INSPIRATION — CHRISTIAN. 481

mended,  to  be  traced  as  directly  breathing  in  the  creations  of  art
or  genius. Yet  all  such  things,  so  far  as  they  are  good,  come
ultimately  from  Divine  motives ;  and  perhaps  there  is  a  nearer
kindred  than  many  are  aware,  between  the  dreams  of  unearthly
beauty  which  our  imagination  would  embody  in  art  or  song,
and  the  earnest  aspiration*  of  our  faith  to  a  holiness  we  have
not  yet  attained,  and  a  kingdom  which  is  to  come. Prayer  and
poetry  seem  to  be  twin  sisters ;  for  both  of  them  seek,  what  eye
hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard. But  yet  Christ's  words  would
awaken  in  men  a  spirit  which  cares  f  so  little  for  earthly  gifts,
that  we  can  hardly  class  among  its  powers  the  general  impulses
of  Divine  Providence. Even  if  it  permits  to  Christians  renown
in  arts  or  arms,  it  does  not  urge  them  to  desire  it. Kather  it
persuades  them  to  take  hold  of  eternal  peace,  and  is  a  participa-
tion of  that  spirit  which  dwelt  in  the  Prince  of  peace. Let  this
mind  (or  tone  of  sentiment)  be  in  you,  which  was  in  Christ  Jesus^
says  the  Apostle  Paul. Such  a  mind  triumphs  over  the  impulses
of  '  the  animal  mind,'  such  as  pride  or  selfishness,  and  opens  the
eyes  of  our  understanding  to  see  God  as  Spirit,  and  makes  us
worship  Him  In  spirit  and  in  truth. It  awakens  us  to  the  li£&
of  the  soul,  which  '  animal  men'  cannot  discern. It  is  rooted  in
faith,  and  is  confirmed  by  patience,  and  made  perfect  in  love,
and  has  hope  growing  into  joy. Such  a  strength  it  derives  from
following  Christ,  in  doing  the  will  of  God,  and  so  fulfilling
His  thought,  and  making  us  partake  of  a  Divine  nature,  and
escape  the  corruption  which  is  in  the  world  through  selfish
desires. Thus  St  Paul  is  not  afraid  to  describe  the  Spirit  which
knows  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  and  is  His  eternal  Counsellor,  as
animating  also  the  assembly  of  faithfrd  men,  and  so  making  it  an
embodiment  of  Christ. For  that  is  any  one's  body,  in  which  his
mind  or  his  spirit  dwells. Divine  inspiration  then,  according

*  Compare  St  Paul,  Bomans  viii.,  with  the  Phcedo  of  Plato,  and  with  many
passages  in  the  Republic. 