Page:The spirit of the Hebrew poetry 1861.djvu/131

 security and repose shall be—not precarious, but perpetual.

Toward this model Idea, embodied as it has been in the early history of the human family, and authenticated as good for its time, by the apostolic recognition of it, religious feeling in all times has constantly shown itself to be tending. At times and in places when and where the patriarchal well-being has been wholly unattainable, there came, in the room of it, or as its best substitute, the earlier and the less fanatical form of the monastic life—the anchoretic—not the conventual—the sentimental and mystical, rather than the ascetic; and it is observable that this milder style of the wandering pilgrimage life over the ruggedness of earth to heaven drew itself as near as it could to the scenes of its patriarchal archetype. The commendation of this primæval piety may be this:—that it was in place as a preparation for a more advanced stage of the religious training of the human family;—but the condemnation of the later mood—in itself innocent, was this, that it was out of place—out of date, after the ultimate Revelation had been promulgated. The ascetic had forgotten evangelic principles:—the anchoret had retreated from evangelic obligations. The Patriarchal life was the foreshadowing of a future, wherein communion with God being the high end or intention of existence, whatever else is done will be regarded only as a means conducive to that end.