"The glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace."
Meditate on those words. "Full of grace,"--of that spirit which we, like
the old heathens, consider rather a feminine than a masculine excellence;
the spirit, which, as St. James says of God the Father, gives simply and
upbraideth not; gives gracefully, as we ourselves say--in the right and
happy use of the adverb; does not spoil its gifts by throwing them in the
teeth of the giver, but gives for mere giving's sake; pleases where it
can be done, without sin or harm, for mere pleasing's sake; most human
and humane when it is most divine; the spirit by which Christ turned the
water into wine at the marriage feast, and so manifested forth His
absolute and eternal glory. And how? How?
Thus, if you will receive it; if you will believe a truth which is too
often hidden from the wise and prudent, and yet revealed unto babes;
which will never be understood by the proud Pharisee, the sour fanatic,
the ascetic who dreads and distrusts his Father in heaven; but which is
clear and simple enough to many a clear and simple heart, honest and
single-eyed, sunny itself, and bringing sunshine wherever it comes,
because it is inspired by the gracious spirit of God, and delights to
show kindness for kindness' sake, and to make happy for happiness' sake,
taking no merit to itself for doing that, which is as instinctive as its
very breath.
Pages:
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427