MEMBERS OF CHRIST.

For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.eph5v30

Paul here speaks only of true believers, men and women who are quickened by divine grace and made alive unto God. Of them he says, not by way of romance, nor of poetic exaggeration, but as an undisputed matter of fact, "we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones." That there is a true union between Christ and His people is no fiction or dream of a heated imagination. Sin separted us from God, and in undoing what sin has done ,Christ joins us to Himself in a union more real than any other in the whole world.

This union is very near, and very dear, and very complete. We are so near to Christ that we cannot be nearer, for we are one with Him,we are very dear to Him. Consider how close and tender is the tie when it is true that Christ loved us, and gave Himself for us. It is a union more intimate than any other that exists amongst men, for " greater love, hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." We were His enemies when Christ died for us, that He might save us, and make us so one with Himself, that from Him our life should be drawn, and that in Him our life should be hid. It is then a very near and dear union which Christ has established between Himself and His redeemed, and this union could not be more complete than it is.

It is also a most wonderful union. The more you think of it, the more you will be astonished, and stand in sacred awe before such a marvel of grace. Well did Kent say-

"O sacred union, firm and strong,

how great the grace, how sweet the song,

that worms of earth should ever be

one with incarnate Deity!"

But so it is. Even the incarnation of Christ is not more wonderful than His living union with His people. It is a thing to be thought upon often, it is the wonder of the skies, and is chief among those things which "the angels desire to look into." On the surfac of this truth you may not see very much, but the longer you gaze, the more The Holy Spirit assists you in your meditation, the more you will see in this wondrful sea of glass mingled with fire. My soul exults in the doctrine that Christ and His people are everlastingly one.

Once again it is a very cheering doctrine. He that understands it has an ocean of music in his soul. He that can truly grasp and feed upon it will often sit in the heavenly places with his Lord, and anticipate the day when he shall be with Him, and shall be like Him. Even now, since we are one with Him, there is no distance between us, we are nearer to Him than any thing else can ever be. The very word union makes us forget all distance,indeed, distance is altogether annihilated. Love joins us so closely with Christ, that He becomes more to us than our very selves, and though now we see Him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

THE INDWELLING CHRIST.

That spiritual life, which is the innermost recieving of Christ, that new life, which no man knows but he that has recieved it, that quickening of the spirit, which makes the christian as much superior to ordinary men, as men are above, dumb, driven cattle-if we recieve that blessed gift, then shall we with emphasis be entertaining our Lord as a stranger.
Profession is abundant, but the secret life is rare. The name to live is everywhere, but where is the life fully seen? To be rather than to talk, to enjoy rather than to pretend, to have Christ truly within, this is not every man's attainment, but those who have it are among the God-like ones, the true sons of God.
A strange thing is the fact that Jesus will deign to dwell in our hearts. Such a One as Jesus in such a one as I am! The King of glory in a sinner's bosom! This is a miracle of grace, yet the manner of it is simple enough. A humble repenting faith opens the door, and Jesus enters the heart at once. Love shuts to the door with the hand of penitence, and holy watchfulness keeps out intruders. Thus is the promise made good, "if any man hear My voice, and open the door I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with Me." Meditation, contemplation, prayer, praise and daily obedience, keep the house in order for The Lord, and then follows the consecration of our entire nature to His use as a temple. The dedication of spirit, soul and body, and all their powers as holy vessels of the sanctuary, the writing of "holiness unto the Lord" upon all that is about us. until our everyday garments become vestments, our meals sacraments, our life a ministry and ourselves priests unto the Most High. Oh the supreme condescension of this indwelling! He never dwelt in an angel, but He resides in a contrite spirit. There is a world of meaning in the Redeemer's words " I in them. " May we know them as Paul translates them, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."