Centuries of Meditations

57

As eagles are drawn by the scent of a carcase, as children are drawn together by the sight of a lion, as people flock to a coronation, and as a man is drawn to his beloved object, so ought we. As the sick are drawn by the credit of a physician, as the poor are drawn by the liberality of a King, as the devout are drawn by the fame of the Holy, and as the curious are drawn by the noise of a miracle, so ought we. As the stones were drawn to the building of Thebes by the Melody of Amphion, as the hungry are drawn with the desire of a feast, and the pitiful, drawn to a woeful spectacle, so ought we. What visible chains or cords draw those? What invisible links allure? They follow all, or flock together of their own accord. And shall not we much more! Who would not be drawn to the Gate of Heaven, were it open to receive him? Yet nothing compels him, but that which forceth the Angels, Commodity and Desire. For those are things which the Angels desire to look into. And of men it is written, They shall look on Him whom they have pierced. Verily the Israelites did not more clearly see the brazen serpent upon the pole in the wilderness, than we may our Saviour upon the Cross. The serpent was seen with their eyes, the slayer of the serpent is seen with our Souls. They had less need to see the one, than we to see the other.