The Practice of Piety, Treatise · Part 41
A Divine Colloquy betwixt the Soul and her Saviour, concerning the effectual merits of his dolorous Passion.
Soul.
LOrd, wherefore didst thou wash thy Disciples feet? Christ, To teach thee how thou shouldest prepare thy self to come to my Supper.
S. Lord, why would'st thou wash them bJoh. 13. 14.thy self? C. To teach thee humility, if thou wilt be my Disciple.
S. Lord, wherefore didst thou before thy death cLuke 22. 19. …0.institute thy last Supper? C. That thou mightest the better remember my death, and be assured that all the merits thereof are thine.
S. Lord, wherefore would'st thou go to such a place, where dJoh. 18. 2.Judas knew to find thee? C. That thou mightest know that I went as willingly to suffer for thy sin, as ever thou wentest to any place to commit a sin.
S. Lord, wherefore would'st thou begin thy passion in a aJoh. 18. 1.Garden? C. Because that in abGen. 3. 3. Garden thy sin took first beginning.
S. Lord, wherefore did thy three select Disciples, cMat. 26. 40.fall so fast asleep, when thou beganst to fall into thy agony? C. To shew, that IdIsa. 63. 5. alone wrought the work of thy Redemption.
S. Lord, why were there so many eMat. 26. 4.plots and snares laid for thee? C. That I might make thee to escape all the snares of thy Ghostly Hunter.Psal. 124. 7.
S. Lord, Mat. 20. 19.why would'st thou suffer Judas (betraying thee) to kiss thee? C. That by enduring the words of dissembling Lips, I might there begin to expiate sin, where … find brought it into the world.…
S. Lord, why would'st thee be sold for thi…ty pieces of Silver? C. …That I might free thee from perpetual bondage.
S. Lord, why didst thou pray with such str…ng crying and tears? C. …That I might … the fury of God's Justice,… which was so fiercely kindled against thee.
S. Lord, why wast thou so afraid, and cast …nto such an A…ny? C. Luke. 22. ….That … the …rath due to thy sins, thou mightest be more secure in thy de…h, and … more comfort in thy crosse.
S. Lord, wher…f…re … …and so earnestly, … …… thee? C. That … …the horrour of that curse… … being due to thy sin, I was … and endure for thee.
S. Lord, …wherefore didst thou after … wish, submit thy will unto the wi… …? C. To teach thee what thou … do in all thy afflictions: and how willingly thou should'st yield to bear with … that Cross which thou seest to come from the just hand of thy heavenly Father.
S. Lord, wherefore dist thou … …drops of water and blood? C. That I might cleanse thee from thy stains and …
S. Lord, why would'st thou be taken, …… thou mightest have escaped thine Enemies?
C. That thy spiritual enemies should not take thee,Mat. 5. 25. and cast thee into the prison of aMat. 22. 13.utter darkness.
S. Lord, wherefore would'st thou be bMat. 26. 56.forsaken of all thy Disciples? C. That I might reconcile thee unto God, of whom thou wast forsaken for thy sins.
S. Lord, Joh. 13. 8.wherefore wouldst thou stand to be apprehended alone? C. To shew thee, that my love of thy salvation was more than the love of all my Disciples.
S. Mark 14. 51. 52.Lord, wherefore was the young man caught by the soldiers, and unstrip'd of his linen, who came out of his bed, hearing the stir at thy apprehension, and leading to the high Priest? C. To shew their outrage in apprehending me, and my power in preserving out of their outragious hands, all my Disciples, who otherwise had been worse handled by them, than was that young man.
S. Mat. 27. 2.Lord, wherefore would'st thou be bound? C. That I might loose the Cords of thine iniquities.
S. Luk. 22. 57, 58. 60.Lord, why wast thou denied of Peter? C. that I might confess thee before my Father, and thou mightest learn, that there is no trust in man, and that salvation proceeds of my meer mercy.
S. Mat. 26. 74. 75.Lord, wherefore would'st thou bring Peter to repentance by the crowing of a Cock? C. That none should despise the means which God hath appointed for their conversion, tho' they seem never so mean.
S. Lord, wherefore didst thou at the Cock-crowing turn and look upon Peter?Luk. 22. 61. C. Because thou might'st know, that without the help of my grace no means can turn a sinner unto God, when he is once fallen from him
S. Joh. 19. 5.Lord, wherefore wast thou cover'd with a purple robe? C. That thou might'st perceive that it was I that did away thy scarlet sins.
S. Isa. 1. 18.Lord, Mat. 27. 29.wherefore would'st thou be crown'd with thorns? C. That by wearing thorns, the first fruits of the Curse, it might appear, that it is I which take away the sins and curse of the world, and crown thee with thea1 Pet. 5. 4. Rev. 2. 10. Crown of life and glory.
