ay be opened (I mean the
eyes of our faith), that we may see the Church round about us.
Then there will be nothing for us to fear; as it is said also in
Psalm cxxiv, "Mountains are round about it: so the Lord is round
about His people from henceforth now and for ever." [Ps.
125:2][71]

CHAPTER VII

THE SEVENTH IMAGE

THE SUPERNAL BLESSING, OR THE BLESSING ABOVE US

I do not now speak of the eternal blessings of Heaven, which the
blessed enjoy in the perfect vision of God; or father, I do speak
of them in faith, and in so far as they some within our
comprehension. For this seventh image is Jesus Christ, the King
of glory, rising from the dead; even as, in His Passion and
death. He formed the seventh image of evils.[72] Here there is
nothing at all of evil; for "Christ, being risen from the dead,
dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him." [Rom. 6:9]
Here is that furnace of love and fire of God in Zion; [Isa. 31:9]
as Isaiah saith. For Christ is not only born unto us, but He is
also given unto us. [Isa. 9:6] Therefore, His resurrection, and
all that He wrought by it, are mine, and, as the Apostle exults
in exuberant joy, "how hath [73] He not also, with Him, given us
all things?" But what is it that He hath wrought by His
resurrection? Why, He hath destroyed sin and brought
righteousness to light, abolished death and restored life,
conquered hell and bestowed on us everlasting glory. These are
such inestimably precious blessings that the mind of man dare
scarce believe that they have become ours; as it was with Jacob,
in Genesis xlv, who, when he heard that his son Joseph was ruler
in Egypt, was like one awakened out of deep slumber, and believed
them not, until, after telling him all the words of Joseph, they
showed him the wagons that Joseph had sent. [Gen 45:26 ff.] So
difficult, indeed, would it be for us to believe that in Christ
such great blessings have been conferred on us unworthy
creatures, did He not teach us to believe it, with many words,
and by the evidence of our own experience; even as He manifested
Himself to His disciples[74] in divers appearances. [Acts 1:3]
Such are our "Joseph's wagons." This is indeed a most godly
"wagon," that He is made unto us of God righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption, and wisdom; [1 Cor. 1:30] as the
Apostle saith in I. Corinthians i. For, I am a sinner; yet am I
drawn in His righteousness, which is given me. I am unclean; but
His holiness is my