What Christian conduct needs on our part is interest. We have to make clear to ourselves that a certain kind of life is like the life of God, and therefore is the medium for understanding God, and ultimately for enjoying God. The Christian life is not an arbitrary thing; it is the highest expression of humanity. Any other life is a distortion of the human ideal. People talk as though they thought that by the arbitrary will of God they were obliged to be good--a thing wholly contrary to our nature and to our present interests. But goodness is the natural unfolding of our nature as God made it: we find our true expression in the likeness of God. Perfection is what nature aspires to. Religion is not a curb on nature; religion is a help to enable nature to express itself. Nature reaches its perfect expression when by the grace of God it becomes godlike. And the words of Christ are our guide to the perfect expression of our best. Therefore the earnest Christian is willing to give time to the careful study of them, and of the whole ideal of life that is contained in them. He is not concerned with what they will cut him off from; he is concerned with that to which they will admit him. He is concerned to find the meaning of Christ's teaching. This that S. Paul says is fundamental is his rule of life: "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Of one that is so fayr and bright _Velut maris stella_, Brighter than the day is light, _Parens et puella_; I crie to thee, thou see to me, Levedy, preye thi Sone for me, _Tam pia_, That I mote come to thee _Maria_. Al this world was for-lore _Eva peccatrice_, Tyl our Lord was y-bore _De te genetrice_. With _Ave_ it went away Thuster nyth and comz the day _Salutis_; The welle springeth ut of the, _Virtutis_. Levedy, flour of alle thing, _Rosa sine spina_, Thu here Jhesu, hevene king, _Gratia divina_; Of alle thu ber'st the pris, Levedy, quene of paradys _Electa_: Mayde milde, moder _es Effecta_. PART TWO CHAPTER XV WHO IS MY MOTHER? Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother, S. Matt. XII, 50. Grant, we beseech thee, almighty God, that we may keep with an immaculate heart the sacrament which we have received in honour of the blessed virgin mother Mary; so that we who celebrate her feast now, may be found worthy when we have left this life to pass into her company. Through &c. SARUM MISSAL.