Page:The Eternal Priesthood (4th ed).djvu/208

196 This unity is unity of will. And it is known to ourselves, and shown to the world by many sure and evident signs. First, it changes all our aims in life. Before, we were aiming at many things below God; things, it may be, evil and dangerous, or things innocent and lawful, yet below God. We were full of them, and we shaped our life so as to insure them. Now we have aims altogether new. Our aspiration is for nothing on this side of the horizon, but beyond it. The kingdom of God, and God Himself; the vision of God, and union with Him: these are the aims which govern our life.

And as our aims so our interests—that is, the governing desires of our daily life and work. Once it was for the fair, and innocent, and lawful things of this world—for of other and darker things we are not speaking now—for many things we lived, and toiled, and spent our strength, till a higher light fell upon us, and the love of God arose in our hearts. Thenceforward we turned our whole mind and will to deeper and austerer works. The salvation of souls, the spread of the faith, the extension of the kingdom of God, the hallowing of His name, the reign of His will in all around us: these became the interests which absorbed all our thoughts and efforts. We ceased to be of those who seek their own things,