Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/447

 tice, that  I  may  enrich  them  that  love  Me,  and  may  fill their treasures."    (Prov.  viii.  18  and  21.)

III. Your disposition  must  be  to  return  love  for  love, and your  love  must  be  as  extensive  as  you  can  render  it. Love consists  in  action  and  not  in  words;  hence  Christ says, "  If  any  man  love  Me  he  will  keep  My  word,"  that is, My  commands  and  counsels,  and  observe  My  admonitions. Blush for  your  past  want  of  observance  of  these, and be  particular  in  your  observance  of  them  for  the  future, in  order  that  you  may  be  able  to  say,  "  my  Beloved to  me  and  I  to  Him"  (Cant.  ii.  16)  in  willing  or not  willing the  same  thing  that  He  loves  or  dislikes. There is a  perfect  union  of  wills  between  two  persons,  that  love each other.

I. A  certain  leper  came  to  Christ  to  be  healed. He entreated Christ  to  cure  him,  with  the  most  profound reverence, for  "kneeling  and  falling  on  his  face,  he  besought Him." (Mark i.  40.)  He  addressed  Him  with great faith  in  his  power;  "  Lord,  if  Thou  wilt,"  he  says, " Thou  canst  make  me  clean." (Luke v.  12.)  His  resignation was  exemplary;  he  does  not  present  an  absolute, but a  conditional  petition;  "  if  Thou  wilt,"  he  says,  if it  be  pleasing  to  Thy  will,  Thou  canst  cure  me. Such ought to  be  the  character  of  your  prayers,  humble,  full of faith  and  resignation  to  the  Divine  will. " To  whom shall  I  have  respect,"  says  God  by  the  mouth  of  His prophet, "but  to  him  that  is  poor  and  little,  and  of  a contrite  spirit,  and  that  trembleth  at  My  words." (Is. lxvi. 2.)