366 Lightning of Saints sent outfrom contemplation. JuB 3S,7nade this man to walk? The God of Abraham, the God of ^^' Isaac, the God ofJacob, the Godofourfathers hath glorified Acts 3, His Son Jesus. And a little after; Whereofv:e arewitnesses; ^^'^^' andHis name,throughfaith in Hisname, hathmade thisman strong. Whomye have seen andknown ; and thefaith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence ofyou all. The lightning therefore went forth, when Peter worked a miracle, it returned when he attributed what he had done, not to himself but to its Author. The lightnings go forth when holy preachers display wonderful deeds, but they say on their return, ' Here we are,' when, in that which they do, they refer to the power of its Author. 8. But this can be understood in another sense also. For holy men, as was said before, are sent and go forth as lightnings, when they come forth from the retirement of con- templation, to the public life ofemployment. They are sent and they go, when, from the secresy of inward meditation, they spread forth into the wide space of active life. But they return and say to God, ' Here we are,' because after the outward works which they perform, they always return to the bosom of contemplation, there to revive the flame of their zeal, and to glow as it were from the touch of heavenly brightness. For they would freeze too speedily amid their outward works, good though they be, did they not con- stantly return with anxious earnestness to the fire of con- Eccles. templatiou. Whence it is well said by Solomon, Uiito the ^' '^' place from whence the rivers come, thither they return, to flow again. For they are there called rivers, who are here called lightnings. For because they water the hearts of the hearers, they are called rivers, but because they kindle them, they are called lightnings. Ofwhom it is written elsewhere, P8.93,3. Thefloods have lifted up, O Lord, thefloods have lifted up ¥s.97,4. their voice. And again. His lightnings enlightened the world. The rivers therefore return to the place from which they go forth ; because holy men, (though they come forth, for our sakes, from the sight of their Creator, Whose bright- ness they endeavour to behold with their mind, to the ministry of active life,) yet unceasingly recur to the holy study of contemplation, and if in their preaching they pour themselves into our ears by bodily words from without, yet I