse which we contracted, and Thou sustainedst, deliver me from the curse due for my sins, and stop the jaws of death, “that the pit shut not her mouth upon me."

AND VANITIES OF THIS

WORLD.

"Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ:" yet wast content with a cross for Thy Throne, with a wreath of thorns for Thy Crown, with a reed for Thy Regal Sceptre, with gall and vinegar for Thy cates, and for Thy robes of Majesty only a little linen to cover Thy

nakedness. O that I were so wise, as from Thy example, to despise all the gilded glories, empty consolations, nick-named pleasures and profits of this present life: choosing, with "Moses, rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, having an eye to the recompence of reward."

XXI. BEARING THE CROSS.

Blessed Jesus, Who with an invincible patience wentest forth bearing Thy Cross, till it sunk Thy tender Virginal Body to the earth; O let me not sink under Thy Cross, nor shrink from it, but cheerfully take up my cross, whatever it be, and carefully undergo all the sacred acts and offices of true repentance, which is the cross of sinners, and follow

Who didst "suffer for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow Thy steps."

XXII. CRUCIFIED.

Holy Jesus, Who wast lifted up upon the Cross, to draw all men unto Thee; and didst hang on a cursed tree, to abolish the curse contracted by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree,

and wast numbered with the transgressors, crucified amongst thieves; O draw my hard and stony heart unto Thee deliver me from the curse by my sins contracted; and rank me not among the cursed goats on Thy left hand, but amongst Thy blessed sheep on Thy right hand, in the great day of judgment.

XXIII. ALL THE PARTS OF HIS BODY TORMENTED.

O most holy crucified Jesus, all the parts_and members of Whose Body were expanded on the Cross, as on a tormenting rack; Thy blessed arms and legs were with such violence distended, that the joints were disparted, the veins burst, the sinews cracked, the skin rent, the flesh torn, and all the bones started aside: and in this height of disten

tion, Thy innocent hands and feet were nailed, for the sinful works of our hands; nailed where the nerves, those conveyances of sense, are the thickest, to the unspeakable torment of Thine innocent Body.

XXIV. THE SUFFERINGS OF HIS SOUL.

The sorrows and sufferings of Thy Soul were far greater, being like "melting wax," molten in the fiery furnace of God's wrath for the sins of the world; till the fulness of Thy sufferings being accomplished, Thou commendedst Thy Spirit into the hands of God.

All this sorrow and suffering, grief and torment of Thine, I believe verily was for me and for my sins; there being nothing in Thee, the spotless Son of a spotless virgin. to grieve, or sorrow, or suffer for.

O sweetest Saviour, save and deliver me from all my sins, whether of knowledge or ignorance, of wilfulness or negligence, of omission or commission; of thought, desire, word, or deed, con

fessed or not confessed before Thee: wash them all away in Thy precious Blood shed for me; nail them to Thy Cross, which were the cause of Thy crucifixion; hide them in Thy wounds, Who wast wounded for my transgressions and write those wounds of Thine in my heart, not with ink, but with the Blood which was shed for me; that in and by those characters of blood I may read and learn to die unto sin, and live only unto Thee, Who died for me; cleaving stedfastly unto Thee, Whose whole Self was so fast nailed to the Cross for me.

By Thy Cross and Passion, both in Soul and Body, cleanse me from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit; crucify this corruptible flesh of mine, with all the inordinate affections and unruly lusts thereof: that being conformed to Thy death, I may be partaker of Thy resurrection; that "suffering with Thee" here, I may

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reign with Thee hereafter," where Thou livest.

THE FIRST MEDITATION.

Of the diseases of the soul. My soul (through original corruption from our first parents contracted) is naturally diseased and distempered in all her powers and faculties.

My understanding blinded, even when it is conceited to be most seeing.

My will averse and disobedient to the holy Will of God, and to the dictates of a right understanding.

My imagination roving and more voluble than leaves tossed with the wind, through the various tossings of terrene affections.

All my affections are disordered and restless, like bones out of joint, being inverted, turned off, or weakly inclined to their true and proper object.

My sensual appetite is the seat of that self-love, which is the seminary of all inordinate lusts, and of all sinful pleasures, whence the filthy vapours of several vices are exhaled, as from a stinking and loathsome dunghill.

My heart panting with an

insatiate desire of riches, sensual pleasures, and swelling with the pride of life.

All my senses are as so many windows to let sin into my soul, and death by sin.

My whole immortal rational being is altogether degenerate from its noble descent and nature, being transformed from a celestial into an earthly temper, from a spiritual into a carnal nature, by wallowing in the mire of sensuality and earthiness, forgetting, or but slightly remembering, what does necessarily conduce to her eternal health and happiness.

Psal. vi. 2. "Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak: O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed."

Ver. 3. "My soul also is sore troubled: but, Lord, how long wilt Thou punish me?"

Ver. 4. "O turn Thee unto me and deliver my soul: and save me for Thy mercies' sake."

Ver. 5. "For in death no man remembereth Thee: and who will give Thee thanks in the pit ?"

Blessed Jesus, Who art

Come, Holy Ghost, and by Thy celestial influences apply to all my spiritual distempers those healing remedies my Blessed Redeemer hath so dearly purchased.

Illuminate my darkened understanding to give a right estimate of all things, according to their respective dignity and value as also to discern, without deceit, what is to be desired, and what to be avoided.

Subdue the rebellion of my will, to embrace and follow the uncorrupted judgment of my understanding, and not its own licentious inclinations.

Regulate my disordered affections, that they no more, by their tumult and sway, first darken my judgment, and then cast down my spirit from its state of integrity.

Suppress my exorbitant appetite, to be subjected to the dictates and commands of right reason, and holy religion.

And my soul being thus cured, and thus also armed with the graces of God's Holy Spirit, shall stand firm against the shock of all temptations, against all the assaults of the devil, the world, and the flesh, that they wound me no more, or in the least infringe the innocency, purity, and peace, of my conscience.

THE SECOND MEDITATION.

Of the love and cure of the soul, before that of the body.

ALL that Christian virtue, wherein the health of the human soul consists, is defined by St. Augustine to be, "in the right order of charity;" to love above all what is most worthy to be beloved; and to love all other things according to their respective degree of excellency each above other: And thus,

1. In the highest order, and most intense degree of charity, stands the Supreme Goodness; even the most High and most Holy God, He is to be loved above all,