common and some not. It is the independent and un-Godlike
thoughts of our hearts and minds which can make of us common,
and even savage, persons. The changing of these thoughts, the
harmonising of them, and, finally, the total alteration of them, is the
work in us of the Holy Spirit. By taking Christ into our hearts and
making for Him there a living nest, we set that mighty force in
motion which shall eventually make for us a nest in the Living God.
For Jesus Christ is able (but only with our own entire _willingness)_
to make us not only acceptable to God, but delightful to Him, so
much so that even while we remain in the flesh He would seem not
to be willing to endure having us always away from Him, but visits
us and dwells with us after His own marvellous fashion and catches
us up to Himself.

To begin with, we must have a set purpose and _will_ towards God.
In the whole spiritual advance it is first we who must make the effort,
which God will then stabilise, and finally on our continuing to
maintain this effort He will bring it to complete fruition. Thus step
by step the spirit rises--first the effort, then the gift. First the will
to do--and then the grace to do it with. Without the willing will God
gives no grace: without God's grace no will of Man can reach
attainment. God's will and Man's will, God's love and Man's love--these
working and joining harmoniously together raise Man up into Eternal
Life.

* * *

God is desirous of communicating Himself to us in a Personal
manner. In the Scriptures we have the foundation, the basis, the
cause and reason of our Faith laid out before us; but He wills that we
go beyond this basis, this reasoning of Faith into experience of
Himself. For this end, then, He fills us with the aching desire to find
and know Him, to be filled with Him, to be comforted and consoled
by Him, to discover His joys. He fills us with these desires in order
that He may gratify us.

By being willing to receive and understand as only through the
medium of the _written_ word we limit God in His communications
with us. For by the Holy Ghost He will communicate not by written
word but by personal touching of love brought about for us by the
taking and enclosing of Jesus Christ within the heart not only as the
Written Word, the Promise and Hope of Scripture, but as the Living
God.

For this end inward meditation and pondering are a necessity.

* * *

How is it that we so often find great virtue,