.'*,- 
 
 ■J.- 
 
 
 
 
 r »^<i r;> 
 
 
 
 
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 LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Presented by 
 
 Division..lJ.Z^...CL IcH ID 
 
V 
 
 ^« OF WHSe^ 
 
 Studies in 
 
 !AN 2^ 1924 
 
 <^<?Z/Jctrii cciiN'S^v' 
 
 Ephesians. 
 
 A. R. COCKE, 
 
 Pastor at \Va\nesboko, Va.; Pkofessor ok PHiLOSornv in the 
 Vai.lev Seminarv. 
 
 'Er ro/i; 'tTCDvpavioig. 
 
 FLtWING H. REVELL COMPANY 
 CHICAGO: I NEW YORK : 
 
 1^8 AMJ ISO MADISON STREET | 30 I'NION SQUARE, EAST 
 
 fuhlisherx of KraiKjelical Lilerutuir, 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in tlie year 1892. by 
 
 FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY, 
 
 111 the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 
 
 Ai,i. Rights Rrserveu. 
 
TO 
 
 Col. Bennett H. Younj;, the distini^uished laynr.ui wlio con- 
 ceived and made possible the Kentucky scheme of 
 syiiodical evangelism whence have tlowed so many 
 streams of blessing to refresh and uladden our 
 Southern Zion, this volume is inscribed 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR. 
 
# 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 The desire expressed l)y Mrs. W. C Buchanan of Nayoga, 
 Japan, to possess the study entitled, "The Whole Armor of 
 God," first suggesteil the publication of this little volume. 
 The wishes of one who has so beautifully given her accom- 
 plished life to the Muster, were not to 1)6 disregarded. Othei's 
 of my congregation also have indicated that they would be 
 pleased to possess these discourses in a permanent form. 
 
 Distrust of my ability to edify the public would have pre- 
 vented this venture but for the kindness of Prof. J. A Quarles, 
 D. D.. of Washington and Lee University, in carefully examin- 
 ing the manuscript and pronouncing a very favorable .judg- 
 ment upon it. 
 
 Rev. William Dinwiddle, D. D., and Rev. Peyton H. Hogc, 
 D. D., also examined the manuscript and made valuable sugges- 
 tions. Approval from such eminent .'luthorities induced the 
 author to believe that these studies misrht be of service to God's 
 people. 
 
 These discourses are the work of a busy pastor. They were 
 intended for the people of his own charge, with no thought of 
 their ever being under the eye of the general public. No efforts 
 at scholarship were made, and now they are given to the pub- 
 lishers as written for his Wednesday evening lectures ; amid the 
 press of duties, time fails to make many improvements that 
 could be desired. 
 
 Every work upon Ephesians within the author's reach has 
 been laid under tribute, and the results of the work are given 
 williout its processes. Without endorsing the peculiar views of 
 
 L5J 
 
6 PREFACE. 
 
 any, the best thinjz;s in Ellicott, Mi-yfi", Kailie, Alford, Darby, 
 and Calvin liave been considered, and in many places wrought 
 out in the studies. It is hoped that the good sense of Ellicott, 
 the acuteness of Meyer, the spirituality of Darby, and thi- 
 orthodoxy of Calvin have to some extent at least impressed 
 themselves upon this little work. Hence the reader will see that 
 originality has not been aimed at, that the appearance of 
 technical learning has been avoided, and that the only en- 
 deavor has been to give the people the true meaning of God's 
 spirit in this Epistle. 
 
 It has been very gratifying, while pursuing these studies in 
 biblical theology, to tind the conclusions of a mature exegesis of 
 the Scriptures, every word of which is God's inspired revelation, 
 confirming tlic system of Divinity received from the lips of the 
 illustrious Dr. Dabucy who adorned the chair of systenuitic 
 theology in Union Seminary while the writer attended that seat 
 of learning. Modern biblical theology establishes the truths 
 set forth in the Westminster Confession, and greets systematic 
 theology as queen of the .sciences. 
 
 Should this little work call the attention of my young breth- 
 ren in the ministry to the expository method of treating God's 
 truth in homiletic work, or profit God's people in their devo- 
 tional study of this precious portion of His word, my prayers 
 will have been answered. 
 
 Wayneiiboro, T7{., Sept. 1, ISH'i. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I. (tOd's Pukposic Tow.vkd Is ix C'hhist • 9 
 
 II. Pkayek to the (Jod ok ouk Loud Jesus Cukist. 24 
 
 III. One New Max 37 
 
 IV. Pkayeu to the Father of oi'r Lord Jesis 
 
 Christ 52 
 
 V. Principles of Ciiriicii Growth (54 
 
 VI. The Christian Walk T.5 
 
 VII. Imitators of God 87 
 
 VIII. The Holy Spirit in the Eplstle of the 
 
 Heaven'lies 98 
 
 IX. Christ and the Church 112 
 
 X. The Whole Armor of God 124 
 
GOD'S PURPOSE TOWARD US IN 
 CHRIST. 
 
 A STUDY IN EPHESIANS, I : 1-14. 
 
 '■'•Having made known unto us the mystery of 
 His 7oili, according to His good pleasure 
 luhich He hath purposed in Himself.'''' — 
 Eph. I : g. 
 
 ''PHIS portion of the precious word dwells upon 
 1 the purpose of Clod in regard " to the saints " 
 and " to the faithful in Christ Jesus. " ' " The faith- 
 ful in Christ Jesus" are those who believe in Christ 
 Jesus. Their state and condition is thus noted, 
 as well as the blessed sphere of their existence. 
 The Apostle does not speak much of the means of 
 their salvation, but of the l)lessedness in which 
 God has placed them in the counsels of grace. It 
 is blessed to learn the means of our redemption, 
 but it must be more so to have our minds occupied 
 with the source and end of it all. God's purpose 
 is the source and eternal blessedness in Christ the 
 end. The true character of the Christian is only 
 found in those things to which he is called. In 
 this calling he enjoys God himself, being brought 
 so near to Him that we know His thoughts and 
 counsels. The soul is lifted to God, and moves in 
 the sphere of His thoughts and intentions. Thus 
 
 lEph. 1:1. [9 J 
 
10 STUDIES IN EPBESIANS. 
 
 we learn what is pleasing to Him, and what is 
 worthy of Him. Hence, character is given to the 
 Christian, and the fragrance of Heaven lingers 
 about his life. 
 
 The importance of our understanding God's 
 purposes may be also indicated in another partic- 
 ular. Suppose a prince adopts some one of his 
 subjects. If now we wish to determine the place 
 the adopted one will occupy in the kingdom, we 
 seek to learn, not so much who the subject was or 
 what he has done, as the thoughts and intentions 
 of the prince about him. The question is what 
 the prince is, and what his intentions are. So our 
 position in the heavenlies and in Christ is not 
 looked at in this epistle as the fruit of what we are 
 or of what we do, but as the product of God's 
 thoughts and purposes about us. Hence, study- 
 ing those purposes, we learn the source of all spir- 
 itual blessing. God gave all. He placed us in 
 the heavenlies and in Christ. 
 
 Again, this study is important because here Ave 
 learn the measure of the grace which will be be- 
 stoAved upon us. We now enjoy *' the riches of his 
 grace," and yet it is but the indication of the work- 
 ing in us to fulfill holy, blessed, and glorious pur- 
 poses. Hence, grace is proof of glory, — ^a glory 
 commensurate with His purposes and His counsels- 
 God's general purpose is that we should be 
 blest "with all spiritual blessings in heavenly 
 
Gon-s rriiPosE towaiw crs ix ckrist. \\ 
 
 places in Christ." ' That is God's mind aljont us. 
 Every spiritual blessing is ours in the heavenlies 
 and in Christ.'-' These blessings flow from God un- 
 der two different aspects. He is viewed, first, as 
 the God of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and second, as 
 the Father of our Lord Jesus Clirist. The first re- 
 lation he l^ears to Clnist as man ; tlie second, as 
 Son. He bears the same relation to us. Christ 
 says, "My God and your God;" "My Father 
 and yoWY Father." Under tliese two relations 
 God l)lesses us in Christ with all spiritual bless- 
 ings. 
 
 Our position is " in heavenly places." ' In God's 
 purpose we are there, and to God's mind we are 
 seated there with Christ. The heavenlies is the 
 sphere of our lives and the realm of perfect spirit- 
 ual l)lessing. We are there because of the fact 
 stated in the next two wonderful words — "in 
 Christ." ' 
 
 It is " in Christ " that every spiritual blessing 
 flows down to us. All these blessings come by 
 virtue of this fiict, that we are " in Christ." God 
 looks not at us, Ijut at Christ, and blesses us as he 
 blesses Christ. Every delight and every benedic- 
 tion of God's heart goes out to Christ, and in Him 
 to us. All that Christ has, we have ; we are loved 
 as Christ is loved. How blessed ! There is not 
 one blessing into which Christ has entered, into 
 
 1 Verse 3. '^ For an adniii-able note, see Meyer in loco. 
 
12 STUDIES IN EPHESIAiTS. 
 
 which he has not brought us. " As he is, so / 
 are we.'" 
 
 I. To be more specific, one purpose in God's 
 unspeakable counsels, and that a very precious 
 one, is that we shall he perfect before Him in glory. 
 
 " According as He hath chosen us in Him be- 
 fore the foundation of the world, that we should 
 be holy and without blame before Him in love." '' 
 
 There is the out-going of the heart of God. 
 " Chosen " ^ implies delight in us. Here is prefer- 
 ence, and it is in the same blessed sphere, " in 
 Him." " Before the foundation of the world." 
 These words indicate sovereignty, but not mere 
 sovereignty. The meaning is richer than that. 
 God's heart was set upon us from eternity. His 
 love went forth to choose and bless us, even before 
 the world existed. We are chosen to something 
 above the world. We were before the world, 
 chosen out of it, and to a position far above the 
 world "in heavenly places in Christ." We are 
 not " of the world," but are " in Christ " and in 
 the heavenlies. 
 
 The purpose unfolded in that choosing was that 
 we should be " holy and without blame before him 
 in love." This blessing is Christ's as perfect man. 
 He is " holy and without blame before Him in 
 love." Christ is this as He stands before God. 
 ^ 1 John 4 : 17. '^ Verse 4. •* Chosen, see Meyer in loco. 
 
OOD'H PURFOSE TOWARD US IN CHRIST. 13 
 
 This blessing, then, coiues to us in Christ from the 
 God of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 " Holy " ' refers to character. The very l^eing is 
 touched. The deep principles and springs of the 
 heart are to be made right. The feeding cells of 
 the lily are pure, that the surface may be white ; 
 so He will have our hearts holy, that we may 1)e 
 "without blame." We shall be perfect in holiness, 
 lioly anil })ure as He is }>ure, holy as our Father 
 in heaven is holy. 
 
 "Without blame "' refers to conduct. Every 
 thing that springs from ch^^racter, whether of emo- 
 tion or thought or action, will he al)Solutely blame- 
 less. How sweet is that word, "without blame. " 
 How often we blame ourselves ! But God pur- 
 poses that we shall be so pure and holy that our 
 own consciences shall never blame us, the holy an- 
 gels shall never l)lame us, Christ shall not lilame 
 us, and the holy and omniscient God himself shall 
 never see aught in lieart or life to rein'ove. 
 
 " Before Him." ' We are placed l>efore an infinite 
 and perfect (rod. This brings out in perfect de- 
 light all the affections in our spiritual nature. 
 Place us before a finite or imperfect object; after 
 the heart has been disappointed or exhausted it- 
 self, it turns within upon the void immense, cries 
 out for something higher and nobler, nay, for some- 
 thing infinite, to fill it. But we are before God 
 
 1 Verse 4, 
 
14 STUDIES IN UPHESIANS. 
 
 himself, face to face, and He now vieAvs us as pos- 
 sessing His nature, "holy and without blame; "^ 
 He fills us " with all the fullness of God," and 
 hence we are thrilled with deathless joy. 
 
 The sphere of it all and the ground of it all 
 is love, — we are placed there " in love." We 
 have reached the topmost rung of glory. " God 
 is love." " He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in 
 God, and God in him."'^ What an exalted, blessed 
 place is that ! We are reminded of the last fin- 
 ishing; touch in the descri})tion of the golden city. 
 " And I saw no temple therein ; for the T^ord God 
 Almighty and the Lamb are the tem})le of it." 
 Then no temi)le walls shall be around us, and 
 no temple domes alcove us, but we shall worship 
 in God himself — God beneath, God above us, 
 God everywhere ; the perfect sphere of a perfect, 
 l)lissful life. 
 
 II. God's second })ur|)ose was that we should 
 be His dear ch'drlrcn. 
 
 " Having })redestinated us unto the adojition of 
 children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to 
 the good pleasure of His will." "' 
 
 He does not desire servants, but sons. Here 
 the blessing flows from Him as Father. He is the 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and will bring us 
 by Jesus Chri.st into the position of sonship. He 
 would fix our hearts upon Him as our Father, and 
 1 Verse 4. '^ I John 4 ; IH, ^ Verse 5. 
 
GOD'S PUB FOSE TO WAND irs LV CHRIST. 15 
 
 draw forth from our hearts the affections of chil- 
 dren in trustful love to Iliiii. The Prince who 
 takes up the outcast would do much for him in 
 simply making him one of his servants, more in 
 making him an officer, and yet more in raising him 
 to the position of confidential friend and adviser; 
 but more cannot be conceived than that he should 
 make him his son, with all implied rights and 
 heirship. Thus Ave are advanced l)eyond perfect 
 man, and even beyond the angels, into the sweet 
 position of blessed sonship. Not only does He put 
 us in the position of sons ; He inworks the heart of 
 sons. In our souls He places the spirit of adop- 
 tion, our hearts are filled with filial love and de- 
 light, and our lips ever murmur, " Abba, Father." 
 Can we refrain from exclaiming, with the Apostle 
 John, " Behold, what manner of love the Father 
 hath l)estowed upon us, that we should be called 
 the sons of God ! '" 
 
 "By Jesus Christ."' The adoption is in Christ 
 and with Christ. Only through Him and in Him 
 do we become sons. " We are heirs of God " only 
 as we arc "joint-heirs with Christ." 
 
 "In the Beloved,"^ is of course a reference to 
 Christ. In a sense it is equivalent to "in Christ," 
 but is a richer expression. " In Christ " carries the 
 legal attitude of l)eing in our representative ; " in 
 the Beloved " marks the full blessedness resulting, 
 
 ^ 1 Jobu 8 ; 1 . - Verse 5r '' Compare verses 6 uud 3. 
 
16 STUDIES JX EPHESIANS. 
 
 There is not a cloud. The 1>rightest smile of the 
 Father's face is ever upon us ; for He smiles upon 
 us as upon "the Beloved." Our acceptance is as 
 complete as His. The Father loves us as He loves 
 Christ, and delights in us as He delights in His 
 well-beloved Son. Here is the utmost reach of 
 blessing; we find ourselves in fellowship " with the 
 Father and with His Son Jesus Chri.st." Realiz- 
 ing the infinite love of the Father, the last long- 
 ing of the child's heart is satisfied. 
 
 This is all " according to the good pleasure of His 
 will.'" Here is sovereignty. It is sovereignty bring- 
 ing infinite blessing. There is benevolence in its 
 expression. The good and lovable in His will ex- 
 presses itself in making us His children and in 
 ministering all spiritual blessings to us. Our bless- 
 ing is not measured by what we are, but liy the 
 good pleasure of His will. New songs of praise 
 burst from our lips as we realize the glorious grace 
 that has made us children, and in the sweetness 
 of unquestioned devotion, we whisper, "Abba, 
 Father." 
 
 III. Another counsel of God is to put all things 
 under the headship of Christ, and in Him to (jive us an 
 inheritance. 
 
