Page:Thinkwellonit.pdf/96

 see how they discharge upon his sacred back and shoulders innumerable stripes, lashes and scourges: behold the blood come spouting forth on all sides; see how his body is all rent and mangled by their cruelty, and the flesh laid open to the very bones; behold bis enemies all the while insulting over him, and rejoicing at his torments; whilst he, with eyes cast up towards heaven, is offering up all that he suffers for their sins, and for those of the whole world. Ah sinners, take a serious view of your Redeemer's condition, and contemplating in his torn and mangled body, the malice of sin, learn to detest this hellish monster, which has brought on the Son of God all these sufferings.

2. Consider, how these bloody ruffians by their cruel scourging having made but one wound of our Saviour's body, from head to foot, loose him at last from the pillar, leaving him to put on his clothes as well as he could. Ah! Christians, have compassion now on your Saviour's abandoned condition; who has no one to lend him an helping hand to bind up his gaping wounds, or stanch the blood that comes flowing from them! O! present yourselves now, and offer him what service you are able: offer at least to assist him in putting on his clothes, to cover his green wounds from the cold air. But, O how rough are these woolen cloaths to his wounded hack! Alas! instead of affording him any fuse or comfort, they do but increase His sores, by their rubbing upon them.

3. Consider how the bloody soldiers had scarce given our Saviour a short respite after his scourging, when they were pushed on by the devil to act another scene of cruelty, such as never was heard of before or since: and that was to make themselves a barbarous sport, in crowning him for a king. Therefore they drag him into the court of the Proetorium, and assemble together the