by the world's ordinary means of livelihood, was a greater proof of indomitableness than even the rapture which filled their hearts on the golden eve of the Return, under the full diapason of prophecy. And so must it ever be. First the ideal, and then the rush at it with passionate eyes, and then the daily trudge onward, when its splendour has faded from the view, but is all the more closely wrapped round the heart. For glorious as it is to rise to some great consummation on wings of dream and song, glorious as it is, also, to bend that impetus a little lower and take some practical crisis of life by storm, an even greater proof of our religion and of the help our God can give us is the lifelong tramp of earth's common surface, without fresh wings of dream, or the excitement of rivalry, or the attraction of reward, but with the head cool, and the face forward, and every footfall upon firm ground. Let hope rejoice in a promise, which does not go off into the air, but leaves us upon solid earth; and let us hold to a religion, which, while it exults in being the secret of enthusiasm and the inspiration of heroism, is daring and Divine enough to find its climax in the commonplace. FOOTNOTES: [42] See xl. 21, _Have ye not known?_ [43] That is in the sense, in which our prophet uses the word, of salvation. See Ch. XIV. of this volume. [44] Some intention of division undoubtedly appears. Notice the double refrain, _To whom will ye liken_, etc., of vv. 18 and 25; and then at equal distance from either occurrence of this challenge the appeal, _Dost thou not know_, etc., vv. 21 and 28. But though these signs of a strict division appear, the rest is submerged by the strong flood of feeling which rushes too deep and rapid for any hard-and-fast embankments. [45] See p. 109. [46] If an idol leant over or fell that was the very worst of omens; _cf._ the case of Dagon. [47] When John Knox was a prisoner in France, "the officers brought to him a painted board, which they called Our Lady, and commanded him to kiss it. They violently thrust it into his face, and put it betwixt his hands, who, seeing the extremity, took the idol, and advisedly looking about, he cast it into the river, and said, 'Let Our Lady now save herself; she is light enough; let her learn to swim!' After that was no Scotsman urged with that idolatry."--Knox, _History of the Reformation_. [48] Psalm cxlvii. CHAPTER VII. _GOD: AN ARGUMENT FROM HISTORY._ ISAIAH xli.