XXXIV. If you were full of leprosy, that
shapeless evil, yet you scraped off the evil matter, and received again
the Image whole. Shew your cleansing to me your Priest, that I
may recognize how much more precious it is than the legal one. Do
not range yourself with the nine unthankful men, but imitate the
tenth. Luke xvii. 12, &c. For although
he was a Samaritan, yet he was of better mind than the others.
Make certain that you will not break out again with evil ulcers, and
find the indisposition of your body hard to heal. Yesterday
meanness and avarice were withering your hand; to-day let liberality
and kindness stretch it out. Ib. vi.
6. It is a noble
cure for a weak hand to disperse abroad, to give to the poor, Ps. cxii. 9. to pour out the things which we possess
abundantly, till we reach the very bottom; and perhaps this will gush
forth food for you, as for the woman of Sarepta, 1 Kings xvii. 8, &c. and especially if you happen to be feeding
an Elias, to recognize that it is a good abundance to be needy for the
sake of Christ, Who for our sakes became poor. If you were deaf
and dumb, let the Word sound Mark vii. 32. in your ears, or
rather keep there Him Who hath sounded. Do not shut your ears to
the Instruction of the Lord, and to His Counsel, like the adder to
charms. Ps. lviii. 4, 5. If you are
blind and unenlightened, lighten your eyes that you sleep not in
death. Ib. xiii.
3. In
God’s Light see light, Ib. xxxvi.
9. and in the Spirit
of God be enlightened by the Son, That Threefold and Undivided
Light. If you receive all the Word, you will bring therewith upon
your own soul all the healing powers of Christ, with which separately
these individuals were healed. Only be not ignorant of the
measure of grace; only let not the enemy, while you sleep, maliciously
sow tares. Matt. xiii. 25. Only take
care that as by your cleansing you have become an object of enmity to
the Evil One, you do not again make yourself an object of pity by sin. Only be
careful lest, while rejoicing and lifted up above measure by the
blessing, you fall again through pride. Only be diligent as to
your cleansing, “setting ascensions in your
heart,” Ps. lxxxiv. 6. So LXX. and Vulgate. Various interpretations are given
of these Steps, but they differ only by indicating different virtues
and good works as especially intended, and may well be summed up under
the three heads of the purgative, illuminative, and unitive ways of
salvation. A man can set in his heart such a “going
up” by the co-operation of grace and free
will.—Neale & Littledale in
Pss. and keep with all
diligence the remission which you have received as a gift, in order
that, while the remission comes from God, the preservation of it may
come from yourself also.