MEDITATION FOR THIRD THURSDAY IN LENT.

JESUS IS ACCUSED BEFORE PILATE.

1ST POINT. Of what do you complain? You are innocent, and have been calumniated. Was not the Son of God calumniated? He was accused of being a seditious man, who had only preached doctrines of peace and love to his enemies! He was accused of inciting the people to resist paying tribute, who had paid it to Pilate and Cæsar, and who had taught obedience to the laws in all his counsels! He was accused of assuming the qualities of a king, who had fled from the people when they wished to crown him! Pilate declared him innocent! Why, then, was he crucified? Because he was Jesus ! because he was the Saviour of his people, and had assumed the burden and penalty of our guilt! In this behold the cause of his death.

Jesus is innocent, and appeared guilty; I am guilty, and wish to appear innocent! Jesus never sinned, and bore the pain of our sins; but I, who am a sinner, wish to avoid bearing the pain of mine! I am ashamed to appear criminal before men, but fear not to appear so before

God. I do much that is worthy of condemnation, yet cannot endure the slightest blame. What injustice and arrogance to be wicked, and aspire to those honours which are only due to virtue! If you are guilty, why do you complain? If you are innocent, why do you grieve? Do you not consider it a great honour to be treated as the Son of God was?

men.

2ND POINT. If you are a good man, you cannot avoid the condemnation of the world. They will present you bound, as they did Jesus, before the tribunal of their injustice. They will institute proceedings against you, and declare that you are unworthy to live among honest What will you do? Compare the judgments of men with those of Christ; the tribunal of Pilate with that of Jesus. He is the truth, whom this wicked ruler and judge did not wish to know. If the truth deliver you, you shall be free indeed. Be satisfied with the testimony of your own conscience with God. It is better to be betrayed by the wicked, than loved by them; to be despised by the world, than honoured by it. Do you desire to please those who are displeasing to God?

3RD POINT. My soul, draw near to this tribunal of iniquity. Behold a God judged by a man!

Permit me, sweet
Thou hast created

A God standing before a man who remains seated! A God, who is judge of the living and the dead, examined and condemned by the most wicked of his creatures! What hast thou done, O innocent Lamb, that thou art bound, and dragged through the city? Lord, to answer for thee. the heavens and the earth; thou hast made the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, the dead to live, and hast gone about doing good to all men; delivering those who were possessed of devils, and making heaven the reward of the good, and hell the punishment of the wicked.

Oh Jesus, what hast thou done to be so maltreated by men? What hast thou done to me that I should dare offend and insult thee?

Oh my people! what have I done to displease you? What have I not done to gain your hearts, and give you eternal joys? What ought you not to do for me? What have you not done against me?

WORDS OF SCRIPTURE.

"Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?"-Romans, xiv.

"But with me it is a very small thing to be

judged by you, or by human judgment: but neither do I judge my own self.”—1 Cor. iv. "For I am not conscious to myself of any thing: yet I am not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord."-Ibid.

"O God, be not thou silent in my praise: for the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful man is opened against me. They have spoken against me with deceitful tongues; and they have compassed me about with words of hatred; and have fought against me without cause."-Psalm cviii.

"Instead of making me a return of love, they detracted me: but I gave myself to prayer. And they repaid me evil for good, and hatred my love." -Ibid:

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MEDITATION FOR THIRD FRIDAY IN LENT.

ON THE CONTEMPT OF HEROD FOR JESUS, AND THE SILENCE OF JESUS BEFORE HEROD.

1ST POINT. Herod desired to see Jesus, and Jesus would not look at him; Herod questioned Jesus, and Jesus would not answer him; Herod demanded miracles of Jesus, and Jesus would not perform them; Herod despised Jesus, and

Jesus cared not for his hatred. It is thus that the wisdom of God passes for folly in the eyes of the world, and the so-called wisdom of the world is but foolishness in the eyes of God.

2ND POINT. Jesus does not speak to the proud; he does not manifest himself to the haughty; he replies not to the adulterer; he bestows not his grace on the ungrateful. He, at last, despises those who despise him. After having often spoken, he is silent. Being often driven away, goes and returns no more. He conceals himself after having sought in vain.

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3RD POINT. Oh Lord, my God! thy silence is a terrible thing! It is dangerous to resist thy inspirations and despise thy word.

Wilt thou be How frequently and left undone

pleased to speak often to me? have I not heard thy voice, what thou hast commanded! How often have I not, like Herod, caused the death of thy precursor, and slaughtered thy harbingers in my heart; stifled thy inspirations, rejected and despised thy graces! I hear thy word, and obey it not; I read pious and holy lessons, and do not profit by them. Alas! I have reason to fear that thou wilt withdraw thy graces from me, and speak to me no more.