 " That in the dispensation of the fullness of times 
 He might gather together in one all things in Christ, 
 both which are in heaven, and which are on earth. "'^ 
 ' Verse 5. '^ Verse 10. 
 
a<)I)\S PURrOUE TOWARD US IX CHRIST. 17 
 
 " All things . . . which arc on earth." The earth 
 is his inheritance, and everything in it. The 
 mountain streams, lea) ting forth in j^urity and 
 singing to the hills, are His. The deep rivers, flow- 
 ing on in peace, ])earing wealth and fertility upon 
 their Avaters, are His. The great oceans, carrying 
 upon their pulsing bosoms the commerce of the 
 world and rocking u})on its waves the navies of 
 the nations, are His to their farthest limits. To 
 Him belong the living things that move in her 
 vast depths, and the hidden treasures which strew 
 her beds. The vast continents, their cities of 
 wealth and power, their plains beauteous with 
 flowers and golden harvests, their mountain 
 ranges raising their broad shoulders to the heav- 
 ens, hiding within their hearts the iron, the silver 
 and gold, the lofty peaks lifting themselves and 
 with crystal spear piercing the eternal blue, — all 
 a re His. And as our earth one day clad in re- 
 demption beauty and glory moves on her happy 
 orbit, her song shall be, " I am his." 
 
 " Which are in the heavens." Look out some 
 clear night, when the heaven is covered with stars, 
 as if God had taken His great hand full of dia- 
 monds and sown the heavens with jewels. Tell 
 their number, their beauty and splendor, or stand 
 at God's throne and look down ujton tlie million 
 worlds that dance at His feet — far as natural eye 
 can reach or telescope can pierce — far as God's 
 
18 STUDIES IN EPHESIAyS. 
 
 omniscient eye can see His worlds, and they are 
 all His. Then gaze upward in the great dome 
 of worlds that move above God's throne — with 
 natural eye see millions, with telescope discern 
 millions more, and now with God's omniscience 
 behold the vast plenitude of resplendent systems 
 which sprung from His hand. All are under 
 Christ as their Lord-head and ruler. World on 
 world, satellite on satellite, suns on suns, systems 
 on systems, out to where the last world as a 
 lone sentinel keeps watch upon the outposts of 
 infinity, — all is Christ's. Christ is "heir of all 
 things." 
 
 Heaven is His. He prepared its mansions for 
 His people. Behold it, vast and beautiful, with 
 jasper walls, the city " like unto pure gold clear^s 
 crystal ; " her twelve foundations garnished with 
 all manner of precious stones ; her gates of pearl, 
 opening with harmonious sound " on golden hinges 
 turning." and revealing streets of pure gold as it 
 were transparent glass; walk upon the "sea of 
 glass mingled with fire," stand before the great 
 throne, and ask God, "Whose is all this glory?" 
 The answer conies from the deep voice of God 
 mingled with angelic choirs and the sweet sym- 
 phony of the golden chimes : " My purpose is to 
 gather together in one all things in Christ." 
 
 The principalities and powers, with all the shin- 
 ing ranks, are his. Indeed, we need specify no 
 
GOD'S ruuronE towaiw us liV VII hist. 19 
 
 lonuer. " The Father hath loved the Son, and 
 hath liiven all things into His hands." 
 
 " The redeeming work of Jesus Christ was de- 
 signed to annul this divided state in the universe, 
 so that this gathering together again should rest on, 
 and have its foundation in, Christ as the central 
 point of union and supj)ort, without which it could 
 not emerge." ' This gathering of all things together 
 in one in Christ is now in course of develo})ment. 
 And as the divine result, when all things shall be 
 suhducd unto him, God is "■ all in all." 
 
 Christ is then heir of all things, and verse eleven 
 tells us, " in whom we have an inheritance."-' " In 
 ('hrist " we find the cause and the right to the in- 
 heritance. We are "heirs of God " because "joint- 
 heirs with Christ." The inheritance incorruptible, 
 undefiled, and that fadeth not away, comes to us 
 l)y virtue of union with Him. This epistle dwells 
 with much delight upon the saints' (the church's) 
 l)ortion as in Christ. 
 
 How sweet too! The loved One l)rings us into 
 all things He himself enjoys, and introduces us as 
 joint-heirs unto all He has. Even tlic character- 
 istics of His personal happiness are made tribute 
 to the happiness of His saints. Has He peace? 
 " My peace I give unto you." Has He joy ? 
 " Tliat ^[y joy might remain in you." Has He 
 
 ' Sec -Meyer's note on verse 10, wliieh deserves to he written 
 in letters of gold. •• Verse 1 1. 
 
20 STUDIES IX EPHESIANS. 
 
 glory? " The glory which Thou gavest Me I have 
 given them." " All things are yours." 
 
 the wonderful purposes of Go(J toward us ! 
 Already the infinite love which is Christ's eternal 
 portion flows in rising tides of glory and bliss 
 clown into our souls, and lifts us to the throne 
 whence we can look out upon "the breadth and 
 length and depth and height." ■* 
 
 The inheritance is not yet fully ours, nor has 
 Christ taken complete possession of His. When 
 He does, He will have all His joint-heirs with 
 Him. 
 
 Then is the inheritance assured ? — Yea. Can we 
 fail to attain it? — Never. The Apostle assigns a 
 blessed trinity of reasons to assure us, and gives 
 us perfect certainty to cheer our hearts. The first / 
 is that He who assigned this heritage " worketh all "^ 
 things after the counsels of His own will." ' If He 
 worked only some things, why, then there would 
 be some uncertainty, but " all " is absolute. He 
 " worketh all^ things," and the counsel of that 
 blessed will, all full of lienediction and blessing, is 
 ever accomplished. 
 
 The second reason is, the sealing with the Spirit. "^ 
 "After that ye believed ye were sealed with the 
 Holy Spirit of promise." ^ This sealing is " an in- 
 dul)itable guarantee, received in one's own con- 
 sciousness." " The Si)irit itself beareth witness with 
 1 Verse 11, '^ Verse 13. 
 
OOD'S PURPOSE TOWARD US IN CHRIST. 21 
 
 our si)irit that we are the children of God ; and if 
 children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint-heirs 
 with Christ." ' 
 
 The third ui'ound of certainty is the earne>^t of the 
 Spirit.' We liave this as guarantee of the comple- 
 tion of the work. He is the foretaste of the 
 fullness of the inheritance, a kind of advance 
 payment making good the whole. The whole 
 ])urchased possession is thereby assured. What 
 perfect security ! " How firm a foundation ! " 
 
 Let us never, while our feet Avalk the earth or 
 through the eternity when they tread the golden 
 streets, cease to rememl)er and cherish the ulti- 
 mate design of God which lies at the heart of 
 all these purposes. We have been examining a 
 golden casket garnished with jewels, Init within 
 we find the priceless gem i)urchased with blood on 
 Calvary. 
 
 All the purposes mentioned above terminate 
 upon us. The intention of God as bringing forth 
 from us glory to Himself, is now to be looked at. 
 
 The first and second purposes recorded in the 
 fourth and fifth verses have as their perfect fruit- 
 age, " the praise of the glory of His grace." '' Here 
 is God's deeper purpose in making us holy and 
 without blame and in giving us the adoption. 
 He would have the glory of this grace exalted. 
 God's heart went forth in grace to us, and now we 
 
 • Rom. S: 16. 17. 2 Verse 14. 
 
STUDIES IN EPHESIAXS. 
 
 should reflect and praise the glory of that match- 
 less grace. It was all of grace. In redeeming us 
 through His blood and in forgiving our sins we 
 find it all to be " according to the riches of His 
 grace." We taste the riches of grace, and then we 
 set forth the glory of His grace. 
 
 The deeper design which lies as the center of 
 the third i)ur[)ose, is " that we should be to the 
 praise of his glory." ' It now no longer speaks of 
 grace. It is glory. We have the inheritance ; we are 
 with Christ in the glory ; and now set forth to 
 the universe His glory. The highest character of 
 His glory is seen in those exalted with Him in the 
 glory. The very final cause of all is that we 
 "might redound to the praise of His glory." 
 The ultimate aim at every step in the predestinat- 
 ing, the adopting, the gathering together in one 
 in Christ, the sealing, and the earnest given, is 
 " unto the praise of His glory." Another has 
 said, " The graces, the joys, and the hopes of be- 
 lievers are declared to l)e produced in them, in 
 order to make known the riches of His glory." ■ 
 The fruits of righteousness are wrought in them 
 by Jesus Christ to the glory and ])raise of God. 
 All the myriads of redeemed saints are saved, as 
 the Ai)Ostle says, "that he might make known the 
 riches of His glory in vessels of mercy which He 
 
 1 Verses 12, 14. -Given to Christ. Discourse XVII. 
 
ooirs punrosE toward us list cifRisr. •>'.) 
 
 had afore prepared unto ,i>lorv." ' And the theme 
 of triumphant .soni;- which sliall ever gush from 
 the choirs of the saints in heaven, will be, " Unto 
 Him be glory." 
 
 Christian brother, redeemed " according to the 
 riches of His grace," let your whole life here be 
 " to the praise of the glory of His grace," and then, 
 when seated with Christ on His throne, will you 
 ever be "unto the i)raise of His glor^^" 
 
 ' Rom. 9 : 23. 
 
PRAYER TO THE GOD OF OUR 
 LORD JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 A STUDY IN EPHESIANS, I: 15-23. 
 
 ^'■Making mention of you in my prayers ; Ihat the 
 God of our Lord Jesus Ch7'ist, the Father of 
 glory, may give you the Spirit of msdom and 
 revelation in the knowledge of Him.''^ — Eph. 1 ,• 
 Hi, 17. 
 
 I^HE Apostle has gazed into the counsels of 
 God, and, enraptured with the vision, bursts 
 forth into prayer and thanksgiving. He links the 
 prayer and thanks with the certainty of the pur- 
 poses of God. " Wherefore" takes us liack to Him 
 "who worketh all things after the counsel of His 
 own will,"' reminds us that every believer is 
 "sealed with the holy spirit of promise," ^ and has 
 received "the earnest of our inheritance until the 
 redemption of the purchased possession."^ 
 
 The scripture gives also the human side of the 
 work. It is " after I heard of your faith in the 
 Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints."^ Here 
 are two of the trinity of graces, " faith " and " love." 
 Hope, with her eyes in the heavens, lingers close 
 by (vs. 18). The Apostle now looks, not at God's 
 purpose, but at the saint here on earth in the 
 
 1 Verse 11. ^ Verse 13. ^ Verse 14. * Versfe 15. 
 
 [24] 
 
PRAYER TO THE 00 D OF OUR LORD. 25 
 
 exercise of His spiritual gifts. Clirysostom says : 
 " He everywhere joins and cements faith and love 
 — a wonderful |)air." 
 
 Faith has here its universal character. It ever 
 reposes in confidence in Christ. All God says is 
 accepted, but Christ is the center of His revela- 
 tion. Christ is the "Word." It is "Christ-cen- 
 tered faith." • 
 
 Faith is never complete without love. Faith 
 works by love. All who are in Christ are the 
 objects of His love. When we can mount up to 
 oui' position in the heavenlies in Christ, we can 
 embrace all the saints and our hearts take in all 
 His body. Faith and love, Christ and the saints, 
 how much there is in these words ! 
 
 Much ? Yea ! and it kindles flames of thanks- 
 giving upon the Apostle's heart. Nay, he did not 
 " cease to give thanks." '^ Heaven, with the twin- 
 beams of eternal day, was dawning in their souls. 
 Faith hatl shot its light through the darkness, 
 and rosy warmth had flushed the skies. A song 
 of thankfulness 1n-eaks from the lii)S of Paul. 
 
 Thanksgivirig deepens into prayer for the 
 saints ; joy finds perfect fruitage in longing for 
 fuller blessings to rest upon them. He ever 
 makes mention of them in his prayers. 
 
 It is a holy moment. Paul is praying. Draw 
 the curtains, and listen to the inspired longings. 
 
 1 EUicott in loco. '■' Verse 16. 
 
2 r> s T irnijss in ephes ians. 
 
 Nay, not Paul praying, but the Holy Spirit mak- 
 ing intercession for the saints. 
 
 The design and tenor of the ])rayers are blended. 
 The subject of the prayer mingles with the pur- 
 pose in making it. The jnirpose of Paul, the 
 counsels of God and the sweet realizations in 
 accomplished grace, a ray from the light inac- 
 cessible and full of glory, shine throughout the 
 scripture before us. This prayer springs out of a 
 special relation in which Christ stands to God. 
 It is addressed to '' the God of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ." ^ Christ is man, and as man is depend- 
 ant upon God. Hence He says " My God," and 
 as a consequence " your God." The charac- 
 ter and contents of the prayer are determined by 
 this relation. 
 
 This " God of our Lord Jesus Christ " is " the 
 Father of glory."' He lifts Christ into His glory, 
 and places us there with Him. Christ is placed 
 in glory above all, and we are in Him. 
 
 Special wisdom and enlightenment are nec- 
 essary in order to realize this glorious truth. The 
 " spirit of wisdom and revelation must teach us.'' 
 " The eyes of our understanding " must be en- 
 lightened. " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
 neither have entered into the heart of man the 
 things which God hath prepared for them that 
 love Him," but, thanks be unto His name, 
 ^ Verse IT. 
 
PRAYHR TO THK 00 D OF OUIi LOUD. 27 
 
 " God hath revealed them unto us Ly His Spirit."^ 
 May that "tSpirit of promise" open our eyes 
 while we gaze, to catch glinii)ses of the unutter- 
 able glory ! 
 
 I. The first section of this prayer to the God of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, asks that they may know 
 the things given them in Christ. 
 
 There is "the hope of his calling.'" The word 
 does not say your calHng, 1)ut " His calling." We 
 must look at its fullness and character. How 
 great and glorious it must be — " His calling." 
 
 The essence of it all is described in the ex- 
 quisite phrase, "holy and without blame before 
 Him in love."^ Christ was ever "holy," was ever 
 " without blame," and. was thus before Him from 
 eternity in the wealth of infinite love. Christ, the 
 glorified man, is placed in this position, and we 
 are there in Him. We "in Christ" know the 
 hope of His calling. 
 
 Christ is the Son. We receive the adoption of 
 children; we are just what Christ is. Is he an 
 Heir? Then we are joint-heirs. We are "ac- 
 cepted in the Beloved." How rich is that ! What 
 more can our hearts ask? " His calling" is divine 
 and perfect. 
 
 How this wakens Hope ! How it sharpens her 
 eagle eyes to pierce the veil and look upon the 
 glory in which we are co-enthroned with Christ ! 
 
 ' 1 Cor. 2 : 9, 10. - Verse 18. =* Verse 4. 
 
28 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 " Without blame," just as He is ; " holy," just as 
 He is ; " before Him in love," just as the glorified 
 Christ is! What a sea of bliss! This hope 
 quickens our steps in the earthly j)ilgrimage, and 
 reanimates us for renewed eflbrts in the Christian 
 life. " Faith in Christ " makes us steadfast, " love 
 to all the saints " keeps us in the unity of the 
 spirit, while Hope, in all the serenity of her 
 beauty, with fair glad eyes piercing to the eternal 
 throne and clad in celestial armor, leads our 
 quickened steps up to the eternal coronation, as 
 with Christ we are ever before God " in love." 
 
