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Ghost is, that they may honour the Father as they ought for having made them fit for glory—“ Giving thanks to the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." The verses which follow declare that they have present redemption: "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." Present deliverance-" who hath delivered us from the power of darkness;"-and present translation-" who hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love." Here it is something more than the other blessings—“ made meet" for the inheritance. And how can it be otherwise if we are "in Christ," yea, "complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power?" And yet how many Christians in the present day, while really in Christ, and having the atoning work of Christ as the foundation of all their hope of glory, are nevertheless looking for something yet to be done in their souls to make them meet for glory. Hence it is not uncommon to hear some speak of affliction and trial as squaring and fitting them as stones for the heavenly temple. Others talk of the present sufferings purifying them for glory; or of ripening them, until they become like a shock of corn ready for the garner. Their souls have never entered into that precious declaration of the Holy Ghost, that the Father hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, and that our place now is thanking Him for it. That affliction doth afterward yield peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby, and that through the trials we get profit and are made partakers of His holiness, are most blessedly true; but being made meet for heaven is something not to be done, but has been done. The idea of saints getting by their

trials, &c., more and more meet for glory, denies the truth of man's thorough ruin in the flesh, sets aside the workmanship of God in the new creation, and questions the full value of the redemption-work of Christ; for "by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

Scripture tells us that Christ is "made of God unto us righteousness," that "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." He is also spoken of as our life-" Christ who is our life." If then, as we have before noticed, we are regarded by God now as not in the flesh, but in Christ, complete in Him who is our life and righteousness; and further, that God now speaks of us as accepted in Christ, and that "as Christ is, so are we in this world," it becomes simple enough. All this too is traced to the Father. It was the Father who loved us and chose us in Christ, who gave us to Christ, and redeemed us by Christ; it is the Father now who welcomes us through Christ, accepts us in Christ, assures us that the cross of Christ has judicially rolled away all our sin and guilt, and evil nature too; so that now we are in the new creation, and brought into the new relationship of sons, and partakers of the divine

nature.

That we wait for the redemption of the body, that change which will fashion this body of humiliation like unto His glorious body, is quite true; but as to life, forgiveness of sins, righteousness, standing, and completeness in Christ, union with Christ, the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, sonship, full title to glory, we do not wait for, because we have all this now. We are "made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Hence we are told that "after ye believed, ye

were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory." (Eph. i. 13, 14.)

Beloved, have we so believed these precious truths of God as to know the joy and rest of soul, and thankfulness too, they produce? The heart then delights to sing

"High in the Father's house above

My mansion is prepared ;
There is the home, the rest of love,
And there my bright reward.

"With Him I love, in spotless white,
In glory I shall shine;
His blissful presence my delight,
His love and glory mine.

"All taint of sin shall be removed,

All evil done away;

And I shall dwell with God's Beloved,

Through God's eternal day.”

THE LORD'S TABLE.

"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Ye cannot drink the cup of

...

the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils."- -I COR. x. 16, 17, 21.

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you : this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come. Wherefore whosover shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another."-1 COR. xi. 23-33.

HE believer on the Lord Jesus Christ is an object of divine, unchanging love. Through an accomplished redemption, he is set in righteousness and peace before God; and new and everlasting relationships are formed, the highest and best that God could give. Because we are in Christ, who is in the very glory of God, no position could possibly be higher; and

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being now "children of God," no relationship could be more elevated and endearing; so that, as to our position, relationships, and blessings in Christ in heavenly places, nothing could exceed what God has made us to be, and given us to enjoy. Moreover, while passing through this barren and thirsty land, where no water is," divine grace confers on us the distinguished privilege of welcoming us to "The Lord's table" to eat "the Lord's Supper." The Church of God, while on earth, could have nothing to exceed this collective character of enjoyment and blessing. As we have often said, "It is the best thing out of heaven to be together consciously and intelligently at the Lord's table, and entering into His mind about His supper." Is it not important, then, to gather up from Scripture, as the Holy Spirit may guide, what the Lord's mind is as to this great privilege, which is so joyous and strengthening to the souls of those who can thus enter into it?

To every believer Christ is precious. Though now faith sees Him crowned with glory and honour, we remember that He was crowned with thorns; that He was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death; that He died for our sins upon the tree. The believer knows that the death of Christ is the sole basis of peace, the alone foundation of hope, the only way into the unclouded presence of God. He thankfully owns that he owes all his present and eternal blessings to the blood of the cross. He thinks of the mighty work of creation, and knows that all was brought into existence by the word of God; but, when he considers the stupendous and triumphant work of redemption, he is convinced that it could have been accomplished by nothing less. than the death and blood-shedding of the Son of God.

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