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take up the cross freely, and bear it faithfully and perseveringly. And if it should so please GOD, we must suffer ourselves to be deprived and stripped of all temporal goods, and of the aid and consolation of friends, as well as of spiritual consolation and sensible comfort, without murmuring or impatience.

O Christian man! suffer thyself to be mocked, and cheerfully bear reproaches, detractions, and injuries for the love of GOD; and when thou art afflicted with grievous injuries from men, with temptations of devils, it behoves thee to preserve humility and patience. Whosoever then would be a faithful Christian, must neither depart from JESUS, either in life or death, in prosperity or adversity, nor ask to be delivered from his cross, but patiently suffer whatever may seem fit to the LORD. He suffered for us, leaving us an Example to follow His steps, to bear our cross willingly and daily; for our whole life, as Christians, is a cross and martyrdom.

Meditations.

Is it possible, O my Saviour! that Thou wouldst carry Thy heavy Cross, exhausted as Thou wert by the afflictions Thou hadst already endured? Thou knewest that this burden was beyond Thy strength, but still Thou didst submit to it without resistance. O GOD of goodness! nothing seems impossible to Thy love. The cries of the people, the cruelty of the robbers, the rage of the Pharisees, outrages, unkind words, insults, yea, all Thy sorrows are renewed, strength fails Thee, and Thou renewest Thy love, Thy obedience, and the

desire Thou hadst to suffer for me. Let all creatures bless, adore, glorify and love Thee; for Thou, O my Divine Saviour, bearest on this Cross all the sins of the world, and it is that which makes Thy burden so heavy.

Whilst Thou didst walk upon earth, Thy Sighs reached heaven, and drew down Thy FATHER'S Mercy upon poor sinners; and Thou didst open to them the path of glory, which had been till then unknown in the world. Thou didst maintain a deep silence, but this silence was heard from afar, inviting all men to follow Thee. It was in this particular that Thou didst appear the Leader of all the just, and declaredst war against sin, hell, and the flesh. It was in this that Thou discoveredst the secrets of Thy love, and confirmedst by Thy Example that which Thou hadst so often taught by Thy precepts. Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple. S. Luke xiv. 27; S. Matt. xvi. 24.

O JESUS, my Saviour, my King, my True Life, and Sovereign good, suffer me not to be excluded from that blessed company, who have gone along the way of the Cross; for, alas, what would become of me, if I go not therein ? and where would the way lead

me in which I would go, if I am not in that of the Cross? Lead me with Thee, LORD, that I may never lose sight of Thee, or of Thy Cross. I would follow, and imitate Thee, and would rather be crucified with Thee, than taste all the delights of life without Thee.

My flesh, always feeble, groans under the Cross, and endeavours to detach itself from it; but cannot the spirit of suffering, which Thou, O Saviour, hast ex

hibited, change this infirmity into courage, and aver sion into love? O, when shall I love the Cross, and have all my happiness and consolation in suffering much for Thee? Thou knowest, O LORD, that I walk more surely, that I approach nearer to Thee, and am more devout and faithful when the cross presses upon me, than when it leaves me. Although, therefore, the flesh rebels, regard not, LORD, my complaints. Afflict and crucify me, only do Thou sustain my weakness, that I may be enabled to bear the Cross, which Thou layest upon me, and never ask to be delivered from it.

O God of love! how rich and happy are they who follow Thee in bearing Thy Cross! The Cyrenian followed Thee, because Thou wilt always go the first, that those who are crucified and afflicted, in seeing Thee before them, may be led, enlightened, and animated by Thy Example.

O true form and state of a servant! All Thy former actions, O Saviour, were, though painful, yet free; this, as it is in itself servile, so it is tyrannously enforced; enforced more upon Thee by Thine own love to mankind than by their power and despite. It was Thy FATHER that "laid on Thee the iniquity of us all;" it was Thine Own mercy that caused Thee to bear our sins upon the Cross, and to bear the Cross, with the curse annexed to it, for our sins.

Prayer.

All glory, praise, and adoration be to Thee, O LORD my Saviour, Who, for love of me, didst undergo great

suffering, from the stripping off the purple robe; and amidst manifold reproaches and injuries didst bear Thy Cross, with excessive pain, upon Thy Sacred and lacerated Shoulders. Cross of self-denial, with ardent devotion, and to imitate the Example of Thy fervent Charity, and other Virtues; and humbly to follow Thee even unto death. Mercifully grant, that when I put off the clothing of this earthly tabernacle, I may be clothed with the robe of perfect charity, and appearing adorned with Thy Merits, may, through Thy Mercy, be received into the inheritance of Thy kingdom. Amen.

O give me grace to embrace the

PART IV. THE CRUCIFIXION.

I. THE LORD REFUSES THE GALL AND VINEGAR.

Prophecy.

They gave Me also gall for My meat, and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink. Psa. lxix. 4.

Gospel Harmony.

S. Matt. xxvii. 33, 34; S. Mark xv. 21, 22; S. Luke xxiii. 26-83; S. John xix. 17.

And there were also two other, malefactors, led with Him to be

put to death. And when they were come unto a place called

THE LORD REFUSES THE VINEGAR AND GALL. 345

Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with

gall; and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink.

Reflections.

How many are to be found, who pamper their corruptible bodies with various delicacies and excess in food, and think nothing of offending GoD by the sin of gluttony. Such become, from a Temple of God, a habitation of devils; being regardless of His glorious Essence, they change the Divine similitude in their souls, into the likeness of an irrational brute. They fear not to destroy both soul and body, so that they may gratify their sensual appetites; and they daily offer to CHRIST the bitterest gall.

But devout men take food and drink with such discretion and moderation, that it may be a help to them and not a hindrance in serving GOD; and they receive it with gratitude from their bountiful Creator.

Meditation.

O Blessed JESU, it had been disparagement enough to Thee to be seated with the best of men; but to be matched with the scum of mankind, whom vengeance would not let live, is such an indignity as confounds my thoughts. Surely there is no angel in heaven but would have been proud to attend Thee; yet malice hath suited Thee with company next to hell, that their viciousness might reflect upon Thee, and their sin

1 See also Williams, p. 282.

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