 Now we come to the inheritance. The Apostle 
 first speaks of our relation to God and the Father, 
 " holy and without blame before him in love " 
 and '' the adoption of children " and now the in- 
 heritance, " the riches of the glory of his inherit- 
 ance in the saints " ^ can be brought out. Christ's 
 relation to God comes first, into which we also 
 are brought. Then comes God's inheritance in 
 the saints. What God is, must first l)e known, 
 and then what God bestows. The same is true 
 for us in Christ; first the God and Father, and 
 then the inheritance. You tell a child first about 
 his father, how true, how noble, how lovable and 
 loving, and then proceed to relate the inheritance, 
 how vast, how rich and enduring. So first the 
 Spirit lifts our enlightened eyes in hope to " His 
 1 Verse 18. 
 
PRAYER TO THE GOD OF OUR LORD. 29 
 
 calling," and after we have gazed on this, turns 
 our vision to the "riches of the glory of his inher- 
 itance in the saints." 
 
 How wonderful that tlie Spirit should speak of 
 " the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the 
 saints." ' This thought is quite familiar, in a way, 
 to the Old Testament saints. " Save Thy people, 
 and bless Thine inheritance." ■' "Jacob His peo- 
 ple, and Israel His inheritance." ^ " God, the 
 heathen are come into Thine inheritance." ^ " For 
 the Lord's portion is His people ; Jacob is the lot 
 of His inheritance."^ "Captain over His inherit- 
 ance." " Israel was God's chosen people. His inher- 
 itance among the nations of the earth. There 
 Ha^dwelt in His glory, was there revealed. Those 
 who would see the glory of God, and the riches of 
 His inheritance, could see it in Israel. Israel 
 was His inheritance from among the nations. So 
 in the ]\Iessianic economy, the church will l)e to 
 the universe what Israel was to the nations of 
 the earth. In her will be God's special abode, 
 and from lier will shine forth His glory. Those 
 who seek the brightest displays of God's being 
 and glory, come they from the distant worlds or 
 from the highest ranks of the celestial ones, will 
 
 ^ Verse IS. The autlior is here iiulebtecl to Rev. Wiu. Din- 
 widdle, D. D. Meyer aud Ellieott miss the wealth of meaning 
 in this passage. '^ Ps. 28 : 9. ^ Ps. 78 : 71. 
 
 ^ Ps. 79: I, -> Deut. 32; 9. ^ i gam. 10: I, 
 
30 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 find "the riches of the gloiy " in the ehiircli. No 
 hrighter dis})lay can be given, and there is in the 
 universe nothing that God takes as much delight 
 in as He does in the church. It is the last and 
 most splendid manifestation of His declarative 
 glory. The blood-bought church is God's own 
 inheritance. 
 
 Faith lifts her illumined vision to such a des- 
 tiny, and prays God that the Spirit of wisdom 
 and revelation may assist her to take in " the 
 riches of the glory." 
 
 II. The apostle noAV prays that they may know 
 the power which has wrought to bring them into 
 this glorious position. 
 
 For and in every one that believes, not simply 
 is there power, at work, but greatness of power, 
 and that "His power;" and even that expressive 
 phrases must be amplified by the word " exceed- 
 ing." "What is the exceeding greatness of His 
 power to us-ward who believe." ^ Dr. Dabney, in an 
 able discourse, " The Believer Born of Almighty 
 Grace," ^ has well illustrated the general trutli 
 taught here in one point of its application ; that is, 
 at the moment and in the work of regeneration, 
 only Almighty power can quicken the heart 
 dead in trespasses and sins. The same Almighty 
 grace is required and is at work at every step of 
 
 1 Verse 19. 
 
 ^ A discourse published at the request of Gen. T. J. Jackson. 
 
rnAYER TO THE GOD OF OUR LORD. ;}T 
 
 the wondrous process, and will continue to work 
 until the salvation is actually accomplished, and 
 amid the eternal <;lorie8 we take our seat with 
 (lirist upon His tlirone. 
 
 W^e are now furnished with a measure l)y which 
 we can comprehend " the exceeding greatness of His 
 ])ower to US-ward." That measure is the working 
 of his mighty ])ower in the resurrection and exal- 
 tation of Christ. His resurrection and ascension is 
 the ex])ression of the same power that works for 
 and in the Christian, and there, too, is the model of 
 tlie action of the same power raising us from our 
 deatli in sin to the position of glory with this same 
 Christ. Christ was a dead man, and God l)y his 
 mighty power raised him from the grave. Here 
 
 ^^ is Christianity's rock of Gihraltar, i]\Q. fart that 
 Christ arose from the dead. If he did not, our 
 religion is a delusion, " our preaching vain, and 
 your faith also vain." ' This historical fact dem- 
 onstrates the truth of the whole gospel. Besides, 
 the power of Christianity lies in it, and our relig- 
 ion only liecomes vital l>ecause of the realization 
 in experience of "the power of His resurrection." - 
 " Even when we were dead in sins, God quickened 
 
 V us together with Christ." ■' His resurrection, was 
 their resurrection, and His exaltation their exal- 
 tation. Here, too, is the guarantee to every be- 
 liever of the resurrection of his body.' " And if 
 1 1 Cor. 15; 14. -' Phil, 3: 10. ^ chap. 3: 5. * Koin 8: 11. 
 
32 STUDIES IN EPHESIAN'S. 
 
 the Head be risen, the members cannot be far 
 behind." He " was raised again for our justifica- 
 tion."^ The morning of the third day forever 
 settled the question of our justification ; and when 
 He rose from the dead in triumph, He rose justi- 
 fied, and drew with Him in His glorious train all 
 His people for whose sins He had entered the 
 dark realms and exhausted the infinite wrath of 
 a holy God. That power must have been exceed- 
 ing great and mighty which lifted the dead Christ 
 from the grave, and ])rought life and immortality 
 to light in the gospel. 
 
 That power raised Him from the dead, and 
 placed Him at God's " own right hand in the 
 heavenly places." " It ceased not to work until He 
 " sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on 
 high." Mark says: "He was received up into 
 heaven, and sat on the right hand of God."'* 
 Stei^hen, with face " as it had been the face of an 
 angel " lifted to heaven, and with eyes of faith 
 gazing through the opening blue, " saw the Son of 
 man standing on the right hand of God." ^ 
 
 That energy ceased not to .work until He was 
 " far aliove all principalities, and power, and might, 
 and dominion, and every name that is named, not 
 only in this world, but also in that which is to 
 come."^ What an infinite exaltation ! His scepter 
 
 1 Rom. 4: 25. ~ Verse 20. ' Mark 16: 19. 
 
 * Acts 7; 55. » Verse 21. 
 
rHAYKR TO THE GOD OF OUR LORD. 33 
 
 Ix^ars sway over all physical existence, over all ma- 
 terial worlds and systems, over all earthly creatures, 
 over angels, archangels, cherubim, and seraphim, 
 to the loftiest beings who gaze into the unfolding 
 depths of Deity and burn with ceaseless love 
 before God's throne. They all cast their crowns 
 at His feet, and shout their hallelujahs to His 
 glory. 
 
 This exaltation is complete. " And hath put all 
 things under His feet." The psalmist sung in 
 enraptured strain the glorious event, " Who hast 
 set Thy glory above the heavens ; " " Thou hast 
 put all things under His feet.'" The Master 
 spoke unto His discijjles to cheer their hearts, 
 saying, " All i)ower is given unto Me in heaven 
 and in earth." All things are under Him, and 
 nothing is excepted save He " which did put all 
 things under Him." Now He sits on His Father's 
 throne, and "to every one who overcometh," says 
 the exalted One, " will I grant to sit with Me in 
 My throne." ' 
 
 How pregnant with meaning and power is tlie 
 ascension ! It sets the seal of approval upon 
 Christ's life, and illumines His whole career. 
 "What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend 
 up where He was before?" In this crowning 
 event we have evidence of Christ's perfect tri- 
 umph, and a guarantee of every gift to His 
 iPs. 8:1-9. 2 Rev. 3:31, 
 
 3 
 
34 STUDIES IJSr EPHESIANS. 
 
 church. "When He ascended up on high, He 
 led capti^dty captive, and gave gifts unto men." ' 
 Here, too, we find inspiration for the Christian 
 life and labor. With eye fixed on the glorified 
 Christ, all confidence in the flesh is lost, and we 
 rejoice in Christ Jesus ; our righteousness by the 
 law is but filthy rags, and with longing eyes we 
 gaze upon the spotless righteousness which is of 
 God by faith. Seeing the ascended One, we for- 
 get those things which are behind, and press 
 toward the mark, our glorification in Christ. Our 
 whole life is under its influence. " Our conversa- 
 tion is in heaven." ^ Circumstances, even the 
 most adverse, are nothing, and disturb us not. 
 " Careful for nothing," we " rejoice in the Lord." * 
 Hence, too, comes inspiration for work. " And 
 they went forth and preached everywhere."* 
 Angel voices ask, " Why stand ye gazing up into 
 heaven ? " and teach them to carry with deathless 
 energy the sweet message of life to every creature. 
 Christ, thus exalted over all things, is given to 
 the church. He " gave Him to be head over all 
 things to the church."^ Christ presented to the 
 church ! Whr.t strange language ! How it exalts 
 the church! Indeed, the church is His body seated 
 with him in the glory. The head without the 
 body is not complete. The comjilement is want- 
 
 1 Chap. 4 : 8-12. ^ Phil. 3 : 2U. ^ pijji 4 . ,;^ 4 
 
 * Mark 16: 20, ^ Verse 23. 
 
riiAYKJi TO THE GOD OF OUR LORD. 35 
 
 ing, and the church is Christ's fuUness. The 
 church is His complement, and is with Him in 
 the glory. 
 
 What sweet suggestions of the unity of tlie 
 church come to us from this passage ! The 
 church is with Cln-ist, His hody; where, then, 
 can division come from ? Any principle of divis- 
 ion is wanting. There can be no Jew and no 
 Gentile ; the middle wall of partition is gone, and 
 all dwell in perfect peace, filled with one Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 M'hat an honor to be " the fullness of Him that 
 filleth all in all.'" Christ fills the universe with 
 His indwelling deity. " The whole earth is full 
 of His glory." He fills all, and His glory shines 
 forth in all to the remotest corner of the universe. 
 This was the very object of His ascension, for He 
 " ascended up far above all heavens that He might 
 fill all things." ' What glory that must be ! These 
 infinite phrases sound to our ears like voices from 
 the sea, telling of immeasurable expanses and 
 fathomless depths. Is there not an ocean of glory 
 in whicli we can l)athe our souls and refresh our 
 spirits? Thank God for His infinite counsels of 
 love toward the church in seating her with Christ 
 in the glory. 
 
 We lift our hearts to the God of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, the Father of glory, that He would give 
 1 Verse 23. ^ Cbap. 4 : 10. 
 
36 STUDIES IN EPBESIANS. 
 
 US the sjDirit of wisdom and revelation in the 
 knowledge of Him, that we may know these rich 
 things of God and realize this glory, before which 
 worlds fade in darkness and vanish as mere 
 atoms on a vast sea of bliss. Amen. 
 
ONE NEW MAN. 
 
 A STUDY IN EPHESIANS, CHAPTER II. 
 
 " J-V/io hatli made both one, and hath broken 
 down the middle wall of partition . . . to 
 make in Himself of twain one neiv man . . . 
 that He viigJit reconcile both unto God in one 
 body by the cross. ^'' — Eph. 2:14-16. 
 
 HOW wonderful the truth in the previous 
 chapter! We are blest "with all spiritual 
 blessings."^ The sphere of our lives and blessing 
 is graphically described as " in Christ," ' " in the Be- 
 loved,"^ and " in heavenly places." ^ . God's purpose 
 for us, conceived before the foundation of the 
 world, is nothing less than this, " that we should 
 be holy and without blame before Him in love," * 
 that we should enjoy " the adoption of children," * 
 and that " He might gather together in one all 
 things in Christ."^ In Him we have an inherit- 
 ance to which we are " sealed," and indeed have 
 already in possession " the earnest." 
 
 How important, then, that we have " the spirit 
 of wisdom and revelation." ® With enlightened eyes 
 we need to look upon and know " the hope of His 
 
 1 Chap. 1:3. '^ Chap. 1:6. ^ chap. 1 : 4. 
 
 * Chap. 1:5. ■' Chap. 1 : 10. « Chap. 1 : 17. 
 
 [37] 
 
f 
 
 38 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 calling," and to comprehend " the riches of the glory 
 of His inheritance in the saints." ' We would be 
 greatly aided l)y knowing the " exceeding great- 
 ness of His power," '^ which lifted Christ to the 
 right hand of INIajesty in the heavenly places, '' far 
 above " all beings, putting " all things under His 
 feet," and giving Him " to be head over all things 
 to the church, which is His body, the fullness of 
 Him that filleth all in all."^ 
 
 There is one Head, and hence, according to 
 nature, one body. The church is spoken of in 
 these terms, " winch is His body." He has but 
 one body. This body is His fullness, and hence 
 there cannot be "twain," but "one new man;" 
 one can no longer say " both," but " one ; " there 
 can be no " far oft'," but all " are made nigh by 
 the blood of Christ;" and there are "no more 
 strangers and foreigners," but all are " fellow-citi- 
 zens with the saints and of the household of 
 God."* All middle walls of partition are broken 
 down, and all believers " are Imilded together for 
 -^ an habitation of God through tlie Si)irit."^ The 
 Jews and Gentiles, if members of Christ at all, are 
 members "of the same body." The immediate 
 aim in this chajjter is to show that the ideal 
 glory of the church as united to her Lord is only 
 accomplished when all are brought to " equal 
 
 1 Chap. 1 : 18. ''Chap. 1:19. 3 chap. 1 : 31-23. 
 
 * Ver.'^es 13, 14, 17, 19. "" Verse 32. 
 
ONE NEW MAN. 39 
 
 enjoyment of the privileges of God's covenant," 
 and that it is only Avhen all are together in Him 
 that " His fullness " (jilewma) is " realized and 
 manifested."^ Jewish exclusiveness is buried 
 l)eneath an avalanche of truths. Jews would un- 
 church Gentiles. One sect would unchurch an- 
 other, yea, one denomination will not commune 
 with another. Here is the inspired answer to all 
 man's reasoning which would justify such an 
 un-C'hristlike position : — 
 
 I. Both parties are the same l)y naturCjand 
 henceTio'distinction can rightfully exist. 
 " Tlie condition of the Gentiles is vividly de- 
 scribed and their walk accurately delineated. They 
 were " dead in trespasses and sins." '■' There was 
 not a movement of life, and hence spiritual exist- 
 ence was impossible except from above. Life must 
 be implanted in germ, or death forever reigns su- 
 preme over every Gentile soul. They " walked ac- 
 cording to the course of this world," '' and had never 
 placed a foot upon the course of the world to 
 come. " This world " of iniquity and sin was the 
 sphere, the " be all " and " end all " of their lives. 
 They looked not beyond it. This world, accord- 
 ing to which they walked, was controlled by 
 Satan, " the prince of the power of the air." This 
 world is under his power and is directed by his 
 
 ' Encjclopedia Britannica, p. 462. ^ Verse 1. 
 
 •* Verse 2. 
 
40 STUDIES IN EFHESIANS. 
 
 edicts. This is true of the material elements of 
 the world ; what about its inhaljitants ? The 
 spirit that controls the peojile of the earth is the 
 spirit of that prince. The spirit of the wicked 
 one is "the spirit that now worketh in the children 
 of disobedience." ' Here is the secret of disobedi- 
 ence ; namely, that tlie spirit of the disobedient one 
 fills tlie hearts of the nations. In such a terrible 
 condition does inspiration place the Gent iles. 
 
