from thee; the
gladness wanes, slow thou waxest dry and heavy, as a stone; love cools
in thee like a pot that had been welded, and the fire was withdrawn
therefrom. But then needs the soul to mourn sorely until He come again.
If foul thoughts egg thee on to leave the Lord thy GOD, say this "Whose
is this image and superscription?" if he says "Caesar's," that is the
prince of this world, that is the fiend of hell, say to him, "Go again
thou foul fiend with thy false money: bear it again with thee to hell;
for my gates are shut, and my Lord dwells herein, therefore have I no
time to deal with thee." Think on that holy greeting that Gabriel made
to that maiden, Mary in Nazareth, how joyful she was in body and soul in
that time; through that quieting, with her assent, she was fulfilled of
grace, so that she won might and power, in heaven, and earth, and hell;
and on her hangs all the world's health and restoring of those that
fell. Think on the birth of her Child, how she bare Him without sorrow
and grief that all other women have naturally in time of birth; and she
clean maiden after. Think when He was born, they laid Him in a crib
before an ox and an ass, other cradle had He none. There was none to
serve Him with the light of torches as men do before great lords:
therefore there came a fire from heaven that lighted the house He was
in, and Bethlehem; and angels came from heaven to sing the child asleep
with a merry voice. Think how Three Kings came from far lands through
knowing of a star, and offered Him gold, incense and myrrh: think how
sweetly the child smiled on them, and with His lovely eyes sweetly
looked on them. Think how poorly His Mother was clad when the Kings
kneeled before her: for on her she had but a white smock as the clerks
say, more to cover herself with than for shewing of pride. Think how His
Mother came with Him to the Temple to make her offering of cleansing,
and bowed to fulfil the Law as if they were sinful. Think how the old
priest Symeon took the Child in his arms, and blessed GOD: for there,
through the stirring of the Holy Ghost, he saw the Saviour of all this
world between His hands, and prayed that he might pass out of this
world, "for mine eyes have seen Him Who saves the folk." Think of that
sorrow His Mother had when she missed Him and sought Him three days, and
then found Him among the Masters, hearing and inquiring of points of the
Law. Think how He came to be christened of S. John: how