S. Lord, why was a bMat 27. 29.reed put into thy hand? C. That it might appear that I came not to cMat. 12. 20.break the bruised reed.
S. Lord, wherefore wast thou dMat. 27. 29.mock'd of the Jews? C. That thou mightest insult over Devils, who otherwise would have mocked thee as the Philistines did Samson.Judg. 16. 25.
S. Lord, wherefore would'st thou have thy blessed face defiled with eMat. 27. 30.spittle? C. That I might cleanse thy face from the shame of sin.
S. Wherefore, Lord, were thine eyes hoodwinkt with a veil? C. Mark 14. 65.That thy spiritual blindness being removed, thou mightest behold the face of my Father in heaven.
S. Lord, wherefore did they aMat. 26. 67.buffet thee with fists, and beat thee with bMat. 27. 30.slaves? C. That thou mightest be freed from the stroaks and tearings of infernal fiends.
S. Lord, wherefore would'st thou be reviled? C. Mat. 27. 39.That God might speak peace unto thee by his Word and Spirit.
S. Lord, wherefore was thy cJoh. 19. 3. Isa. 50. 6.face disfigur'd with blows and blood? C. That thy face might shine glorious as thedMat. 22. 50. Angels in heaven.
S. Lord, wherefore would'st thou be so … elly eJohn 19. 1.sc…urged? C. That thou mightest be freed from the sting of Conscience, and whips of everlasting torments.
S. Mark 15 1.Lord, wherefore would'st thou be arraigned at Pilate's Bar? C. That thou mightest at the last day be acquitted before my Judgment-seat.
S. Luk. 23. 2.Lord, wherefore would'st thou be falsly accused? C. That thou should'st not be justly condemned.
S. Mat. 27. 2.Lord, where wast thou turned over to be condemned by a strange Judge? C. That thou being redeemed from the cap…ivity of a hellish Tyrant, mightest be restored to God, whose own thou art by right.
S. Wherefore, O Christ, didst thou acknowledge, that Pilate had power over thee from above? Joh. 19. 11.C. That Antichrist, under pretence of being my Vicar, should not exalt himself above all aTit. 3. 1. Rom. 13. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14.Principalities and Powers.
S. Lord, why would'st thou suffer thy Passion under bLuk. 23. 1, 2.Pontius Pilate, being a Roman President to Caesar of Rome?Joh. 19. 13, &c. C. To shew, that the Caesarian and Pontifician Polity of*Note well Rev. 11. 8. and Rev. 17. 5, 6. Rome, should chiefly persecute my Church, and crucifie me in my members.
S. But why Lord would'st thou be condemn'd? C. Joh. 19. 16.That the Law being condemned in me thou mightest not be condemned by it.Luk. 23. 24.
S. Rom. 8. 3.But why wast thou condemned seeing nothing could be proved against thee? C. Mat. 27. 24. Joh. 19. 6.That thou might'st know, that it was not for my faults but for thine that I suffered.
S. Lord, wherefore wast thou led to suffer out of the city? C. Mat. 27. 33.That I might bring thee to rest in the heavenly City.H…b. 13. 12.
S. Lord, why did the Jews compel Simon of Cyrene,Luk. …3. 26. coming out of the field, to carry thy Cross? C. Mat. 27. 32.To shew the weakness whereunto the burden of thy sins brought me: and what must be every Christians case, which goeth out of the field of this world, toward the heavenly Jerusalem.
S. Lord, why wast thou unstripped of thy garments? C. Joh. 19. 23.That thou mightest see how I forsook all to redeem thee.
S. Luk. 23. 33.Lord, wherefore would'st thou be li…t up upon a Cross? C. That I might lift thee up with me to Heaven.
S. Ibid.Lord, wherefore didst thou hang upon a cursed tree? C. That I might satisfie for thy sin committed in eati…g the forbidden fruit of a Tree.Gen. 2. 17.
S. Luk. 23. 33.Lord, wherefore would'st thou hang between two thieves? C. That thou my dear Soul might'st have place in the midst of heavenly Angels.
S. Psal. 22. 16.Lord, wherefore were thy hands and feet nailed to the Cross? C. Joh. 20. 25.To enlarge thy hands to do the works of righteousness: and to set thy feet at liberty, to walk in the ways of Peace.
S. Lord, wherefore did they crucifie thee in Golgo…ha,Mat. 27. …3. the place of dead mens sculls? C. To assure thee that my death is life unto the dead.
S. Lord, why did not the Soldiers divide thy seamless coat? C. Joh. 19. 24.To shew that my Church is one without rent or schism.
S. Mat. 27. 34.Lord, wherefore didst thou taste Vinegar and Gall? C. That thou mightest eat the bread of Angels, and drink the water of life.