 Now what about the JewJ? By nature he is 
 just the same. Among these disobedient ones 
 they are to be classed, for " we " (the Jews among 
 these also) had " our conversation in times past." 
 The very " conversation," the very lives, moved 
 in just the same realm of sin and disobedience. 
 Their conversation was far from being in heaven ; 
 nay, it was " in the lusts of the flesh." ''■ The tlesh 
 was the sj^here of their lives, and its lusts were ever 
 being fulfilled in their conduct. They ever ful- 
 filled the " desires of the flesh" '^ in the deepest and 
 grossest forms of evil, and the desire " of the 
 mind " ^ in plans and purposes ungodly in every 
 element. Indeed, their own " lusts " and " de- 
 sires " reigned, while no attention was given to 
 the will or desire of God. " By nature " (and 
 that is the fountain of all that is in the life) they 
 were " children of wrath." ''^ There might be dif- 
 ference of privileges ; they might be circumcised, 
 
 1 Verse 2. '■^ Verse 3. 
 
ONE NEW 31 AN. 41 
 
 of ''the commumvealth of Israel"^ having "the 
 covenants of promise " ^ and " of the household of 
 of God," 2 but when we look at the root of the 
 whole matter, they were " even as others." Thus 
 the Jew, with all his pretensions, is laid Ioav in the 
 dust beside the Gentile, and has no more claim 
 than he. If the Jew is saved at all, it must be 
 upon just the same ground as the Gentile. The 
 Jew has just the same needs and must look to the 
 same Saviour. " Both " are " one " in sin and 
 guilt. Both are equally " far off," and the " twain " 
 lie as "one," dead in sins before the cross. 
 Equally do those that are "afar off " and those 
 that are " nigh " require the gospel of salvation. 
 "Both" must be touched by "one Spirit,"' or 
 death ever triumphs. 
 
 " There is no difference." " What then ? Are 
 Ave not better than they ? No, in no wise ; for we 
 have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that 
 they are all under sin ;" * every mouth is stopped, 
 and all the world lies in one common guilt before 
 God. Every distinction of Jew and Gentile or 
 any other name of exclusiveness is swept away as 
 by the breath of the Almighty. 
 
 II. God in His work of exalting Christ to the 
 heavenlies unites tlie twain in one. God was in- 
 deed " rich in mercy;" '' the Avhole work is the result 
 
 1 Vorsc 1-2. nVrso 19. Myerses 13-17. 
 
 * Rom. 3 : 9. ^ Verse 4. 
 
42 STUDIES IN EPHESlANS. 
 
 of unbounded mercy, and flowed from the deep 
 fountains of mercy in the infinite nature of God. 
 The love " wherewith He loved us " ^ was great 
 and unspeakable. There is no distinction in the 
 love and mercy ; Jew and Gentile were not known 
 to it. 
 
 All lay in common ruin, in common death ; 
 Christ went down with love and boundless mercy 
 into that common death, and lay there with 
 us. God quickened Ghrist and raised Him from 
 the grave, but He " quickened us together with 
 Christ." ^ There was a common quickening from 
 a common grave and upon a common principle 
 "with Christ." He quickened us "together,"^ 
 and that " with Christ." ' He raised Christ " far 
 above " all j)rincipalities, and made Him to sit in 
 heavenly places. But we are not separated from 
 Christ the Head ; we are raised up " together " ^ 
 and made to "sit together."'^ There is no dis- 
 tinction, no difference; all are "together"* in the 
 quickening, the raising, and the session ; yea, and 
 in the final outcome of it all, we are still " to- 
 gether;"'^ we are all "in heavenly places"'' and 
 ail " in Christ Jesus." ^ What place is there then 
 for difference ? When Christ was quickened and 
 raised, we were quickened and raised with Him, 
 and are seated with Him in the supernal glory. 
 1 Verse 5. ^ Verse 6. 
 
OKE NEW MAN. 43 
 
 If we were " botli " before, we are " one " now, and 
 "twain" in that presence and glory, melt "into 
 one new man." 
 
 CJod's })ur|)Ose will be defeated if there be more 
 than one body. His very design is to show in 
 tlie ages to come " the exceeding riches of His 
 grace in His kindness "^ to both Jew and Gentile. 
 By " one new man " the exceeding riches of that 
 grace is made known. It is " by the church," 
 " one body," that " unto principalities and powers 
 in heavenly places " the manifold wisdom of God 
 is to be flashed forth. Here is " the mystery " 
 which in other ages was not made known unto 
 the sons of men. His ideal of Christ and His 
 church is defeated unless all can be " fellow- 
 heirs and of the same body." What a powerful 
 a})peal for the removal of all " middle walls of 
 partition"' and the reconciling of all "unto God 
 m one body " ! '* 
 
 III. In the actual realization of this salvation, 
 we find that all are upon the common ground of 
 faith and grace. (Grace is a sweet word to the 
 Apostle; it is the very sum of salvation.) Grace 
 plans, begins, carries on, accomplishes, and at 
 last consummates salvation. Works or merit are 
 unknown. " By grace are ye saved " * bursts from 
 his lips as he sees God raising us with Christ. 
 1 ^■el•se 7. ^ Verie 14. ^ Verse 16. * Verse 8. 
 
44 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 "By grace are ye saved through faith," describes the 
 process when it comes to actual realization in this 
 life in regeneration and holy living. Grace, then, 
 not the deeds of law, saved us. Christ brings 
 salvation to dead souls, and God quickens theni 
 to life. Where is any room for merit ? 
 
 The very principle on which we receive salva- 
 tion is opposed to merit and works. It is " through 
 faithJ^ ^ Then works and merit are forever ex- 
 cluded by the law of faith. Yea, verily ! But how 
 subtle is self Is not my faith worth something ? 
 In that at least I differ. Who made thee to differ ? 
 God, and he alone. It is indeed " through faith," 
 but whence your faith? Hear God: "And that 
 not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God." ^ All the 
 fruits of salvation which the Spirit works in us are 
 not of us, but are given us by God. Says an able 
 divine : " Saving faith differs from every other act 
 of the soul in that it is the result of supernatural 
 in-working of the Holy Ghost, mysteriously ac- 
 companying the truth with his own powerful 
 demonstration and divinely convincing it of the 
 excellence, beauty, and all-sufficiency of Jesus 
 Christ." '^ How every vestige of self-righteousness 
 is stripped away, and no ground left for class and 
 distinction. In the presence of such truth there 
 is no Jew ner Gentile ; the twain are " one." 
 What about works? Every believer has good 
 
 * Verse 8. ^ " Given to Christ," p. 57. 
 
OXE NEW MAN. 45 
 
 works flowini;- out in his life. These must be 
 removed too ; " not of works, lest any man should 
 boast.'" There is no labor on our part. On the 
 contrary, we are " His workmanship ; " "^ who, then, 
 dares talk of his works ? We are " created in Christ 
 Jesus ; " '"' absurd for the creature to talk of merit on 
 its part l)ecause of creation by anotlier. Do you 
 depreciate works, then ? By no means ; God forbid 
 that we should decry the fruit that ripens in the 
 gardens of God. The very design of our being 
 " created in CUirist Jesus " ^ is good works. The 
 whole was " unto good works." " Good works, then, 
 are to be found in the life; is there not some dis- 
 tinction on this ground ? Nay, for God " before " ^ 
 prepared those very good works that we might 
 walk in them. All is of God. The very works 
 are the fruits of God's purpose and in-working. 
 Then indeed every believer, Jew or Gentile, stands 
 on common ground before Him as saved by grace 
 through faith; the twain are now "one " in every 
 respect. 
 
 IV. In the blood of the cross every difficulty is 
 removed, and God makes one new man. 
 
 The Apostle does not deny that distinctions ex- 
 isted in the past. He indeed calls the Gentiles to 
 remember that in times past they were " Gentiles 
 in the flesh,"' were such by descent, ^nd hence 
 had been sneeringly called " uncircunicision by the 
 1 Verse 9. '^ Verse 10. ^ Verse 11. 
 
4fi STUDIES IN ErHESIAXS.' 
 
 circumcision ; " * this, too, desjiite the fact that the 
 Jews had missed the spiritual import of circum- 
 cision as being of the heart and not of the flesh. 
 •' Circumcision in the flesh made by hands'" was 
 the extent of their thought; they never looked 
 for the removal of sin and impurity from the 
 soul. 
 
 That which characterized the Gentiles was that 
 they were " without [separate from, R. V.] Christ." ^ 
 This was the source of all their misery, woe, 
 and guilt. Let one be " without Christ," and 
 he is under God's wrath and curse, which hangs 
 above him a portentous cloud charged with fiery 
 indignation. " Without Christ " is sufficient to 
 indicate that thc}^ are " aliens from the common- 
 wealth of Israel."^ They are hostile to all spirit- 
 ual life, and know, therefore, nothing of its sweet- 
 ness and power. " Aliens " seems to indicate 
 some previous fellowship. Did such fellowship 
 ever exist as a matter of fact? Says a great En- 
 glish expositor : " Jew and Gentile were once under 
 one spiritual TtolLTEia of which the Jewish was a 
 subsequent visible manifestation. The Gentile 
 lapsed from it, the Jew made it invalid ; and they 
 parted only to unite again in one act of uttermost 
 rebellion, and yet through the mj^stery of redeem- 
 ing love to remain thereby united in Christ for- 
 ever." ■'' 
 
 ^ Verse 11. ^ Verse 13. ^Ellicott in loco, 
 
ONE NEW MAN. 47 
 
 Having parted company with the Jew to whom 
 God gave His oracles (Rom. 3: 2), the Gentiles 
 became " strangers from the covenant of prom- 
 ise.'" The several renewals of the covenant of 
 grace and promise with the patriarchs, with INIoses 
 and the projihets, were to them unknown, and 
 their eyes were not blest with the light which for 
 centuries had been growing in the East until the 
 bright and morning star rose, pointing to an eternal 
 and celestial day. Indeed, l)eing " without hope," 
 it could he trutlifully affirmed that not a star had 
 shone in the darkness of their spiritual night, and 
 that not a ray had stolen across their heavens to 
 l^aint the lilies of promise on the gray of the 
 morning. " Having no hope." What blackness 
 is that ! God deliver us from despair which 
 plucks every root of hope out of the heart. 
 
 The bottom of the abyss is reached when we 
 are told that the Gentiles are also "without God 
 in the world." ^ They were denying God, ignorant 
 of God, and besides forsaken by God. Like an in- 
 fant lost in the mountains mid storm and howling 
 tempest, surrounded by wolves and every beast of 
 prey, is man " without God in the world." ' 
 
 " Without Christ " ' one is always an " alien," ' a 
 
 "stranger,"' "having no hope and without God 
 
 in the world." But blessed be God, "now in 
 
 Christ Jesus "^ all is changed. Those that are 
 
 1 Verse 12. "'' Verse 13. 
 
48 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 " far off are made nigh." ^ Every distinction is 
 removed " by the blood of Christ." ^ He makes 
 '' l»oth one " and breaks down every wall of parti- 
 tion. The cross makes "twain one new man.""^ 
 There is now but one " body " before God. 
 
 The reason is not far to find. " He is our 
 peace." ^ In this sweet sentence two thoughts are 
 interwoven as two flowing vines intertwining each 
 other. There is peace between Jew and Gentile, 
 and there is peace for l^oth with God. In verse 
 14 it is peace between Jew and Gentile ; in verses 
 16 and 17 it is peace with God ; * yet we find a 
 subtle reference to both forms of peace in all the 
 passages. 
 
 How Jew and Gentile became one in " one act 
 of uttermost rebellion"! The Jews too, slaying 
 the Messiah, " destroyed every link between them- 
 selves and God."^ They are like the Gentiles, 
 and indeed are more guilty than they. 
 
 The commandments in ordinances are fulfilled 
 in Him. There was the wall of ordinances which 
 in Christ's death is fulfilled and hence removed ; 
 the result is that " the enmity " is removed ; " for 
 to make in Himself of twain one new man, so 
 making peace."" 
 
 There is peace with Godi Christ removes by 
 liis blood the grounds of our enmity to a holy 
 
 1 Verse 13. ^ Verse 15. ^ Verse 14. 
 
 * Diirby in loco. ■'' Meyer in loco. 
 
ONE NEW MAX. 4<) 
 
 God, and slays the enmity upon the cross. Now 
 there is peace for every one, whether Jew or Gen- 
 tile. Thank God that both are reconciled " unto 
 God in one body by the cross." ' Now Peace 
 breathes upon the world, and sheds her benedic- 
 tions upon the heart of man. 
 
 " These raging winds, this surging sea, 
 Bear not a breath of wrath to thee ; 
 That storm has all been spent on Me." 
 
 These are the words of Christ as he speaks peace 
 to the soul standing in the presence of God. He 
 indeed preached " peace to you which were afar 
 off, and to them that were nigh." '^ Through the 
 common Saviour both have " access by one Spirit 
 to the Father."-' Mark, that it is not to God, or 
 to Jehovah, but " to the Father." ^ How that 
 touches every heart, and brings out the sweet 
 brotherhood which binds with golden bands the 
 whole family to one great loving heart. The Spirit 
 makes the unity ; He in-works the life which is 
 comi^ion to every member of the body. " Endeav- 
 oring to keep the unit}^ of the Spirit " ^ suggests 
 the same thought. Thus the cross makes peace 
 and gathers both in one. Gentiles are "no more 
 strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with 
 the saints "Mn this spiritual realm, the church, 
 
 ^ V(M-si' 16. 2 Verse IT. ^ Ver.se 18, 
 
 * Chap, -i; 3. ■' Verse 19, 
 
 4 
 
50 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 and of the household of God, which gathers in 
 love around the Father. 
 
 There is one " Holy Temple in the Lord " ' 
 being erected by the great Master Builder, and 
 He selects for its perfect structure " living stones," 
 wherever found, of whatever race, or in whatever 
 clime. The gates of hell cannot prevail against 
 this holy temple; harmless shall fall each flam- 
 ing thunderl-)olt shot by the arch enemy at a 
 1)uilding so fitly framed together in spiritual 
 unity. Its corner-stone is Christ, and the building 
 cannot be hurt until the Rock of Ages is shaken 
 and removed from its eternal resting-place in 
 God. The church here is builded together " for 
 an habitation of God through the Spirit," ^ and 
 into her peaceful palaces no jar, dissension, or 
 distinction can come. Exclusiveness is crushed 
 by the divine Spirit, and all high-church claims 
 are forever buried beneath a mountain of truth. 
 What body desiring to unchurch others ever had 
 half the rights of Judaism, with its hoary an- 
 tiquity, its oracles of God, its ordinances of divine 
 service, and its worldly sanctuary? Yet God 
 tore its middle wall of partition away, and will 
 suffer no partition to exist in His holy temple. 
 All such claims are in opposition to the spirit of 
 Christianity, and will flee away as a parched 
 scroll consumed by tlu^ iiidimiatioii of the One 
 
 1 Verse 21, "' Verse 23. 
 
ONE NEW MAX. 5] 
 
 who by the blood of His cross nuide peace. Be- 
 lievers can sing, — 
 
 '• Oue familj' we dwell in llini, 
 One churcb, above, l)encatli.'' 
 
 To this we may add another sweet strain, writ- 
 ten in the very spirit of this passage : — 
 
 " Partakers of the Saviour's grace. 
 The same in mind and heart, 
 Nor joy, nor grief, nor time, nor i)laee, 
 Nor life, nor death can ])art." 
 
 " The twain are one new man." 
 
PRAYER TO THE FATHER OF OUR 
 LORD JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 A STUDY IN EPHESIANS, 111:14-21. 
 
 '■^For tliis cause I bo7u my knees unto tlie Father 
 of our Lord yesiis Christ.'" — Eph. j : 14. 
 
