of the glorified Christ, and, after, that death had over him
no power.[78] This was "the prize" towards which the great Apostle was
pressing, and he urged "as many as be perfect," _not the ordinary
believer_, thus also to strive. Let them not be content with what they
had gained, but still press onwards.

This resemblance of the Initiate to the Christ is, indeed, the very
groundwork of the Greater Mysteries, as we shall see more in detail when
we study "The Mystical Christ." The Initiate was no longer to look on
Christ as outside himself: "Though we have known Christ after the
flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more."[79]

The ordinary believer had "put on Christ;" "as many of you as have been
baptised into Christ have put on Christ."[80] Then they were the "babes
in Christ" to whom reference has already been made, and Christ was the
Saviour to whom they looked for help, knowing Him "after the flesh." But
when they had conquered the lower nature and were no longer "carnal,"
then they were to enter on a higher path, and were themselves to become
Christ. This which he himself had already reached, was the longing of
the Apostle for his followers: "My little children, of whom I travail in
birth again until Christ be formed _in you_."[81] Already he was their
spiritual father, having "begotten you through the gospel."[82] But now
"again" he was as a parent, as their mother to bring them to the second
birth. Then the infant Christ, the Holy Child, was born in the soul,
"the hidden man of the heart;"[83] the Initiate thus became that
"Little Child"; henceforth he was to live out in his own person the life
of the Christ, until he became the "perfect man," growing "unto the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."[84] Then he, as S. Paul
was doing, filled up the sufferings of Christ in his own flesh,[85] and
always bore "about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,"[86] so that
he could truly say: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."[87] Thus was the Apostle himself
suffering; thus he describes himself. And when the struggle is over, how
different is the calm tone of triumph from the strained effort of the
earlier years: "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my
departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a
crown of righteousness."[88] This was the crown given to "