thou shalt have what thou hast asked; but if thou see me not, thou shalt not have it."[1]
In like manner, they shall be heirs of the spirit of Christ, whom love doth cause to mourn for his departure; to whom his absence doth seem grievous, who earnestly, whilst they live in this banishment, desire his holy presence. Such a saint was he that said, thou art gone, my comforter, without any care of me, at thy departure thou didst bless thine, and I saw it not; the angels promised that thou shouldst return again, and I heard them not. Who is able to express or understand, the solitude, trouble, cries, and tears of the Blessed Virgin, of his beloved disciple, St. Mary Magdalen, and the other Apostles, when they saw Christ to be taken from them, who, together with him, carried up their affectionate hearts? and yet, notwithstanding, it is said of them, that they returned with great joy into Jerusalem; the same love and affection which made them bewail the visible loss of their beloved Lord and Master, did likewise cause, that they congratulated each other; much rejoicing at his glory, for it is the nature of true love, not so much to seek the commodity of itself, as the honor and commodity of the person that is beloved.
Last of all, to close up this meditation, it is left to us to consider, with what glory, with what joy, this noble conqueror was brought
- ↑ 4 Reg, c. ii. v. 10.