 HOAV unselfish the solicitude of the Apostle! 
 He has learned of our Master a lesson in self- 
 surrender. In CTethsemane Christ, amid the agony 
 and bloody sweat, in loneliness and desertion, 
 thinks about His weak disciples. He lies crushed 
 beneath the coming cross, yet musters strength 
 to awaken and counsel those in danger. So, too, 
 while His body is tortured, each nerve a quiver- 
 ing battery of pain, each affection for the beloved 
 Father who has forsaken Him aji instrument of 
 the keenest anguish ; and while the flaming sword 
 of infinite justice i>ierces His soul. He turns to 
 care for His mother, and to lift a dying thief 
 to Paradise. Paul is a })risoner and Hes in a 
 dungeon, Ijut what occupies his tlioughts most? 
 Not the prison, not the darkness, not his own 
 suffering, but his heart turns only to " you Gen- 
 tiles." " \\'herefore I desire that ye faint not at 
 
 1 Verse 1,3. 
 L5-2J 
 
PliAYEli TO THE FATHER OF OUR LORD. 58 
 
 my tribulations for you." ' Indeed, his sufferings 
 were the evidence and fruit of the blessed position 
 God liad granted them. He could truly say, 
 " M}^ tribulation " is " your glory." ' 
 
 Just this desire prompts the beautiful prayer 
 which concludes this chapter. " For this cause," 
 lest they should be discouraged, he says, " I bow 
 my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ.""' Prayer is blessed and surely brings a 
 blessing upon the one who prays and the one for 
 whom it is offered, when such a spirit causes it to 
 gush from the heart. 
 
 This petition is unto " the Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ." '" The prayer in the first chapter is 
 to "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ."' These 
 ascriptions determine the character of the peti- 
 tions contained in them. In this chapter, Christ is 
 viewed as the Son ; while in the first, he is viewed 
 as man. In the one, he would say to the disciples, 
 " My Father and your Father," and in the other, 
 " My God and your God." In this chapter, it is 
 power working in us ; in the first, it is power work- 
 ing for us. Cln-ist dwells in our hearts by faith, 
 and we are filled with the fullness of God according 
 to the power that worketh in us in this ; the ex- 
 ceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who 
 believe according to His mighty power which 
 wrought in Christ and placed Him at the right 
 1 Verse 13. '^ Verse 14. ^Qjj^p. i; 17. 
 
54 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 hand in heavenly places, is presented in that. 
 Permit me to say that in the prayer to the Father 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, the whole of salvation is 
 presented subjectively ; while in the prayer to the 
 God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the whole is jjre- 
 sented objectively. 
 
 ■As the prayer is to the Father, it takes in all. 
 Every family in heaven or earth is named for that 
 Father. He does not pray to Jehovah ; He says 
 Father. Jehovah would have been appropriated 
 by the Jews. " You only have I known of all the 
 families of the earth." Every family comes under 
 the name Father ; here Jew, Gentile, and angels 
 are on common ground. 
 
 First he prays that they may have strength in 
 the inner man. How much we need strength ! 
 The devil has his wiles. These are in league 
 against us, principalities and powers, rulers of the 
 darkness of this worlds and spiritual wickedness 
 in the heavenlies. There is an evil day coming. 
 Our hearts are prone to evil, and we are sur- 
 rounded by the lust of the eye, the lust of the 
 flesh, and the pride of life. The world allures. 
 We need to be " strong in the Lord and in the 
 power of His might." ' Hence, this earnest prayer 
 that they may be strengthened with might. His 
 Spirit strengthens. The Spirit is ever presented 
 as the immediate source of power for the Chris- 
 
 ' Chap. ('. : 10. 
 
PliATFE TO THE FATHER OF OUR LORD. 55 
 
 tian. Tliis is true in Christian work. " Ye shall 
 receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come 
 upon 3'ou." ^ " And behold I send the promise of 
 the Father before you, but tarry ye in Jerusalem 
 until ye be endued with power from on high."^ 
 Apostolic preaching was in " demonstration of the 
 Spirit and of power." ^ The power of that Spirit 
 changed the face of the world. 
 
 The strength of inner experience comes from 
 the sanie source. Our prayer and supplication, 
 which are the very soul of all experience, are " in 
 the Spirit." Indeed, " the Spirit itself maketh 
 intercession for us with groanings which cannot 
 be uttered." ' The Spirit guides " into all truth," 
 glorifies Christ, and takes of the wonderful things 
 of Christ and shows them unto us. " The Spirit 
 is life because of righteousness," ' and hence, " as 
 many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the 
 sons of God." ^ " The Spirit beareth witness with 
 our spirit that we are the children of God," ' and 
 hence shows that we shall be " glorified together " ' 
 with Him. How clear, then, that it is the power 
 of " the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus " that " hath 
 made me free from the law of sin and death." ' 
 
 ^^'hat is the measure of the strength given? 
 Nothing less than this : " according to the riches 
 
 1 Acts 1:8. '■^ Luke 24 : 49. ^l Cor. 2 : 4. 
 
 * Rom. 8 : 26. ■' Rom. 8 : 10. " Rom. 8 : 14. 
 
 ' Rom. 8: 16, 17, 2. 
 
o() STUDIES IN EPHESIAXS. 
 
 of His glory." ' The riches of grace is passed by. 
 How great that would be ! But this is " the riches 
 of His glory." It is alwaj's so when there is a 
 question of need. " But my God will supply all 
 your need according to His riches in glory by 
 Christ Jesus.'"' We can never fail with such 
 boundless supply. The glory is an infinite ocean 
 with no shore to limit its immensity. The supply 
 of strength has no limit until we have left the con- 
 flicts and tribulations of life behind, and stand 
 upon the golden streets of the city, safe within 
 the i)early gates. Thank God for '' the riches of 
 His glory." 
 
 Next he pram's that "Christ may dwell in their 
 vy hearts by faith." '^ This is not that they may have 
 happy emotions or sweetness of character, but 
 deeper than that ; it goes to the cause of happy 
 emotions and beauty of character, to an indwelling 
 Christ. It is not merely that they may be saved 
 from wrath to come. It is not that they should 
 be Christians in the sense of conversion and pro- 
 fession, but deeper than that this prayer carries 
 us. For consecration, for meeting trial, for con- 
 flict with Satan, and for cheering us in the midst 
 of tribulations, we need Christ in our hearts, "the 
 hope of glory." What care goes out when Christ 
 comes in ! " He does not let the dust and cob- 
 webs accumulate, but He fills it altogether." In 
 
 1 Verse 16. - Phil. 4 : 19. •' v^.,.s^. ^7. 
 
P HATER TO THE F ATI [EH OF OUR LORD. 57 
 
 seasons of distress, there will be found for that 
 heart, not fear, but Christ ; not tribulation, but 
 Christ ; not trial, but Christ. " Nevertheless I 
 live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the 
 life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the 
 faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave 
 Himself for me." ' The whole life will be just an 
 expression of Christ. " Forasmuch as ye are 
 manifestly declared to be the epistles of Christ."'^ 
 Seneca suggests as an excellent way of reform- 
 ing one's life, to represent to one's self Socrates, 
 Cato, or some distinguished worthy, as a constant 
 observer of his actions. What would not be the 
 transforming power of the continuous contempla- 
 tion of the life of the Son of God, which Holy 
 Writ assures transforms " into the same image from 
 glory to glory " ? ^ The very clod beneath the rose- 
 bush imbibes a perfume. What if the clod could 
 take the rose into its heart, forever to distill its 
 odors there! Christ dwells in our hearts, and 
 brings the sweetness and beauty of heaven down 
 into our souls. INIerely walk through oriental 
 groves, and you bear away somewhat of the pre- 
 cious aroma ; how^ fragrant our spirits should be 
 when heaven's Precious One walks through every 
 chamber of the soul, and should it not be truly 
 said that "fragrance filled the circuit wide"* of 
 
 1 Gal. 2:20. ^2 Cor. 3:3. ^ocor. 3:1S. 
 
 * Milton's "Paradise Lost," Book V. 286. 
 
58 STUDIES IN EPBESIANS. 
 
 our lives ? Well says Drumniond : " It seems to 
 me that the preaching is of infinite smaller ac- 
 count than the life Avhich mirrors Christ. That is 
 bound to tell, like the voices of the stars." ^ Let^ 
 Christ dwell in us, and we are of them that sin 
 not. Sin flees from Christ as mists before the face 
 of the sun. Then, too, ye shall ask what ye will, 
 and "it shall lie done unto you." Richer than 
 that; "the same bringeth forth much fruit." '^ 
 Then the joy of a divine life thrills our hearts. 
 Christ comes into your hearts, and then reveals 
 the precious fact that His "joy might remain in 
 you and your joy be full." '^ 
 
 Again the Apostle prays that they may know 
 j'the love of Christ, "Rooted and grounded in 
 love"'' is the condition of comprehending this 
 scene. The Apostle teaches the same in Col. 2:2: 
 " Being knit together in love and unto all riches 
 of the full assurance of understanding, to the 
 acknowledgment of the mystery of God." Love 
 in order to know. We must possess the divine 
 nature in order to understand divine things, and 
 that nature is revealed, for " God is love." * 
 
 Hence, too, you need not command believers to 
 love. They have the divine nature. Christ, toe, 
 is master of heart and conscience, and will teach 
 them to love. Says the Holy Spirit to the Thessa- 
 
 ^DrummoncTs "Perfected Life." -John 15: l-ll. 
 
 3 Verse 17. M John 4: 8. 
 
PliAYER TO THE FATHER OF OUR LORD. 59 
 
 lonians: " But as touching brotherly love yc need 
 not that I write unto you ; for ye yourselves are 
 taught of God to love one another/' ' Again, 
 writes John : " Every one that loveth is horn of 
 God and knoweth God. He that loveth not. 
 knoweth not God ; for God is love." - " Rooted 
 and grounded in love," then we rise to compre- 
 hend "the breadth, and length, and depth, and 
 height."^ 
 
 Of course, "all saints" must be included. 
 There can be no exclusiveness. " Rooted and 
 grounded in love," no brotlier is left out, and 
 with Christ dwelling in our liearts, all His dear 
 saints are dear to us. 
 
 What is that "breadth, and length, and de})th, 
 and height"? It is the love into which they 
 have been introduced with Christ in the divine 
 purposes. No words will measure that love. A 
 dialectic Apostle can only say "breadth, and 
 length, and depth, and height." Sanctified imagi- 
 nation can train her wings in soaring to those 
 "heights" — 
 
 "Whose top 
 Brightness had made invisible." *- 
 
 Words will not reveal them. They are in tlie 
 heavenlies, and are made to sit together in the 
 heavenlies in Christ Jesus. They are with Him, 
 
 ' 1 Thess. 4:0. 2 1 ,Iobn 4:7, S. 
 
 •' Verse 18. * ''Paradise Lost,'' T)!)'.). 
 
(\{) STUDIES IN EFHESIAKS. 
 
 " far al:)ove all principality and power and might 
 and dominion." They look out on this wide scene 
 extending infinitely beyond any limit: they are at 
 the center, but no circle circumscribes the immen- 
 sity of the display; before them rolls an ocean of 
 love limited only by those shores which shut in 
 the infinite nature of the infinite God. 
 
 We have been launched into the infinitude of 
 the love, and now are brought back to a well- 
 known point, the love of Christ. He would not 
 permit us to 1)e lost in those exalted scenes, and 
 hence introduces Christ's love. Yet, still not to 
 bring us back to narrow bounds. It is bound- 
 less ; " it passeth knowledge." ^ It fills us, when 
 known in deep experience, " with all the fullness 
 of God." ' 
 
 Yea, it " passeth knowledge." We may illus- 
 trate. We may say a father and a son are con- 
 demned to die by the executioner's ax. No 
 executioner can be found. Life is offered to 
 the one, either father or son, who will become 
 executioner of the other. Each in turn urges the 
 other to take his life. The son partially consents. 
 The hour is come; lifting the ax, he throws it 
 away, places his head upon the block, and says : 
 " Father, we will die together." Well are there 
 bronze statues to commemorate such love. But 
 the love of Christ " passeth knowledge." 
 
 1 Verse 19. 
 
PRATER TO THE FATHER OF OUR LORD. (51 
 
 We may speak of the ])riiicess, who, when her 
 husband is wounded with a poisoned arrow, to 
 save his life sucks the fatal poison from the 
 wound. That poison she knows will in a few 
 hours destroy her own life. Yet love gives her 
 life for his. But the love of Christ " passeth 
 knowledge." 
 
 The mother in the storm of snow and lost in 
 the wild mountains, to the last moment bears the 
 infant in her warm bosom. Now that she finds it 
 chilling, she tears the garments from her limlis, 
 wraps it warm and snug, and when the mother is 
 found cold in death, her only garment is the 
 white shroud of snow. The child lives. 
 
 " She stripped her mantle from her breast, 
 And bared her bosom to the storm." ^ 
 
 But the love of Christ " passeth knowledge." 
 
 He sat " in bliss imbosomed," yet came to save 
 our rebellious world. 
 
 "That glorious form, that light imsufferable, 
 And that far-beaming blaze of majesty, 
 He laid aside ; and here with us to be. 
 Forsook the courts of everlasting day, 
 And chose with us a darksome house of mortal 
 cla}%"^ 
 
 1 " Seed Com for the Sower." 
 2. Milton, " Tlu' Nativity," 2. 
 
()2 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 AMien looking on such infinite love, well might 
 
 "The stars with deep amaze 
 Stand fixed iu steadfast gaze," i 
 and — 
 
 "The sun himself withhold his wonted sjieed."' • 
 
 ^Ve wonder not, with such a display of the 
 nature of that God who "is love" being made, 
 tliat " suddenly there was with the angel a multi- 
 tude of the heavenly host^ praising God " and 
 making " full concert to the angelic symphony." ^ 
 That love " passeth knowledge," for its measure 
 is the cross. 
 
 We are thus filled " with all the fullness of 
 God." " And of His fullness have all we received, 
 and grace for grace." Says a great German, the 
 prayer here is, " That ye may be filled with di- 
 vine gifts of grace to such an extent that the 
 whole fullness of them shall have passed over 
 upon you."^ 
 
 The Apostle closes with a great ascription of 
 glory. " Now unto Him that is able to do exceed- 
 ing abundantly above all that we ask or think ac- 
 cording to the power that worketh in us."* The 
 power of God that works in us exceeds our 
 prayers, yea, even our thoughts.":^ He here names 
 not the power that worketh for us in raising us 
 with Christ to sit together in heavenly places, but 
 
 ' Miltou. "The Nativity," 6, 7. '- "Paradise Lost," Book V, 596. 
 ^ Meyer in loco, * Verse 20, 
 
rix'AYKR TO THE FATHER OF OUR LORD, (k} 
 
 the power that worketh in us, strengthening- us, 
 causing us to comprehend tlie glory, to know the 
 love of Christ, and to be filled with all the full- 
 ness of God. 
 
 " TTnto Him be glory." ' Amen and Amen. 
 
 "In the Church by Jesus Christ throughout all 
 ages" ' let that glory rise in thunders of acclaim. 
 Every redeemed saint consumes his life in songs 
 of " harmony divine ; " so soothing his charming 
 tones, "that God's own ear listens delighted." ' 
 
 " Praise Him with the psaltery and harp, 
 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance, 
 Praise Him with stringed instilments and organs. 
 Praise Him witli high-sonnding cymbals." 
 1 Verse 21. ^ Milton. 
 
PRINCIPLES OF CHURCH GROWTH. 
 
 A STUDY IN EPHESIANS, IV : t-l6. 
 
 " May groiv up into Him in all things uihich is 
 the Head, even Christ.'''' — Eph. 4 : ij. 
 
