Lord, why were deceits intended against Thee ? To deliver thee from deceits. Wherefore didst Thou sweat blood? To wash away the spots of thy sin. That thou mightest not be taken of thy ghostly enemies. Why wouldest Thou be bound? To loose the bands of thy sins. To confess thee before My Father. Why wouldest Thou be forsaken of the disciples ? That I might be with thee until the day of judg ment. Why wouldest Thou be accused? To absolve thee. Why wouldest Thou be spitted upon ? To wipe away thy foulness. Why wouldest Thou be whipped? That thou mightest be free from stripes. Why wouldest Thou be lifted up upon the cross? That thou mightest be lifted up to heaven. Why wouldest Thou be crowned with thorns? Why were Thy arms stretched out? To embrace thee, O fainting soul. Why was Thy side opened? To receive thee in. Why didst Thou die amidst two thieves? CHAPTER LXXI. OF THE MANNER IN PARTICULAR HOW TO LE MEDITATE OF THE PASSION. ET the devout Christian call to mind how Christ our blessed Saviour suffered in every part of His body; how His head was crowned with thorns, His eyes covered with tears, His face full of spittings, His mouth full of gall, His ears full of contumelies, His shoulders full of lashes ; how He had His hands pierced, His side opened, His feet fastened unto the cross, His whole body strained and stretched out. After this, let the devout Christian meditate of his Saviour's agony in the garden, for the sins of the world; of His sweat in a cold night, when His prayers went up, and the drops of blood ran down; of His hanging upon the cross, when He seemed as it were forsaken of His friends on earth and His Father in heaven; of the bending down His head and giving up the ghost, with these words, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit." Here let the devout Christian stand amazed at the height, and depth, and length, and breadth, of the love of Christ. Last of all, let him consider what good effects this meditation ought to work in him, to wit, of humility, patience, love, duty, reverence, and thankfulness, to his Redeemer. Who would not be humble, calling to mind that the Son of God humbled Himself unto the death of the cross? Who would not be patient, considering His patience, who, as a meek Lamb, opened not His mouth before the shearer? Who would not love Him, who laid down His life for us miserable sinners? CERTAIN BRIEF PETITIONS, TO FOLLOW THE Son of God, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy upon us. By Thy tender love to man, Have mercy upon us. By the institution of Thy last Supper, before Thy suffering, Have mercy upon us. By Thine agony in the garden, Have mercy upon us. By Thy hard beating and scourging, Have mercy upon us. By Thy crowning with thorns, Have mercy upon us. By Thy bearing of Thy Cross, when Thou wentest to death, Have mercy upon us. By the piercing of Thy hands and feet, Have mercy upon us. By the lifting up of Thy most holy body upon the cross, Have mercy upon us. By the love Thou hadst, hanging three hours on the cross alive, Have mercy upon us. By the holy tears shed upon the cross, Have mercy upon us. By Thy thirst, and receiving gall, Have mercy upon us. By inclining Thy head upon the cross, By Thy giving up the ghost, Have mercy upon us. By all the labour and weariness, sorrow and heaviness, that Thou sufferedst, from the day of Thy nativity unto the hour of the departure of Thy soul from Thy body, Have mercy upon us. By Thy glorious and powerful resurrection, Have mercy upon us. By Thy marvellous ascension up into heaven, By Thy divine consolation, and sending down of the Holy Ghost upon Thine Apostles, comfort us Lord, evermore, by the same Holy Ghost, and Have mercy upon us. CHAPTER LXXII. GODLY MEDITATIONS UPON THE DIVINE PRESENCE; TO STIR US UP TO A CONTINUAL CARE OF WALKING IN THE WAYS OF GOD, AFTER OUR RECEIVING THE LORD'S SUPPER. How excellent and behoveful an exercise it is to place God as present in all our actions. VERY many excellent as also profitable means and exercises there are for the obtaining of virtue, amongst which, notwithstanding, there is none more behoveful or commodious than this whereof we are now about to treat, viz. the Divine Presence, if, as it ought, it be rightly applied; for |