some work for God that we do
in this world, charitable or social? No. Is it, then, nothing but an
arbitrary favouritism on His part? No. Is it a sagacity or cleverness,
a height of learning, a result of close study? No.

It is simply and solely a certain and particular obedient attitude of
heart and mind towards God of the nature of a longing--giving, a
grateful outgoing thinking towards Him, continually maintained, and
a heart invitation to, and a receiving of Jesus Christ into ourselves.

Our part is to maintain this obedient tender-waiting, giving and
receiving attitude under all the circumstances of daily life, and
Christ with the Holy Ghost will then work the miracle in us.

But so difficult is this attitude to maintain that we are totally unable
to do it without another gift upon His part--Grace. The whole
process from first to last is gift upon gift, and that because first of
our belief and desire, and then of our continually remembering that
to receive these gifts we have a part to play which God will not dispense
with. For an illustration let us turn to the artist and his sitter.
The sitter does not produce the work of art, but must maintain his
attitude: if he refuses to do this, the work of the artist is marred and
even altogether foiled. So with Christ and His Divine Art in bringing
us to our Father--by not endeavouring to maintain our right attitude
we foil His work. God would seem to give us that which we seek
and ask for, and no more. Great ecclesiastics, theologians,
philosophers who sought and desired Him with the intelligence,
seeking for knowledge, for pre-eminence of spiritual wisdom, were
not given as an addition to their learning this exquisite fire and balm
of love. Those who desired of Christ the healing of the body
received that, and we are not told they received anything further. So
also with the woman at the well: "If thou hadst asked," Christ said to
her, "I would have given thee of the water of Life." Without we ask
for and receive this gift of Love we hang to God by Faith only.

What is true religion, what is that religion by which we shall feel
_wholly satisfied?_ It is to have Christ recognised, known, adored,
and living in the soul. This is the New Life within us, this is the New
Birth. The first proofs of the power of this New Life in us is the
victory over all the lower passions, victory over the animal "that
once was ourself"! A victory so complete that not only do we cease
to des