 THE great theme of the Epistle to the Ephe- 
 sians is the church. It treats first of the 
 great mystery now revealed, of the union of the 
 Jew and Gentile in one body. The church is 
 the bride of Christ, which He loved and for which 
 He gave Himself; He cherisheth and nourish eth 
 with holy care; it is His body, the fullness of 
 Him that filleth all in all. There is but one 
 church — the militant and triumphant are but 
 one; the militant, by whatever name you call 
 it, is but one — the one body of the one Head, 
 even Christ. Because Ephesians teaches of the 
 church, it takes us into the heavenly places in 
 Christ, and introduces us into the innermost 
 shrine of divine truth, unveils to us the heart of 
 Clirist loving His church from before the founda- 
 tion of the world. The Apostle fills the cup of 
 salvation at this holy fountain, and gives us to 
 drink of the sweetest nectar of gospel truth. 
 
 In the text before us to-day he sj^eaks of the 
 growth of the church ; " may grow up into Him 
 I <H I 
 
ruixcirLKs of cuviwii lUioWTii. (15 
 
 in all things." ' " From whom the whole body 
 . . . maketh increase of the body unto the edify- 
 ing of itself in love."-' What are the ])rinei])les of 
 church growth? \\'hat are the true and divinely 
 given conditions for her expanding life? Some 
 say one thing, some another; l)ut let us search 
 the word of God for those conditions, and then 
 see to it that we establish them about our church 
 that it may increase " with the increase of God." 
 I. The first })rincii)le is the indwelling of God 
 ill the church by His Spirit, and the realization of 
 that fad hij its members. " In whom ye also 
 are builded together for an habitation of God 
 through the Spirit."' True Christian conduct 
 must flow out of this indwelling of God. There 
 is a conduct becoming in a certain presence; a 
 gentleman before a lady ; a scholar l)efore his 
 teacher; so our conduct should be as becomes 
 God's presence, indeed, expressive of that pres- 
 ence, and indicative ever that through His Spirit 
 the church is CJod's dwelling-place. When re- 
 alized, this presence becomes power. As the 
 vitality of the life principle within the plant is 
 the power liy which it continues to unfold into 
 more and more perfect forms, so this indwelling 
 is the vital power liv which the church, despite 
 adverse conditions, grows continuously into a holy 
 tem])le in the Lord ; or to change the form of 
 1 Verse 1.".. ■-' Verse 16. •' Chap. 2 ; 2'4. 
 
 5 
 
66 STUDIES IJSr EFHESIAXS. 
 
 speech, is the energy by which the bride of 
 Christ clothes herself in heavenly beauty, so that 
 it may truly be said, " As a lily among the thorns 
 is my love among the daughters." ' 
 
 Witness the wonderful effects of this indwell- 
 ing. First, there is "lowliness and meekness."^ 
 When close to God, we must be lowly. When 
 looking on Him, and when the wondrous light of 
 His countenance fills our souls, our hearts ever 
 say, " None of self and all of Thee." Then in- 
 deed is it possible to be "long suffering;"'^ self 
 is not then to be important ; we can forbear " one 
 another in love." ' The great cold rock of self has 
 been rolled away, and the warm fountain of love 
 gushes out and flows on forever. " Love is of 
 God," and now self being removed. His nature is 
 in us and expresses itself through us. Next there 
 is carefulness to keep the unity of the Spirit.^ 
 God dwells in the church through His Sjnrit; 
 hence care to keep the unity of the Spirit. But 
 God is a God of peace, and hence a desire " to 
 keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of 
 peace." ^ 
 
 This unity is threefold. Unitji of the Spirit. 
 For there is one Holy Spirit which unites us to 
 the one body of Christ, and then reveals to us the 
 one hope of our calling. There are not a thou- 
 sand different hopes before a thousand different 
 
 • Song of Solomon 2:2. ^ Verse 2. ^ Verse 3. 
 
rillNCirLEH OF QHVmUI GIWWTII. (17 
 
 Christians, but one hope — to l)e holy and without 
 blame before Him in love. This is the beacon 
 light which guides every one of us through the 
 darkness of this life to the bright home of God. 
 
 There l^ the unhy of the Lord-slilp} We all owe 
 allegiance to one Lord. Every knee l)Ows at the 
 name of Jesus and worships Him as Lord. There 
 may be diversities of administrations, l)ut it is the 
 same Lord. One faith receives Him, and by one 
 holy spiritual baptism we are all united to Him. 
 
 But the unity is closer still. There is " one 
 God.""^ We all in the church worship the same 
 God, and in the recognition of Him we are one. 
 But sweeter than that ! Look at one special side 
 of God's nature, " one God and Father." '' Father 
 binds the family in perfect unity as with golden 
 liands. He is " above all " '^ in authority and af- 
 fection, and hence a true center of unity. He is 
 "through all"'- — everywhere in us — through all 
 our nature and through all our graces. "In you 
 all"" — the spring of every joy and of all happi- 
 ness. How could more perfect unity be conceived 
 than that the same loving God and Father should 
 be in every one of us? 
 
 Wonderful unity of the members of the cliurch 
 
 and of the whole church as an organism ! This 
 
 unity secures its growth. Dr. Hoge u-^es an 
 
 illustration in point. Tn the far West, owing to 
 
 ' Verse 5. '■' Verse 6, 
 
68 STUDIES IN ETHESIANS. 
 
 severity of storms and intensity of the cold, it is 
 next to impossible for trees to grow to any ade- 
 quate size. Hence they adopt this plan of co- 
 operation: By instinct they range in a circular 
 forest, ever presenting a front to the blast. A 
 friendly vine grows upon the ground, and covers 
 it often to the depth of a foot, so that the traveler 
 has a soft bed at will, and then the vine climbs 
 to a great height aljout the trees, and weaves a 
 robe to keep out the chilling blast. Thus roots 
 and 1)ody l)oth are protected, and locking their 
 branches above, they stand before the darkest 
 and fiercest blasts that sweep the Western skies, 
 and grow to be giants in this circular forest. 
 This growth is the result of union; while out 
 yonder, the tree that tried it alone is dwarfed 
 into a l)lasted shrub. 
 
 So comes growth to the church when the weak 
 help the strong, and the strong help the weak. 
 Isolated coals die upon the altar, 1jut gathered 
 into heaps, glow Avith seven- fold power and con- 
 sume the sweet incense into a grateful offering. 
 How powerless the rain drops! United, they 
 make a rill, and many rills form a river; many 
 rivers pour their tides into the infinite ocean 
 Avhose proud Avaves of power none can stay saAe 
 the Almighty. Men may differ as the billows ; 
 l)ut the church is " one as the sea." In her unity 
 is her power, and by means of lier unity comes 
 
PiUNCirLKs OF vHuncH aiiowru. (19 
 
 her liTowtli. The Lord ever dwell in uiir church, 
 
 filling our hearts with lowliness and meekness, 
 
 and binding our hearts into one, a holy and 
 
 blessed unity ! 
 
 II. The further rondition of growth is found in 
 
 the external (/!/!■'< of Christ to His church. All 
 
 ministerings are gifts to the church. All our 
 
 graces are according to the measure in which 
 .^i . . . ... 
 
 Christ has given them. The basis ot these gifts is 
 
 His victory. "When He ascended up on high, 
 He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto 
 men." ' He ascended far " above all heavens that 
 He might fill all things." He communicates to 
 the church the same power which gained the vic- 
 tory, and ministers this i)ower through men as 
 His instruments. " He gave some apostles, and 
 some proi)hets, and some evangelists, and some 
 pastors and teachers."' 
 
 Christ himself is the chief corner-stone upon 
 which all is built, and added to this as manifest- 
 ing Him are the apostles and prophets. These 
 still minister to the growth of the church through 
 the written Scri})tures which by inspired pen they 
 left us. The evangelist stands to call those with- 
 out to Christ. The pastor finds the essentials of 
 his duties performed in caring for those within, 
 watching their souls and ever leading them to the 
 green pastures of the divine word. He nmst do 
 1 Verses 8-10. -Verse 11. 
 
70 STUDIES IN EPBE8IAKS. 
 
 some teaching, yet it is not all teaching, and there- 
 fore the two words are used. Then there are 
 those Avhose gifts are for teaching only. The 
 heart of the evangelist yearns for the lost, and 
 prays that souls may be won; the heart of the 
 pastor yearns for the sheep of the fold, and prays 
 that they may walk in right paths. Evangelists 
 are named before pastors and teachers. We have 
 developed the pastorate to a great degree of per- 
 fection, but we need to use evangelists more than 
 we have done. God be praised for the evangel- 
 istic revival ! 
 
 The object of all these gifts of ministry is ac- 
 curately stated. First, individual saints are 
 regarded, "for the perfecting of the saints."' 
 Christ would have every saint perfect in heart 
 and life, and the ministry furnishes the means. 
 This perfecting shovild go on until we all come to 
 the unity of the faith, and every eye sees the 
 sweet truth of the gospel as it is. This unity will 
 find its center in maturing knowledge of the Son 
 of God. " Unto the measure of the stature " " of 
 Christ, would be blessed, but it says " the meas- 
 ure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."^ 
 That we may be full of all the graces of Christ, is 
 why Christ gave ministry. And also that we 
 might " grow up into Him in all things ; " ' to 
 grow up into Him in some things would be glori- 
 1 Verse 12. ^ Verse 13. ^ Verse 15. 
 
PlilNCirLES OF CHURCH GROWTH. 71 
 
 ous, l»ut " ill all thiiiji's " is beyond what imagina- 
 tion can picture. Next the church as an organism 
 is viewed, and we find the object of ministry to 
 be " the edifying of the body of Christ." ^ Christ 
 wills that the whole church in every part be 
 edified or built U]). Again, " from whom the 
 wliole body . . . maketh increase of the body 
 unto the edifying of itself in love." - 
 
 Every member of the body has his part in the 
 ministry. Do not sui)pose that all Christ's power 
 for the groAvth of the church is imparted through 
 official ministry. We find the word, "Unto every 
 one of us is given grace ; " ^ each of us has a spe- 
 cial niche — we all have some service, no matter 
 who we are. It is individualized. It is to every 
 member of the body. Is your life hidden and 
 lowly ? still you have a gift, and it must be used 
 for the growth of the church. " By that which 
 every joint supplieth;" each part gives some 
 supply for the whole, every lively soul builds up 
 others ; every play of Christian afi"ection compacts 
 the whole and knits together that it may increase 
 with the increase of God. 
 
 It is all " according to the eff'ectual working in 
 the measure of every part." ^ Here we learn that 
 Christ who fills all things works effectually in every 
 part. You should every one express that inward 
 working, and if you are doing absolutely nothing 
 
 1 Verse VI. '>■ Verse 16. » Verse 7. 
 
STUDIED IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 for the growth of the church, it is because you are 
 repressing the workings of His Holy Spirit in 
 your heart. There is not a man, woman, or child, 
 learned or unlearned, rich or poor, who is a 
 member of this church, who should not ])e adding 
 to its growth daily, and in whom Christ is not 
 working to that blessed end. 
 
 III. The third and last stated principle of 
 church growth is contimious union lolth Christ, its 
 Head. 
 
 " May grow up into Him in all things, which is 
 the Head, even Christ ; from whom the whole 
 body . . . maketh increase of the body unto the 
 edifying of itself in love." ' Christ is the great res- 
 ervoir of the church's blessing. " He filleth all 
 in all." " He ascended up far above all heavens, 
 that He might fill all things." '' 
 
 He is the reservoir of spiritual life. Our life is 
 hid with Christ in God. In Him was life, and 
 the life was the light of men. Through the 
 church's union with Christ, vital power flows 
 down into it, and si)iritual life manifests itself on 
 every side. The life-tide of His heart throbs 
 through the heart of the church, and she thrills 
 with His life. 
 
 He is the fountain of love ; in Him it rolls an 
 infinite tide. The church when united to Him 
 has that love flooding her heart and raising her 
 
 1 Verses 1."), 16. "-'Verse 10. 
 
PltmciPLEH OF CHURCH GROWTH 73 
 
 to His heavenly i)lane. There is "increase of the 
 l)0(ly unto the edifying of itself in love;" then 
 from her full heart the glad streams flow forth on 
 the arid deserts of the world, and they blossom as 
 the rose. 
 
 He is the source of the church's power. " All 
 power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." ' 
 He is "Christ the power of God." While the 
 church is in close and continuous union with 
 Him, she is filled with power, and when she 
 places her hands upon the bulwarks of Satan, the 
 electric power of Omnipotence lays them pros- 
 trate before her. Scarce does she wheel her 
 saints into line of battle before the hosts of dark- 
 ness are fleeing in consternation. The shades of 
 night flee smitten with the arrows of morning 
 light. " Be strong," sacramental host, " in the 
 Lord, and in the power of His might." ' 
 
 The body expresses the thoughts, desires, 
 wishes, and volitions of the head, and so will the 
 church in ever expanding grace, life, love, and 
 power express the desires, thoughts, and wishes 
 of her glorified Head. Without the Head she 
 can do nothing ; " holding the Head " she " in- 
 crf^aseth with the increase of God."^ 
 
 as, my dear brethren, for our church keep 
 close to Christ and use all the life, love, and 
 })Ower that is in Him for her growth. He is 
 
 1 Matt. '28 : IS. ^ Chaj). (> : 10. ^ Col. 2 : 19. 
 
74 STtlDIES IX EPHESIANS. 
 
 inexhaustible. Have you not, as you beheld the 
 sun put aside the golden curtains of the morning 
 and look forth upon the world, often thought, 
 how many winters' snows he has melted, how 
 many springs clothed the earth in verdure, how 
 many summers painted the flowers in beauty 
 and ripened the luscious fruits, how many hun- 
 dred autumns locked his golden beams in the 
 waving harvests ? yet there he is in all the power 
 and glory which he possessed when first the earth 
 smiled beneath his beams. 80 Christ shines 
 upon our church to-day — He has melted thou- 
 ands of frozen hearts, ripened the buds of grace, 
 caused them to blossom in beauty, and beneath 
 His maturing rays, harvest after harvest of souls 
 have been gathered into heavenly garners ; yet 
 there, my brethren, to-day He shines U])on our 
 church in pristine power and splendor. beams 
 of the Sun of Righteousness, give us health and 
 growth ! 
 
THE CHRISTIAN WALK. 
 
 A STUDY IN EPHESIANS, IV: 17-32. 
 
 '^7 '/lis I say therefore and testify in tlie Lord, 
 that ye henceforth 7oa!k not as other Gen- 
 tiles walky — EpJi. 4 : ig. 
 
 THE Apostle begins the third and fourth chap- 
 ters of the Epistle to the Ephesians with a 
 very tender personal appeal. Renames himself: 
 " I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gen- 
 tiles," ^ and again touches the same pathetic fact 
 thus : " I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, be- 
 seech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation 
 wherewith ye are called." ' He lay in the Mam- 
 artine prison a " prisoner of the Lord," or be- 
 cause of his allegiance to the Lord. He was a 
 prisoner for Christ's sake. 
 
 He states in whose behalf he was a captive : 
 " The prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles." 
 The word " Gentiles " suggests the dispensation of 
 the grace of God to him in making Jiim, the one 
 less than the least of all saints, the Apostle of the 
 great mystery that the Gentiles should be " fellow- 
 heirs of the same body." He had been sent to 
 'Cliai.. :? ; 1. -Verse 1. 
 
 [75] 
 
STUDIES IN FPHESIAXS. 
 
 preach " the unsearchable riches of Christ . . . 
 to the intent that unto principalities and powers 
 in heavenly places might be known by the church 
 the manifold wisdom of God.'" This extending 
 the gospel to the Gentiles was but the unfolding 
 of " the eternal purpose which He purposed in 
 Christ Jesus our Lord." Such was the reason of 
 his imprisonment, and therefore he desires the 
 Ephesians not to faint at his tribulations for 
 them, which really were tribulations bringing to 
 them the glory of the gospel. 
 
