260 CONTEMPLATION PROMOTED. trouls.the swelling waves of the sea, who governs the winds, and causes the sun to run its race, and the stars to know their courses. This is he wholoved thee from everlasting, formed thee in the womb, gave thee this soul, brought thee forth, showed thee the light, and ranked thee with the chief of his earthly creatures; who endued thee with thy understanding, and beauti- fied thee with his gifts, who maintains thy life and all its comforts, and distinguishes thee from the most mi- serable and vilest of men." O here is an object worthy thy love ! Here shouldst thou even pour out thy soul in love! Here it is impossible for thee to love too much ! This is the Lord who bath blessed thee with his bene fits, spread thy table in the sight of thine enemies, and made thy cup overflow ! This is he whom angels and saints praise, and the heavenly host for ever mag- nify ! Thus do thou expatiate on the praises of God, and open his excellencies to thine heart, till the holy fire of love begins to kindle in thy breast. § II. If thou feelest thy love not yet burn, lead thy heart farther, and show it the son of the living God, whose name is Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince ofPeace ; show it the King of saints on the throne of his glory; the First and the Last, who is, and was, and is to come ; who liveth and was dead, and behold he lives for evermore ; who bath made thy peace by the blood of his cross, and bath prepared thee with himself an habitation of peace. His office is the great peace-maker; His kingdom is the kingdom of peace ; His gospel is the tidings of peace; His voice, to thee now is the voice of peace ! Draw near and behold him. Dost thou not hear his voice? He that bid Thomas come near, and see the print of the nails, and put his finger into his wounds; He it is that calls to thee, Come near, and view thy Lord and Saviour, and be not faith- less, but believing; Peace be unto thee, fear not, it is I." Look well upon him. Dost thou not know him! It is he that brought thee up from the pit of hell, re- versed the sentence of thy damnation, bore the curse
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