S. John 19. 30.Lord, why saidst thou upon the Cross, It is finished? C. That thou mightest know, that by my death theaRom. 10. 4. 2 Cor. 3. 13. Law was fulfilled, and thy Redemption effected.
S. Lord, why didst thou cry out upon the Cross, bMar. 15. 34.My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? C. Lest thou being forsaken of God, shouldst have been driven to cry in the pains of Hell, Wo and alas for evermore.
S. Lord, wherefore was there such a general cMat. 27. 45.darkness when thou didst suffer and cry out on the Cross? C. That thou mightest see an Image of those hellish pains which I suffered, to deliver thee from the endless pains of Hell, and everlasting chains of darkness.
S. Lord, why would'st thou have thine arms nailed abroad? C. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude v. 6.That I might embrace thee more lovingly, my sweet Soul.
S. Lord, why did the Thief, that *Luk. 23. 43.never wrought good before, obtain Paradise upon so short repentance? C. That thou maist see the power of my death to forgive them that repent, that no sinner needs despair.
S. Luk. 23. 39.Lord, why did not the other Thief which hanged as near thee, obtain the like mercy? C. Rom. 9. 18.because I leave whom I will, to harden themselves in their lewdness, to destruction, that all should fear, and none presume.
S. Mat. 27. 50.Lord, wherefore didst thou cry with such a loud and strong voice in yielding up the ghost? C. John 10. 18.That it might appear that no man took my life from me, but that I said it down of my self.
S. Luk. 23. 46.Lord, wherefore didst thou commend thy soul into thy Father's hands? C. To teach thee what thou should'st do, being to*Joh. 13. 1. depart this life.
S. Mat. 27 51.Lord, wherefore did the veil of the Temple rent in twain at thy death? C. To shew that the Levitical Law should be no longer aaEph. 2. 14. partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles, and that the way to Heaven is now open to all believers.Heb. 10. 19. 20.
S. Lord, wherefore did the bMat. 27. 51.earth quake, and the Stones cleave at thy Death? C. For horror to bear her Lord dying: and to upbraid the cruel hardness of sinners hearts.
S. Lord, wherefore did not the Soldiers break thy Legs, Exod. 12. 46.as they did the thieves who hanged at thy right and left hand? C. Joh. 19. 33.That thou mightest know,Joh. 19. 34. that they had not power to do any more unto me than the Scripture had foretold that they should do, and I should suffer to save thee.
S. Lord, wherefore was thy side opened with a Spear? C. That thou mightest have a way to come nearer unto my heart.
S. Lord, wherefore ran there out of thy precious side blood and water? C. To assure thee, that I was slain indeed, seeing my heart-blood gushed out, and theaThere is about man's heart a skin call'd Pericardium, containing water, which cools and moistens the heart, lest it should be scorched with continualmotion. This skin once pierced, man cannot live Columb. Anatom. l. 7. Horst. de nat. human. l. 1. exerc. 8. q. 5. water which compassed my heart, flowed forth after it, which once spilt, man must needs die.
S. Lord, wherefore ran the blood first by *1 Joh. 5. 6.it self, and the water afterwards by it self, out of thy blessed wound? C. To assure thee of two things: 1. That by my blood-shedding Justification and Sanctification were effected to save thee. Secondly, that my Spirit by the conscionable use of the water in Baptism, and blood in the Eucharist, will effect in thee righteousness and holiness, by which thou shalt glorifie me.
S. Lord, wherefore did the bMat. 27. 52.graves open at thy death? C. To signifie, that Death, by my death, had now received his death's-wound, and was overcome.
S. Mat. 27. 60.Lord, wherefore woud'st thou be buried? C. That thy sins might never rise up to Judgment against thee.
S Mat. 27. 57.Lord, wherefore woud'st thou be buried by two such honourable Senators, Joh. 19. 39, 40.as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea? C. That the Truth of my Death (the Cause of thy life) might more evidently appear unto all.
S. Joh. 19. 41.Lord, wherefore wast thou buried in a new Sepulchre, wherein was never laid man before? Mat. 27. 60.C. That it might appear that I, and not another arose; and that by my own power, not by another's vertue; like him who reviv'd at the touching of Elisha's Bones.
S. 2 Kin. 13. 21.Lord, wherefore didst thou raise up thy body again? C. Mat. 28. 6.That thou mayst be assured that thy sins are discharged,Rom. 4. 25. and that thou art justified.
S. Mat. 27. 52, 53.Lord, wherefore did so many bodies of thy Saints (which slept) arise at thy Resurrection? Act. 17. 31.C. To give an assurance, that all the Saints shall arise, by the virtue of my Resurrection at the last day.
S. Lord, what shall I render unto thee for all these benefits? C. Psal. 116. 1…Love thy Creator,Gal. 6. 17. and become a new creature.