 Hence, the appeal is also to us. To us he 
 speaks as a prisoner of the Lord. To us as a pris- 
 oner for us Gentiles he appeals ; inasmuch as the 
 door of the gospel was flung wide open for the 
 Gentiles to enter God's temples of mercy, he urges 
 us to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we 
 are called, and states as a general principle that 
 Ave should not walk as the Gentiles walk. 
 
 We have here the principles of the Christian 
 walk : — 
 
 I. The first princijjle is that the Christian has 
 put off the old man and put on the new. 
 
 They were previously darkened in their " un- 
 derstanding," '^ and that because they were " alien- 
 ated from the life of God." ' They were ignorant, 
 and this ignorance had its source in " blindness 
 of their heart." ^ Life precedes light. There is 
 1 Chap. 3: 8-10. ^^ Verse 18. 
 
THE QHlilSTlAN WALK. 
 
 first " the Word," and then in Him is found 
 " life," and afterward that life becomes " the light 
 of men." Not having these essentials, the Gen- 
 tiles soon became in their moral degeneration 
 " past feeling," and consequently gave themselves 
 " over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness 
 with greediness." ' Behold the depths to which 
 one sinks who never knew the revealing "Word," 
 and hence knew not the life of (lod, nor its liglit. 
 
 Blessed change ! The "Word " was made flesli, 
 and He can now say, " Ye have not so learned 
 Christ."^ Having "heard Him"^ and "been 
 taught by Him,"'' they knew tlie truth as it is in 
 Jesus. They must then have put off the old man, 
 and have put on the new. "Put off" ])eing in 
 past time, we are taught that when tliey believed, 
 they did constructively and professedly put off 
 tlie old man and put on the new. 
 
 The old man is described as being corrupt. 
 This is of course moral corruption, and the gene- 
 sis of the whole matter has been explained above. 
 There is an evil heart, a corrupt nature, so that 
 the whole man is alienated from the life that is in 
 God. The old man is given over to "deceitful 
 lusts " * which lead them captive. Hence, the old 
 man " waxeth corrupt." According to Christian 
 profession they must not live in obedi'nice to the 
 lust of this old man. 
 
 1 Verse 19. ^ Verse '30. ■' Verse 21. * \Ci- e 22. 
 
78 STUDIES IN EFHESIANS. 
 
 What a beautiful contrast! They had been 
 taught to " be renewed " ' by the Holy Spirit. 
 Their minds must l)e by His gracious influence 
 brought into a new and blessed state. 
 
 They must live as the new man. What is his 
 character? He is "after God'" — created after 
 God's pattern, in accordance with God's thoughts, 
 and is after God's heart. This new man is created 
 "in righteousness and true holiness."" This is 
 not merely negative, not mere innocence, but is 
 positive righteousness. He is morally like God, 
 and his image is restored. Morever, there is the 
 holiness of truth. We are chosen that Ave should 
 be " holy and without blame before him in love." 
 Christ dwells within us. " Nevertheless I live, 
 yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." In Colos- 
 sians : " The new man which is renewed in knowl- 
 edge after the image of Him that created him."^ 
 Whose image ? Christ's, without doubt. Ye are 
 His workmanship. So, then, the old man with 
 all his thoughts, affections, words, and deeds, 
 must be put off, and the new man put on with 
 his thoughts, affections, words, and deeds. 
 
 How practical all this becomes ! The Apostle 
 indicates how the new man expresses his nature 
 in practice. "Putting away lying,"* we are to 
 "speak every man the trutli with his neighbor."* 
 The father of lies is no longer our father, l)ut tlie 
 1 Verse 33. -'Verse 24. ''Col. 3:10. * Verse 35, 
 
THE CHRISTIAN WALK. 79 
 
 God of truth. We are of the truth. Indeed, -we 
 are born " not of corruptible seed, but of incor- 
 rui)tible, by the word of God which liveth and 
 al)ideth forever." We are sanctified through the 
 truth, and find the truth the celestial manna 
 upon which our souls feed. We cannot lie. We 
 cannot but speak the truth. 
 
 What a beautiful reason is assigned : " For we 
 are members one of another." We are united to 
 Christ. He is the Head, and we are all members 
 of His body. If one member lies to another, lie 
 injures the body, nay, he injures himself. Our 
 interests are mutual, as are the interests of the 
 hand and the eye. " The eye cannot say unto 
 the hand, I have no need of thee ; nor again, the 
 head to the feet, I have no need of you." ' Again : 
 "And whether one member suffer, all the mem- 
 bers sutler with it ; or one member be honored, 
 all the members rejoice with it. Now, ye are the 
 body of Christ and members in particular."^ 
 
 " Be angry and sin not." ^ The passion of an- 
 ger arises in his breast in view of evil, and when 
 evil is removed, that instant the soul returns to 
 its Ghrist-like calm and peace. Should he let 
 anger burn one moment after evil has disap- 
 peared, he would sin, and bitterness would linger 
 in his heart. The sun goes not down upon his 
 wrath. 
 
 1 1 (or. \2:2\. "■ ] Cor. 1:^ : 20. :>7. » Vcrsp 20. 
 
80 STUDIED IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 The wicked one is in the world. We ought not 
 to open the door for Satan. No place should be 
 given to the devil, but our hearts should be filled 
 with the truth and the Holy Sj^irit. A " Get thee 
 behind me Satan," as a sword of the Spirit, 
 should meet his every advance, and put him to 
 fiight as dark shadows flee before the beams of 
 the sun. 
 
 He who before stole, steals " no more." ' The 
 life is changed. Industry is a Christian principle, 
 and hence we find him " working with his hands 
 the thing which is good." ' What a sweet motive, 
 too, is supi^lied in the words, " that he may have 
 to give to him that needeth."' How divine labor 
 becomes when wrought in such a heavenly spirit, 
 and how beautiful the hands that are hardened 
 with such toil ! Here is labor's mount of trans- 
 figuration. 
 
 The tongue is guarded. " Let no corrupt com- 
 munication proceed out of your mouth."'- Only 
 tliat which is pure should spring from the fount- 
 ain of a pure heart. The words coming from the 
 heart should be pure. How the Scripture guards 
 (wr words! WeW it ir\i\y. We have but to watch 
 the history of a careless word. 
 
 "Aye, 't was but a word, a careless word, 
 As tliistle-dowu it seemed as light ; 
 It paused a moment in the air. 
 
 Then swiftly onward winged its flight." 
 
 1 Verse 28. - Verse 29. 
 
THE CHA'ISTIAiV WALk'. 
 
 It could not pass alone. 
 
 "Another lip ciiiinht up the word 
 
 And breatlied it with a haughty sneer : 
 It gathered weight as on it sped — 
 That careless word — in its career." 
 
 The circle intluenced widens, and — 
 
 " Then rumor caught the tiying word, 
 And busy gossip gave it weight, 
 Until that little word became 
 The vehicle of angry hate." 
 
 The one who spoke cannot arrest the dread con- 
 sequences as now he realizes — 
 
 ■' That word was winged with lire, 
 Its mission was a thing of pain. 
 For soon it fell like lava drops 
 Upon a slowly tortured brain." ^ 
 
 Deeper will work the dread evils of corrupt 
 words. Their history can only be written by a 
 pen dipped in hell. Only \)uve, sweet words must 
 come from the heart cleansed with the blood of 
 Christ. Sliglitly clianging a i)oetic strain, we 
 have our thoughts well expressed : — 
 
 '■ Pure, holy words — scatter them along your earthly way. 
 As you would strew the blossoms fair that beautify the 
 
 day ; 
 Some famishing and fainting soul would gladly pick 
 
 th(Mn up ; 
 Pure, lioly words may turn aside the deep and bitter cup. 
 Sweet, holy words ;iie like tlic dew, and as the summer 
 
 rain 
 That as a benediction falls, and falleth not in vain."' 
 ti ' <.>iiotcil ill ITomeh'tic Review. 
 
82 STUDIES IN EPHESIAXS. 
 
 Our mouths may well utter " that which is 
 good to the use of edifying," ' that which builds 
 other souls up in holy life and Christ-like charac- 
 ter, and that which ministers " grace unto the 
 hearers." How heavenly our world would be if 
 all obeyed these divine injunctions ! Paradise 
 would bloom on every hand, and celestial songs 
 cheer our planet as she moved on her orbit be- 
 neath divine benedictions. 
 
 II. The second principle bearing upon the 
 Christian walk is the presence of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 This thought is stated in the thirtieth verse : 
 "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby 
 ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."'^ 
 Nothing is to be felt, thought, or done, which 
 would grieve that holy Being or be unbecoming 
 His presence. 
 
 In the second chapter, the same great principle 
 was stated in a more positive form : " In whom all 
 the building fitly framed together groweth unto a 
 holy temple in the Lord."^ This refers to the 
 perfected temple in glory, but meanwhile "ye 
 also are builded together for an habitation of God 
 through the S})irit." * The inspired conclusion is, 
 " Therefore walk worthy of the ^'ocation where- 
 with ye are called."^ What a vocation indeed! 
 To be the habitation of God on earth through the 
 
 1 Verse 29. - Verse 30. '^ Chap. 2:31. 
 
 *Chap. 2 : 32. •'''Verse 1. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN WALK. 83 
 
 Spirit! SiU'h a vocation brings us more tlian 
 heaven, for it gives us the celestial One out of 
 heaven, and makes His habitation in our souls. 
 The whole conduct of the Christian flows Ironi 
 the realized presence of the Spirit in the church 
 and in each believer. Our walk must be sucli as 
 expresses this indwelling of God and such also as 
 becomes it. 
 
 The Ajfostle notes the practical results of this 
 precious })resence of God in the energy of the 
 Spirit. 
 
 There is humility ; we are occupied with God ; 
 we delight in His lilessed presence, His wonderful 
 grace, His boundless love and infinite nature, and 
 lo! self is forgotten. The precious presence of 
 (lod in the energy of the Spirit makes endeavor 
 to keep " the unity of the Spirit." ' In the flesh 
 each stands apart; in the Spirit we are bound 
 together, and tender ties of mutual love l»ind us 
 all in one. One S})irit produces oneness of fruits. 
 There is one body, and though it has many parts, 
 they are animated by a common life, even " one 
 Spirit producing oneness of purpose, design, and 
 action." 
 
 When tlie Spirit is present, then comes unity 
 and peace. The Spirit has led all to accept ''one 
 I^ord,"'^ has awakened "one faith,"-' and given 
 "one baptism."^ All are baptized into Christ. 
 
 1 Verse 3. '^ Verse 5, 
 
84 STUDIES IN EPHESIAXS. 
 
 Then with tender, loving hearts we all cry 
 " Abba " to " one God and Father." ' 
 
 The Holy Spirit of God seals us unto the day of 
 redemption. God sets His seal upon us. That 
 seal gives us assurance of salvation and guaran- 
 tees all the power of God for our preservation 
 until the day of completed redemption. Tliis 
 strengthens us and furnishes us with motives 
 and power for the Christian walk. Conscious of 
 being saved, and God having sealed this boon to 
 me, I can act rightly toward others. God has 
 pardoned and saved, hence all "bitterness,"" 
 " wrath," '^" anger,"'" and "evil speaking"^ to- 
 ward the objects of the same blessed salvation, 
 vanish away. All must l)e kind one to another, 
 tender-hearted, and forgive one another. The 
 Spirit shows us how " God ["in Christ," R, V.] 
 hath forgiven us," ' and the life under the iniiu- 
 ence of this sweet truth is reformed. 
 
 We should indeed be " filled with the Spirit." ' 
 When in this blessed condition, every feeling, 
 ever}^ thought, every Avord, and every act is 
 mouliled by the Holy One. Tlien dtjes jo}' flow 
 I'orth in continue. 1 streams of unending delight 
 from the full heart. The one full of the Spirit 
 speaks " in psalms and hymns and spiritual 
 songs, singing and making melody in your heart 
 
 1 Verse (J. '^ Verse 31. 
 
 2 Verse 3'3, • Chap, h : IS. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN WALK. 
 
 to the Ijortl," ' and the divinest melody sAveetens 
 life as some note from the unutterable glory- 
 touches the soul and fills it with symphonies of 
 Heaven. Outward circumstances are nothing. 
 The skies may be overcast, darkness may gather 
 on every hand, the lightnings may blaze, the 
 thunders roll, the earth treml)le, friends fail, and 
 dear ones pass away ; but the perennial fountain 
 of joy bursts forth as a spring in the great desert 
 of human life, and amid all the storms, "giving 
 thanks "' hushes the tem])est into the calm, rich 
 music of God's own voice. 
 
 Thus the indwelling of the Spirit enriches and 
 beautifies the Christian life. How pure, how 
 holy, how perfect one should l)e in whom God's 
 Spirit temples and holds daily comnuinion. 
 
 The Poet Laureate expresses this principle in 
 s})eaking of communion with his dead Arthur : — 
 
 "How pure at heart and sound in head, 
 With what divine affections bold, 
 Should be the man whose thoughts would hold 
 An hour's communion with the dead." 
 
 "In vain shalt thou or any call 
 
 The spirits from their golden day, 
 E.xcept, like them, thou too, canst say, 
 My spirit is at peace with all," ^ 
 
 What manner of j)eople should we l)e in whom 
 He dwells! "For the temple of God is holy, 
 
 ' Chap. 5 : 19. '' Chap. 5 : 20. ^ •' Tii Mftnoiiaiii." 
 
86 STUDIES IK EPHESIAJStS. 
 
 which temple ye are." "What? Know ye not 
 that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghosst 
 which is in you which ye have of God? . . . There- 
 fore glorify God in your body and in your spirit 
 which are God's." ' ^^"alk worthy of the vocation 
 wherewith ye are called. What persons, then, 
 would be a church of Christians who realized this 
 divine truth and lived up to its lofty standard ! 
 Its benign influence would soon in richest bless- 
 ings circle the world. She would be a sun with 
 the beauty of the morning waking the happy in- 
 habitants of the earth to behold the glory of the 
 celestial day of salvation. 
 
 The same great truths are enforced upon us in 
 the fifth chapter,' while as children we are urged 
 to imitate God our Father, by walking in love 
 and as children of the light. 
 
 1 1 Cor. 6 : 19, 20. 
 
IMITATORS OF GOD. 
 
 A STUDY IN EPHESIANS, V : 1-14. 
 
 '• Be ye therefore followers of God as dear 
 children.^' — Eph. J : i. 
 
 PAUL testifies that Christians shall not walk as 
 other Gentiles walk. The l)eliever has not so 
 learned Christ. Having heard His voice and 
 been taught liy Him, we know the truth as it is 
 in Jesus. That all-important cardinal truth is 
 that the Christian has i)ut off' the old man and 
 has put on the new. The new man is " after God," 
 has been created " in righteousness and true holi- 
 ness,"' "is renewed in knowledge after the image 
 of Him that created him," ^ and Christ is all and 
 in all. The believer's nature comes from God as 
 an expression and reflection of what He is in 
 righteousness and holiness, and hence, the life is 
 to be a beautiful image of the Divine. The next 
 principle is the presence of the Holy Spiritj 
 " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God by whom you 
 have been sealed for tlie day of redemption." 
 It is God himself who dwells within us ; nothing 
 in feeling, thought, word, or action, unworthy of 
 God himself, ought to go on in us or out from us. 
 This plane of Christian living is exalted ! Yes, a 
 
 1 Chap. 4:24. '-i Col. 3:10. ^cbnp. 4 ; 30. 
 
 [87] 
 
STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 new man in ri(>hteousness and holiness and truth 
 and after the |)erfect imao;e of ('hrist! In truth 
 it is a high calling. But the fifth chapter opens 
 by lifting us to the very heavenlies, and places 
 our feet upon the summits white with the very 
 light of God, where it says : " Be ye followers of 
 God as dear cliildren." ' More exactly, " Be ye 
 imitators of God as dear children." Moral eleva- 
 tion ! Can you conceive of anything higher than 
 that? Imitators of God ! We are called to imi- 
 tate Him in the [principles of His conduct. We 
 should be characterized by that which character- 
 izes God. 
 
