X LOVE

p. 171

p. 172

229 (V. 242)
THE HIGHEST GOOD

What is the highest Good? Much talk hath been hereof And high debate: I swear the highest Good is Love.

230 (V. 241)
EVERYTHING IS SUBJECT TO LOVE

Love is the Lord of All. Even the Trinity Hath been in thrall to Love from all eternity.

231 (V. 243)
THE NATURE OF GOD

Love is God's nature. He can do naught else. Wouldst thou Be God, then likewise love in every instant's Now.

232 (V. 292)
BEAUTY COMETH FROM LOVE

Beauty is born of Love alone.  The Countenance Divine Hath all its Loveliness from Love—  Else it would cease to shine.

p. 173

233 (V. 295)
THE MORE LOVING, THE HAPPIER

Love is the measure of the heart's Felicity; The more 'tis filled with Love, the happier thou wilt be.

234 (V. 320)
THE SHORTEST WAY TO GOD

Pass through Love's gate if thou wouldst go  The shortest way to God: Who takes the Path of Knowledge, long  Must tarry on the road.

235 (V. 307)
LOVE HATH MORE IN COMMON WITH GOD THAN WISDOM

Love unannounced goes in to God,  Hath instant audience: Long in the antechamber wait  Wit and intelligence.

236 (II. 47)
LOVE SEEKETH NOT REWARD

Man, if thou lovest God and seekest hire for this, 'Tis plain thou tastest not what Love and Loving is.

p. 174

237 (V. 303)
THE TOKEN OF FALSE LOVE

Wouldst thou discern false Love from true, the token's this— False Love seeks self and fades under adversities.

238 (III. 205)
HE WHO IS MOST IN LOVE IS MOST HOLY

Who is the greatest saint? He who is most in love. For saintship Love alone is warranty enough.

239 (V. 226)
THE NATURE OF HOLINESS

The more thou lovest—Love's the very heart Of Holiness—the holier thou art.

240 (III. 173)
LOVE IS THE SIGN

Thou askest which of all the people are God's friends? Behold the folk who carry Love in heart and hands!

p. 175

241 (III. 164)
LOVE IS THE SOUL OF BELIEF

Belief alone is dead. It cannot live or move Until united with its soul—its soul is Love.

242 (V. 108)
BELIEF ALONE IS A HOLLOW CASK

Belief alone, all void of Love, (So have I weighed it in my thought) Is like unto a hollow Cask— It soundeth, but within is naught.

243 (V. 161)
NONE LAYETH HIS HEAD ON CHRIST'S BREAST BUT JOHN

Ah, think not, Child, that thou canst lay thy head upon The breast of the Lord Christ ere thou becomest John.

244 (VI. 204)
THE SPIRlTUAL PASSWORD

Love is the password. He to whom it is not given Must never hope to cross the frontier-line of Heaven.

p. 176

245 (V. 297)
GOD CANNOT BE LOVED WITHOUT GOD

Did not God love Himself through thee and in thee, Man, Thy love for Him would ever fail of its full span.

246 (III. 201)
GOD LOVETH TO GIVE GREAT GIFTS

Being Himself so great, greatly God loves to give, But ah! man's little heart is so small to receive.

247 (V. 210)
NEW AND OLD LOVE

When Love is new, it foams like young and heady wine: When stiller grown, 'tis proof that it is old and fine.

248 (I. 163)
MAN SHOULD LOVE MANKIND

Thou lovest none? 'Tis well. He has the better mind Who loves not any man, but loves in man Mankind.

p. 177

249 (II. 60)
OF LOVE

He wills and loveth right who wills and loveth naught: Who loveth what he wills, loveth not what he ought.

250 (V. 289)
VIRTUE WITHOUT LOVE IS NOTHING WORTH

Before God Virtue cannot stand  Naked and bare; It must put on the robe of Love—  Then is it fair.

251 (II. 130)
IT MUST BE GILDED

All that thou dost must be o'erlaid With gold of Love—if otherwise, Thyself and all thy works will find But little favour in God's eyes.

252 (V. 299)
AS THE PERSON, SO THE MERIT

Richer reward the Bride doth earn From God with but a single kiss, Than all the hirelings though they wear Themselves to death with drudgeries.

p. 178

253 (II. 234)
CHOOSE WHICH THOU WILT

Love is the Queen; the Virtues are  The Maids who wait upon her; The serving-women, Work and Deed—  Which wilt thou choose to honour?

254 (V. 302)
THE QUICKEST

Love is the quickest thing and of itself can fly To topmost Heaven in but the twinkling of an eye.

255 (V. 306)
AN UNWOUNDED HEART IS UNSOUND

A Heart which God hath never wounded with Love's wound, Scatheless though it appear, is never whole and sound.

256 (V. 211)
SERAPHIC LOVE

The purest Love—seraphic— Is not easy to divine, Because it is so quiet, By any outward sign.

p. 179

257 (VI. 159)
THE HEART MUST BE LOADED WITH BALL

Put a live charge into your gun!  A puff of smoke and is that all? Why, if you only load with blank,  The bang is there, but where's the ball?

258 (VI. 164)
THE ORDINANCE IS AS WE ORDAIN

To him who wills his neighbour's weal God gives what he soliciteth: But if he wish his neighbour ill, O then he prays for his own death!

259 (V. 308)
GOD'S COMMUNALITY

How broad God's communality! He teacheth whomso'er He list, The peasant lass no less than thee, The art whereby He may be kissed.

260 (III. 138)
LOVE IS DEAD

Alas, Alas, Love's dead! How came she then to die? She perished of the cold, for all men passed her by.