On Afh-Wednesday, 103 Wednesday. On a further examination of the foul, 114 Thurfday. On other fins which we are to examine into, 116 Tuelday. On the leffons Chrift teaches us in his paffion, 139 Wednesday. On other leffons to be learnt from Chrift in Thurfday. On the love that Chrift has fhewn us in his paf- Friday. Other confiderations to excite in the foul the love Friday. On our Saviour's treatment in the house of Cai phas, Saturday. On Peter's Denial. 160 162 Paffion-Sunday. On our Lord's being led away to Pilate. 165 Monday. Our Lord is fent from Pilate to Herod. 167 He is 169 171 Jcourged at the pillar, Wednesday. Our Lord is crowned with thorns, Thursday. Our Lord is fhewn to the people, with Ecce homo! Behold the man, 173 Friday. On the part the bleed Virgin bore in her Son's fufferings, 176 178 Saturday. Our Lord is condemned to the cross. 181 Monday in Holy Week. Our Saviour carries his cross, 182 185 Tuesday in Holy Week. Our Saviour is nailed to the 188 Holy Thursday. On our Saviour's preaching from the 190 cross, Good-Friday. On our Saviour's death upon the cross, 192 Holy Saturday. On our Saviour's burial, 193 THE N THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE. I DEAR READER, Here prefent thee with a fet of Meditations, for every day in the year, collected from the word of God, and the writings of the Saints, and fervants of G. d. The fubje&ts are digefted in fuch manner as to take in the whole Chriftian doctrine, with all the myfteries and folemnities celebrated by the church throughout the year, and all the practi cal leffons of the Gofpel. The great truths of the Chriftian religion are here briefly propofed, in their own plain native colours: upon every subject there are three confiderations, which may ferve to entertain the devout Chriftian for half an hour, or longer, acco ding to the time he allows himlelf for the exercise of daily meditation: and every meditation is concluded with pious refolutions, which may determine the foul to decline with all her fteng h for the time to come, from all evil, and to dedicate herself in good earnest to the love and fervice of her Maker, by a fericus application of all her powers to good. As to the preparation, that ought always to be premifed; to avoid needlefs repetitions, I have not marked it down, at the beginning of each meditation, but muft here put thee in mind, once for all, that thou muft ever begin this exercile, by the faith and remembrance of the prefence of God; and by humbly implo:ing his light, grace, and aillance. affiftance. Thou must also observe, that these confiderations are not defigned to be a matter of barren ftudy, or fpeculation of the brain; but to be the feeds of pious affections in the heart: which affections are looked upon by fpiritual writers as the principal part of mental prayer; as tending direly to bring the foul to her God, and to unite her to him, by divine love. I have not fet down, upon each subject, all the various affections, that might be drawn from every consideration; as well because this would have been an endlefs work, and liable to frequent repetitions; as because these affections are ufually taught, by a better master, viz. the Spirit of God, to all fuch as diligently frequent his fchool, which he holds, in the interiour of thofe fouls, that ferioufly exercise themselves in mental prayer. However, as it may be of fome help to many, cfpecially to beginners, I thall here point out the different kinds of affections, which may be excited in the foul, according to the different fubjects of her meditations, and the degrees of her advancement in a fpiritual life. Such are, 1. Acts of a lively faith of the divine truths, fet before the foul in the confiderations; and a bowing down of all the powers of the foul to adore the fovereign Truth, that is thus pleased to reveal himself to little ones. 2. Acts of fear of the jugdments of God; of his wrath enkindled against impenitent finners; and of all the dreadful confequences of fin, and the punifhments inflicted upon it by divine juftice, both in this world, and in the world to come. 3. Acts of hop, and confidence in the power, mercy, and goodness of God, reprefented in the meditation; in the fidelity of his divine promifes, made in favour of penitent finners; and in the inexhaustible trea fure fures of merit and grace, purchased for us all, by the labours, fufferings and death of the Son of God. 4. A&ts of the love of God, from the confideration of the goodness of God in himself, of all his divine a tributes, beauty and perfections; of his eternal love for us, and of all his benefits to us; and of the paffion and death of his Son, for the love of us. 5. As of fame and confufion for our manifold fins, againft his infinite goodness; and for our base ingratitude, by which we have returned fo much evil. for fo much good. 6. Acts of repentance and contrition for our fins; and of an humble accufation of them all, at the feet of Chrift; of a horror and hatred for them; and even a hatred of our. felves. for having been fo bafe and wicked; with earneft fupplications for mercy, for what is past; and an offering of ourselves to a penitential life, for the time to come. 7. A&s of adoration of the divine majefty; of prcife and thanksgiving to him, for all his bencfis; of invitation of all the Angels and Sain's, and of all his works to glorify him; and of an oblation of our whole being, and of all that we have, to his glory. 8. Acts of joy in him, and of congratulation with him, that he is, what he is; of zeal for the greater glory of his name, for the advancement of his kingdom, and the executing of his will; of defire that all the world may be converted to him; and that all may know him, love him, and ferve him. 9. Acts of humility, and contempt of ourlelves; of embracing the ciofs, and of refignation to God's blefled will in all things; and of a total dedication and confecration of ourfelves to be the fervants of his divine love. 10. Acts of defire to imitate the virtues of our dear Redeemer, of his bleffed Mother, and of all the Saints, to attend to his heavenly leflons; to in print them deep ly |