^ J. H. Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons, viii. 32.
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to Him. He accepts the poorest from each, and He gives the richest to each.
With One so condescending and communicative, the blessed soul in whom Jesus dwells ventures to be open too. With happy boldness we begin to tell Him everything. We consult Him even in trifles. We lay great and little cares on Him. We ask His aid in every affair. Thus He shares in all of ours as we in His, and communion attains completion. When such an exchange of sweet and secret actings on one another becomes the habit of the inner life, then these two grow together — the soul and its Saviour — inweaved into each other, till neither can be at any moment satisfied without the other's presence, or is to be thought of as sundered or alone. This action and reaction, this varied play of friendship, this sense of common possession, this familiar commerce of giving and receiving — what else is this but the joy of supping with Him and He with us ?
|[ All life to the positive mystic is full of God here and now. Dante found that " In His will is our peace." His dying to self was not a blind negation : it was a living unto God, in whom the personality is strengthened, purified, consecrated and made con- junct with a life larger than, yet kindred to, its own. The " I " and the " Thou " are only lost as they are in love : lost to be en- riched, surrendered to be ennobled: the soul comes back, laden with precious fruits, with new activities, with intellect, conscience, will — nay, the whole being sanctified and enlarged.
The mystical books tell of the saint who knocked at the door of Paradise. "Who is there?" asked the Lord. "It is I," answered the saint, but the gate did not open. Again the saint tremblingly drew near and knocked. " Who is there ? " said the voice from within. " It is Thou," replied the saint, grown wiser, and immediately the door opened. He had found the Paradise of the soul. And it is in the apprehension of the " Not I " that the " I " passes into a higher state of activity, where it is at once " in tune with the infinite," and passes into a new power of life and service. "We know that we have passed from death into life!' Because He wills, and we will with Him in conscious choice, is the secret of positive mysticism.^
4. The promise of the text is fulfilled immediately when the door of the heart is opened, but it shadows and prophesies a
* D. Butler, George Fox in Scotland, 108.
I50 THE WAITING GUEST
nobler fulfilment in the heavens. Here and now Christ and we may sit together, but the feast will be like the Passover, eaten with loins girt and staff in hand, the Ked Sea and the wilderness waiting to be trodden. But there comes a more perfect form of the communion, when Christ at the last will bring His servants to His table in His Kingdom, and there their works shall follow them ; and He and they shall sit together for ever, and for ever "rejoice in the fatness of thy house, even of thy holy temple."
^ Come in, Thou Saviour-King, who art knocking at our very souls this day for leave to show us all Thy love, come in and traverse these unclean chambers of our being! Purge them by Thy blood. Enlighten their darkness. Fill their empty spaces with Thy riches. Make what is ours. Thine. See, we give it unto Thee — infirmity, error, sorrow : bear it with us ! Make what is Thine, ours. See, we open ourselves wide for it — pardon, strength, gladness : share Thy blessings with us ! So shall we sup with Thee and Thou with us ; till in this communion our spirits echo after their poor measure that ever-sounding song which circles round Thy heavenly banquet-hall — "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing ! " ^
I love Thee, Lord, for Thou didst first love me, And didst a home in this poor mansion seek.
I heard Thy knock, and straight unbarred my heart, And listened wondering to Thine accents meek.
I long had lived unknowing of Thy love.
And selfishness directed all my will; The name of God was but a name to me,
And earthly thoughts and aims enthralled me still.
Briers and thorns obstructed all approach. And tangled weeds lay rotting at the door;
But Thou didst come, with bleeding hands and feet, And ask admittance to my sin-stained floor.
I saw Thy love, I heard Thy pleading voice;
Thy words of grace enkindled high desire; And, led by Thee, my Father I adored.
And on me fell the Holy Spirit's fire.
1 J. 0. Dykes.
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I love Thee, Lord, but oh! how cold my love: Abide Thou still within my trembhng heart;
Lay Thou on me the purifying cross,
And let Thy life within my life have part.^ 1 J. Drummond, Jdhannine Thoughts^ 30.