comb" (Prov. xxvii. 7), that is, it will despise the vanities and follies of the world. Lastly, it preserves the spiritual life ,of the soul, and advances it to immortality. " He who eateth this bread," says Christ Himself, "shall live forever." (John vi. 59.) How great a happiness it is to feed upon such bread!
III. The most wholesome food produces no good effect on the body if the digestive powers be disordered. Distempered bodies are endangered by delicacies, because what would otherwise be nutritive is converted into noxious humors. Take care then to prepare your soul, if you desire "to taste and see that the Lord is sweet." (Ps. xxxiii. 9.) Rid your soul of evil inclinations, which prevent spiritual digestion. " Let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice." (1 Cor. xi. 28.)
MONDAY.
Christ Crowned with Thorns.
I. From Christ's excessive love of suffering for our sake, He is not content to endure ordinary pains only, but He permits the soldiers to invent an unheard-of manner of torture. They strip Him of His clothes, which by this time clung to His lacerated body, and thus opened His wounds afresh; then they clothe Him in a ragged purple robe, as a mock-king. Observe how this meek Lamb of God suffers His persecutors to abuse Him at pleasure, without making the least resistance or complaint. Then was fulfilled the oracle of David, " I became as a man who heareth not, and who hath no reproofs in his mouth." (Ps. xxxvii. 15.)
II. " And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head." (Matt, xxvii. 29.) "The crown of thorns was
