sacred flesh, and entering into his temples with excessive pain. Behold his face quite disfigured with blows and bruises, and all besmeared with spittle and blood. Behold his whole body inhumanly rent and torn with whips and scourges; and now covered with a hard ragged garment, rubbing and at each moment increasing his wounds: and then look up and contemplate him upon his throne of glory, and see what return thou canst make him for having thus annihilated himself for the love of thee. He desires no more of thee than an imitation of his patience and humility: see, then, in what manner thou art to practise these lessons.
THE TWENTY-NINTH DAY.
Our Saviour carries his Cross, and is nailed to it.
CONSIDER how the malice of the Jews, no ways relenting at the sight of the Lamb of God bleeding for the sins of the world, but continuing still in a tumultuous manner to demand that he might be crucified, Pilate at last yields to their importunity, and against his own conscience, sentences our Saviour to the death of the cross. Ah I Christians, has it never been your misfortune, by the like cowardice, to condemn your Saviour and his doctrine, and basely to renounce in the practice of your lives the maxims of his gospel, for fear of what the world would say? Has not too often a much weaker temptation than the fear of losing Caesar's friendship, induced you to crucify again the Son of God? Be confounded and repent.
2. Consider how this sentence of death, how unjust soever from Pilate, yet as being most just from his eternal Father, and necessary for our salvation, was received with perfect submission, charity and silence by our Redeemer; who thereupon was immediately stripped again of his purple
