Page:ThePathToHeaven.djvu/483

 into a  basin,  and  on  bended  knees  didst  humbly  wash the feet  of  thy  disciples,  and  wipe  them  with  thy  own hands.

3. O  good  and  gracious  Jesus! who, when  the  time  of thy  death  approached,  didst  bequeath  a  most  excellent legacy to  thy  children,  leaving  us  thy  most  sacred  body to be  our  meat,  and  thy  most  precious  blood  to  be  our drink: no  wit  can  teach,  nor  understanding  penetrate the bottomless  depth  of  this  thy  charity.

4. O  good  and  gracious  Jesus! who, having  entered into the  garden  of  Olives,  beganst  to  fear  and  to  be heavy;  whereupon  thou  saidst  to  thy  disciples,  My  soul is sorrowful,  even  unto  death;  and  then  leaving  them, kneeledst upon,  the  ground,  and  falling  flat  on  thy  face, prayedst to  thy  Father,  If  it  be  possible,  let  this  chalice pass from  me. And yet  with  perfect  submission,  wholly resignedst thyself  to  him,  saying,  Father,  not  my  will, but thine  be  done:  and  at  length,  through  most  painful agony, thy  afflicted  and  fainting  body  sweated  drops  of blood.

5. O  good  and  gracious  Jesus! who, inflamed  with an ineffable  desire  to  redeem  me,  didst  go  to  meet  thine enemies, and  sufferedst  Judas  the  traitor  to  kiss  thee, and thyself  to  be  taken  and  bound  with  cords,  and  as  a malefactor  disgracefully  led  by  the  basest  of  the  people to Annas,  where  with  admirable  meekness  thou  receivedst  a  cruel  stroke  on  thy  face,  most  unjustly  given  thee by a  vile  wretch  and  slave.

6. O  good  and  gracious  Jesus! who wast  led  fast bound like  a  notorious  malefactor  from  Annas  to  the house of  Caiaphas  the  high  priest,  where  the  Jews  most unjustly accused  thee,  and  with  barbarous  insolence  spat upon thy  meek  and  amiable  face,  buffeting  thy  cheeks and blindfolding  thine  eyes,  scornfully  mocking,  and maliciously affronting  thee  with  injuries  all  that  night.

7. O  good  and  gracious  Jesus! who in  the  morning wast brought  to  the  presence  of  Pilate,  and  with  a  most sweet and  humble  countenance,  pasting  thine  eyes  down, stoodst before  him  in  the  judgment-day;  and  when  thou wast most  falsely  calumniated  by  the  Jews,  and  many insults and  provocations  were  given  thee,  thou  meekly