462 Book IV. JL.ootttng unto jjtfug. Chap. 2. SeCl:.6. SECT. VI. Of Loving 'fefm in that re[p<Ef. 6. LEt us lov~ Je(su, as ca~rying on t~e great. work of our f~lvation for us in his refur~e~ho.n ; fu_re!y tf we hope m Chrtft, and beheve 1n Chrifl, we cannot Lut love Chnft ; tf.Chnfi s refurrechon be our juftification, and fo the ground both of. our hope and fatth, how lhould we. but love Pim, who hath done fuch great thmgs for us ? flte that had much forgtven her, loved mueh, and if by venue of Chrift's refurrection we are Juftified from all our fins, how lhould we but love him rncch ! but that I may let down fome coards of Love, whereby to draw our loves to Chri£1: in this refpecr, let us confider thus.--- Love i& a motion of the.apperitt, by n:hich tht mind uniw it felf to that which feems good to 1t.. You may obJe<~t that Chnfi IS ·abfenr, how then ll10uld our fouls be u– mted to htm ? but if we confider that objeCls, though abfenr, may be united to the powers by their fpecies and images, as well as by their true beings, we may rhen be faid truly to love Chrifi as raifed, though he be abfenr from us · come then fiirr up thy appetite, bring into thy imagination the Idea of Chrill as id hisrefurredion . pr.ef~nr him to thy affection of Love, in that very form wherein he appeared to hi; Dtfctples ; as gaztng upon the dufiy beauty of llelh kindleth the fire of carnal love fo this gazing on Chrift, and on the paffages of Chrift in his refurreCi-ion will kind!~ this fpiritual love in thy foul : Draw near then, and behold him ; Is he not white a~td ruddy, the chiifeft am•ng ten thmfands ? i< not his bead M the moft fine gold? 1 ere Cant. s.ro,n, not hu /oc~s bujhy, and black._a; araven? are 11ot hi< eyes M the eyes of dwes by the rivers of " • ' 3 • water, wajhedwith milk, andjitly {rt ? Are not his cheek! tU a bed of fpices, M fruet flowers ? thus I might go on from top to toe ? but that thou mayfi not only fee his glo– ry and beauty wherein he arofe, but that thou mayefi hear his voyce . doth he not call on thee, as fometimes he did on Mary, on ThomAs on Peter, 'or on the Luk. '4· 6 · twelve ? As the Angel faid to the woman, remember how.hefpe~ when he w.uyet m Ga/ilee , fo fay I to thee, remember how he fpeak wlule he was yet on earth. furely hio lips lik! lillyes draped fwm fmelling myrrhe. As thus.- - ' I. In his apparition to Mary, Jefus faith unro her, IVo•.an, why weepeft thou? whom Joh. 1 o. 1 >· feek!ft thou ? were not rhefe kind words ? and haft nor thou had the like appar– ition ? hafi not rhau heard the like fweet words from J efus Chrift ? how often bath thy heart fobbed and fightd out complaints, 0 where u he whom my foul lov– eth ? I charge you 0 daughters of {erufalem, ifY' find my beloved, that ye tell him1 am ftck.. of love ? And then was not Chrifi feen in the mount ? was not thy extremity his cant. >· g. opportunity ro do thee good ? did not he befpeak thy comforts with rhefe words, Sweet foul, why weepeft thou ? whom feek!ft thou ? what wouldjf thou have •that 1 can give thee ? .And what doft thou Wllnt that I can give thee ? If Any thing in heaven or earth wiH mak! thee happy, it io Ail thy own ; wouldft thou have pardon? thou jhalt have it, I freeiyforgivetheeatlthedebt; wouldjf thOIIhavemyfelfe ? Why, behold/am thine, thy friend, thy Lord, thy husband, thy head, thy God.. .Were ~ot t~efe thy Lords reviving words ? were not rhefe melting, heahng, ravtlhmg, qurckemng, paffages of Chrill his love ? . . , 2.. In his apparrition to the ten, 'jefm flood in the .m1djf, a~dfaith unto them, peace Joh. 10 • , ,. ~e Unto you. Lo ?ere more wor~s of love: in the mtdfr orthetr trouble Chnft ftands. mrh~ midfi, fpeakmg peace to thetr fouls; and hath not Chnft done the ltke to thee ?haft thou not many and many a time bin !apt intO troubles, rhat thou kneweft not whtch way to turn. thee ? haft thou not felt the contradictions of men, rayhngs of Rabfheck._a's? and ' halt thou nor fometimes lhut the doors upon thee for fear o{ fuch Jews ? and then, even then, ·bath nor Chrift come to thy fpirit with an olive branch of peace? faying to rhy refilefs foul. peace, and be fti/1? bath he not wrought wonders in the fea of thy refllefs rhooglm? bath ~e not.m~de a calm, and more rhenfo, bath henot filled thee with joy and peace m beltevmg .' h~th he not fenr thee away from thy prayers and complaints with a piece of heaven m thy foul .' fo that thou was forJ,h. :c. 1 7' ced to conclude, In his apparition to the eleveo, Je(us (<ith toThomas, Reach hither thJftnger, ·anJ. beh•ld
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=