Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/220

 sions: ''To  him  that  overcometh  I  will  give  the  hidden manna." You  must  be  humble  in  your  own  eyes:  "Thou hast hidden  these  things  from  the  wise  and  the  prudent, and hast  revealed  them  to  little  ones."  (Matt.  xL  25.) You  must  hide  yourself  "  in  the  cliffs  of  the  rock"  (Cant, ii.  14),  that  is,  in  the  wounds  of  Christ  and  in  contemplation of  His  passion;  and  thus  you  "may  suck  honey  out of the  rock."  (Deut.  xxxii.  13.)  "For  the  rock,"  as  the Apostle  observes,  "  is  Christ."    (1  Cor.  x.  4.)

I. Being  come  to  the  place  appointed  for  His  execution, Christ  is  again  stripped  of  His  clothes  before  the multitude at  large,  and  before  the  insolent  soldiery,  who sought for  nothing  more  ardently  than  subjects  of  scorn and scurrility. This ignominy,  due  only  to  our  sins, Christ bears  with  the  utmost  patience;  and  in  His  own  person gives  us  an  example  of  the  most  perfect  evangelical poverty. In order  that  no  one  of  His  senses  might  escape untormented, "they  gave  Him  wine  to  drink  mingled with  gall,  and  when  He  had  tasted  He  would  not  drink." (Matt, xxvii.  34.)  He  did  not  refuse  the  draught  in  consequence of  the  gall,  but,  as  St.  Ambrose  remarks,  "  He rejected  that  bitterness  which  was  mingled  with  wine." Christ wished  to  drink  the  chalice  of  His  passion  unr mixed with  any  sweetness. Be ashamed  at  your  sensual disposition, and  at  your  murmurs  when  it  is  not  grati

II. The place  on  which  the  scene  was  acted  was  a  high hill, exposed  to  the  view  of  all. This circumstance added to  His  ignominy;  and  the  place  was  loathsome,  because it  was  covered  with  bones. Christ made  choice  of