Commenting on this passage of Holy Scripture, St. John Chrysostom asks: "Wherefore did God make the lilies so beautiful? That He might display," he answers, "the wisdom and excellency of his power, that from every thing we might learn his glory." For not "_the heavens only declare the glory of God._" [Footnote 61] but the earth too; and this David declared when he said: "_Praise the Lord, ye fruitful trees, and all the cedars_." [Footnote 62] [Footnote 61: Psalm xix., 1.] [Transcriber's note: The USCCB reference is Psalm xix., 2.] [Footnote 62: Psalm cxlviii., 4.] [Transcriber's note: The phrase "Praise the Lord" is from verse 7 and "fruit trees and all cedars" is from verse 9.] {163} It could be no part of the visible creation that the Gospel had in view, when it declared that the friendship of the world is enmity with God; for we hear the same voice speak to us from nature, which speaks to us in divine revelation. What was it then? Was it the world of art, science, and literature? Have not beauty, knowledge, and genius one and the same fountain source with religion? Whence spring the noble achievements of art, science, and literature, if not from gifts, which like "_every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights_." [Footnote 63] [Footnote 63: St. James i., 17.] Is not the true aim of art in all its creations to aid religion in bringing men to the contemplation of the first Fair, the first True, and the first Good? Can science find a greater sphere than to show how all things are, and move, and exist in their primal cause, God? Can literature be devoted to more worthy ends than to make those virtues attractive which religion commands? True religion recognizes in art, in science, and in literature, her natural allies, while they in turn find in her bosom loftier and wider spheres to stimulate human exertion. These, then, are not of that world which Holy Writ condemns as at enmity with God. {164}