 How sweet and tender this appeal! It woos 
 the heart of the child to l)e like his Father. In- 
 asmuch as we are of the family of God, we ought 
 to be like (Jod our Father. " Be ye therefore per- 
 fect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." 
 Consider what it is to be imitators of God. 
 
 I. Taking the most essential name of God^ he calls 
 us to imitate God in love. " God is love." '' He that 
 dwelleth in love dwelleth in God."'^ So we are 
 called to be imitators of God by walking " in love." 
 
 This is not the voice of law. Law says love thy 
 neighl)or as thyself. Men lift their hands almost 
 in horror at the suggestion of lieing called to at- 
 tain so high a standard. High indeed it is ! Yet 
 here is one still more loft}^ suggestive of the pure 
 'Verse 1. «Johu 4 : 8, 16. 
 
I MIT A TO US OF GOD. 80 
 
 throne of God itself. Here you ti'o Leyond law, 
 and give yourself up for others. There is here 
 implied some necessity, some evil demanding de- 
 votednessT-the giving up of self for another. 
 We are to walk in love " as Christ also hath loved 
 us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and 
 a sacrifice to God.'" Upon the occasion for it, 
 our ruin and loss, our guilt and shame, lie loved 
 us with this devoting love, and gave, not His 
 crown, not His scepter, not His throne, not His 
 Father's house, not His heaven, Init He gave 
 Hhrm'lf. Law never asked that. It was love's 
 free, unmeasured self-devotion and self-giving. 
 In such love we are called to walk. 
 
 That love measures vast infinitude. It gave 
 itself for us; it^ stooped from the loftiest jnnnacle 
 of glory in God's universe down to the bleeding 
 cross; its objects were the inhal)itants of yon 
 wandering world of woe, launching out into the 
 blackness of darkness. " In due time, while we 
 were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly."-' 
 The ungodly ! Behold the depths ! Yet below it 
 all His love reached down and bathed the cross 
 in the blood of Christ " for us." '' While stooping 
 infinitely for us, it was noble, ever lofty, ever 
 pure, separate from sin, ever worthy of God ; for 
 He gave Himself an offering and a sacrifice " to 
 God." ^ That consecrated the ofl'ering. The fact 
 
 1 Verse 2. '^ Rom. 5:0. » Veise 3. 
 
90 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 that through the whole it was "to God," kept 
 the sacrifice pure and made the incense sweet 
 even in heaven. Hanging upon a cross, ahove 
 which gathered the avenging lightnings of justice 
 and holiness, could not stain or mar the One who 
 did it all "to God." Walk, then, in the love 
 which devotes self for others, a sacrifice to God. 
 Note, too, that as the text says, " Be imitators of 
 God," that it is God Himself who is the standard 
 of our conduct. He is the measure of life for us. 
 Christ, who is God Himself, the full expression of 
 God's nature and the exhibition of all the princi- 
 ples of God's heart, is the One to whom we are 
 pointed. " Walk in love as Ghrist also hath 
 loved us." This lifts our eyes to the white throne 
 of the glorified Christ, and says, Imitate the King 
 
 * 
 
 Eternal. 
 
 How this atmosphere of purity must quench all 
 evil ! " Fornication and all uncleanness or covet- 
 ness " ' cannot be once named in the presence of 
 the holy injunction. Walking in love we live " as 
 becometh saints." ' " Filthiness " ^ and " foolish 
 talking " ■^ now also drop away and disappear from 
 the life. " Nor jesting ! " '•' That, too, withers as a 
 weed of the darkness under the light of the sun ; 
 not that there is a cloud in the heavens of such 
 perfect love, nor that its heart is not filled with 
 the nmsic of divine joy, but these light things are 
 ^ Verse 3. ^ Verse 4. 
 
IMITATOBS OF ODD. 91 
 
 unworthy of a being in whose heart immortality 
 throbs, and upon whose brow rests the jeweled 
 crown of God's own blessing and benediction. 
 
 Nor into this kingdom of C'hrist and (Jod — 
 this kingdom whose throne and scepter and 
 crown is love — can a " covetous man, who is an 
 idolater," ' enter. Loving self, or that wliich min- 
 isters to self, he cannot live in the atmosphere of 
 such perfect self-devotion. He would shrivel to 
 nothing " -neath the rays of love which stream 
 from the glory inaccessilde, and gladden with 
 the effulgence of God's own nature the loving 
 ranks of the blest." 
 
 II. Taking the other essential name of God, we 
 are to imitate Him l)y " walking as children of 
 the light." - 
 
 "God is light and in Him is no darkness 
 at all." 
 
 "Hail, holy light, offspring of heaven's Firstborn 
 Or of the eternal, co-eternal beam, 
 May I express Thee unblamed ? since God is light. 
 And never but in imapproached light 
 Dwelt from eternity, dwelt, then, in Thee, 
 Bright effulgence of bright essence increate."^ 
 
 So too, "ye," who "were sometimes darkness," 
 
 are "liglit in the Lord."' "He that followeth 
 
 I\Ie shall not walk in darkness, Ijut shall have the 
 
 light of life." 
 
 ^ Verse 5. ^ Verse 8. 
 
 * "Paradise Lost," chap. Ill, 1-6. 
 
92 STUDIES IN EPHESIAlsrs. 
 
 Since we are children of the light, what should 
 be the fruit of our lives? "The fruit of the 
 Spirit " — a beautiful touch — " fruit of the light " 
 is " in all goodness " — good in every respect and 
 in every relation should the Christian be; "and 
 righteousness," perfect justice and uprightness 
 should mark his dealings with his fellow-man in 
 every phase of life ; " and truth " ' — truth is 
 loved in the heart, he is born of the truth, is 
 sanctified by the truth, and indeed truth charac- 
 terizes all that he does. B}' ])earing such fruit as 
 this it is that we learn " what is acceptable unto 
 the Lord."'^ Walking in the light, we receive 
 more light, and thus the opening dawn of the 
 Christian life increases until the perfect light 
 shines upon a path which lies across the l)right 
 fields of Eden. The light may not now to our 
 eyes shine all the way ; it may only illumine one 
 step ahead, but take that step, and God's word 
 for it, the pathway will become clearer until the 
 soul comes to God. 
 
 Hence, comes an entire separation from evil. 
 The fruits of the light woo the eyes of men and 
 angels, and God Himself looks down with pleas- 
 ure upon His garden of beauty. " Have no fel- 
 lowship with the unfruitful works of darkness."'' 
 Light and darkness do not mingle. The darkness 
 flees before the light, smitten to death by its 
 
 1 Verse 9. - Verse 10. ^ Verse 11. 
 
IMITATORS OF dOD. 03 
 
 liolden shafts. So must our lives not partake of 
 the evil, hut must smite all sin and evil with the 
 light of God which shines in our heart. So we 
 " reprove" tlie darkness, and sin dies 
 
 "And youder shines Aurora's liaiitingXT ; 
 At whose ai)i)roa('h f>Iiosts, wandering here and there, 
 Tro()|) home to clmrchyards." ' 
 
 Hence, too, the heliever is to manifest the true 
 condition of things. Thus in the Christian's pres- 
 ence, sins a})pear more hideous, and even the 
 world will not he found guilt}' of the grosser forms 
 of iniquity. Men commit ^lot in the light many 
 a savage deed, concerning which they would not 
 hesitate in the darkness. 
 
 " Knowest tiiou not. 
 That when tlie searchinor eye of iieaven is liid 
 Behind tlie gh)be, and liglits the lower world, 
 Then thieves and robbers range abroad uns.'en. 
 In murders and in outrage bloody here ; 
 But when, from under this terrestrial ball 
 He fires the proud tops of the eastern pines. 
 And darts his light throu'jrh every guilty hole. 
 Then murders, treasons and detested sins, 
 Tlie cloak of night bein^' plucked from off their backs. 
 Stand l)are and naked, trembling at themselves.'"'' 
 
 Thus hy simply letting our light so sliine, Ave 
 are to glorify our Father which is in heaven 
 How could you remove the dense darkness which 
 
 i".\ Miilsuiiinu'r-Nii;ht's DrcMiii," Act Fll. 
 ■-'Sliukcspcare, -'King Kirliurl II, "• Ad 111. 
 
94 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 lianas over tliese hills and valleys when ni«;ht 
 reigns supreme? Not by talking altout the dark- 
 ness, not by stumbling through it, and not even 
 by denouncing the darkness; Init simply let 
 the or!) of day rise in golden splendor over yon 
 mountain crest, and lo ! the darkness has fled 
 from hill-top and valley, and all the fair scenes of 
 nature gladden our hearts. So not by denouncing 
 sin, l)ut 1 1}^ letting the glorious light of God shine 
 down upon the valleys of life, can the Christian 
 do his God-given work. 
 
 Hence, too, God is our example and pattern. 
 Christ again is pointed out. He is "the light of 
 the world." " Awake, thou that sleepest, and 
 arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee 
 light." ' I get the full light in Christ. The peo- 
 ple of the Avorld are all dead ; the inconsistent 
 Christian is asleej), lying as one dead among the 
 dead. The spirit calls such an one to awake, — 
 he is indeed alive, — and Christ will give thee 
 light, and all shall see that you are children of 
 the light. 
 
 "The sacred influence 
 Of light api)ears/' - 
 
 and lifts the soul to heavenly activity. 
 
 " So much the rather, thou celestial light, 
 Shiue inward, and the mind through all her powers 
 Irradiate." '^ 
 
 1 Verse 14, '' " Paradi.Ke Lost," Book II. 1034. 
 
IMITATORS OF GOD. 95 
 
 Well may the words of the blind poet mingle 
 in our pra3'ers. Light implies activity. Indeed, 
 activity is its very essence. Men of science tell 
 us that it travels at the rate of one hundred and 
 ninety thousand miles per second, and indeed 
 that it ceases to exist when it ceases its rapid 
 flight. What deep suggestions of Christian effort, 
 zeal, and activity for a lost world in the words, 
 " Ye are light." ' 
 
 Says an elegant writer: "Follow in imagina- 
 tion a single l)eam as emitted from the sun. 
 With inconceivable velocity it begins its excur- 
 sion into the unlimited fields of space. It flees 
 in a right line to our earth ; it touches our atmos- 
 l)here, and is at once refracted, l)ut not delayed 
 in its mission. Turned aside from its direct line 
 of approach, it still hurries on until it reaches the 
 goal. It touches the sunnnit of the hills, and 
 then leaps down to the vallc}^ ; it glances upon 
 the pale stream, and gilds it with a ' heavenly 
 alchemy ; ' reflected from the flashinu- waters, 
 it leaps up again ^vith undrooping activit}^ to 
 gladden the eye of man or to ' kiss with golden 
 lip the meadow green.' "^ Beautiful picture! 
 ]\Iay it truly paint nur activity as rays of light 
 from Him who is "the Light of the world." We 
 speed on our mission to dispel the darkness of 
 
 1 Verse 8. 
 2 Dr. J. W. Pratt, " Given to Christ," p. 134. 
 
9() STUDIES ly EPHESIANS. 
 
 sin and woe, and to fill the world with the life 
 and joy of heaven. 
 
 Another of the most essential ideas of li'^ht is 
 that of purity. Of all the works of God none ap- 
 proaches Rj-ht in its freedom from everything like 
 imi)uritv. Analyze it into its component rays, 
 and all is inire and l)cautiful. Poetry ever uses it 
 as the emljlem of unapi)roachal)le, immaculate 
 innocence. 
 
 Says Dr. Pratt: " It falls upon the petals of the 
 lily, and leaves no stain upon their velvety sur- 
 face ; it falls upon the damask of the rose, and it 
 blushes in unsullied beauty ; it kisses the fair 
 cheek of the maiden, and her virgin purity is un- 
 defiled ; it tails on the black cloud, ami lo ! it be- 
 comes a radiant glory ; it tails on the dark blue 
 mountains, and the far-off heights are clothed in 
 untarnished gold ; it falls on the dew-dro}), and 
 the greensward is decked with sparkling gems; it 
 falls on the cataract as the dark waters plunge into 
 the abyss, and the foam reflects it back to the eye 
 of the beholder, unsullied by the contact." ^ Thiis 
 the Christian is to be so spotless in his purity as 
 to contract no stain from contact with sin and 
 the world, and must lend the luster of the life 
 celestial to all wdio come within the realm of his 
 benign influence. 
 
 " See that ye walk circumspectly." ^ How prac- 
 1 " Given to Cliiist," paiii' \'.Vi. -Verse 15. 
 
IMITATORS OF (WD. 97 
 
 tical the conclusion ! " Redeeming the time." ' 
 God help us to redeem this precious gift ! " Be 
 filled with the Spirit."^ Then shall we sing and 
 make melody in our hearts to the Lord, and give 
 thanks always for " all things unto God and the 
 Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."* 
 
 ^ Verse 16. "■' Verse 18. ^ Verses 19, ao. 
 
 7 
 
THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE EPISTLE 
 OF THE HEAVENLIES. 
 
 A STUDY IN EPHESIANS, I : 13, U, 17; II : 18, 22; 
 III: 16; IV: 3, 4, 30; V : 18 ; VI : 17, 18. 
 
 ^' Be filled 7vith the Spirit:'— Eph. j ; i8. 
 
 THE great need of tlie church in the present 
 age is faith in the Holy Ghost. The church 
 has studied and accepted the doctrines connected 
 with God as Father and God as Son and Re- 
 deemer, but pays too little attention to God the 
 Holy Ghost. Can one believe in the Father and 
 reject the Son ? Nay, for only through the-Son do 
 you or can you know the Father. As truly can 
 we say, If 3^ou do not receive the Holy Ghost, you 
 can really know neither the Father nor the Son, 
 This is the dispensation of the Spirit. Christ 
 came into the world expressly to open a channel 
 for the Holy Spirit into the heart of man. John 
 calls Christ " the Lamb of God that taketh away 
 the sin of the world," and then states, " He shall 
 baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." 
 Just before being caught away into glory, Christ 
 said, " Receive ye the Holy Ghost," and thereby 
 gave character to our dispensation. 
 [98] 
 
THE EPISTLE OF THE HEAVENLIES. <|<) 
 
 Much is tavight us in the Ei)hesians coneeruinjr 
 the Avork of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 The Holy Spirit is a seal upon (hxV^ })Co}tlc. 
 " Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of prom- 
 ise."^ "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of (iod 
 whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemp- 
 tion." ^^'ith Owen we call attention U) the fact 
 tiiat these scriptures teach that the Holy Spirit 
 himself is the seal. We are not taught that some 
 operation or grace of the Spirit is the seal, but 
 the Spirit himself. The Spirit communicated is 
 the perfect seal. 
 
 The Holy Spirit thus communicated and work- 
 ing in the Christian, evidences his acceptance 
 with God. Peter argues that the (Jentiles are 
 accepted of God, and where lies the force 
 of the argument? — Just here. "God, which 
 knoweth the hearts, bore them witness." How? 
 — "Giving them the Holy Ghost," and that, too, 
 not as merely the worker of miracles, but " pu- 
 rifying their hearts by fliith."' How clear 
 the statement of the Apostle John : " Hereljy 
 we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit 
 which He hath given us." And again, " Hereby 
 know we that we dwell in God. and He in us, lie- 
 cause He hath given us of His Spirit." 
 
 Thus the Holy Si)irit seals believers unto the day 
 of redemption or of completed and final salvation. 
 
 I Chap. 1 : 13. =i Acts 1.5 : 8, 9. 
 
100 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 The Holy Spirit is the earned of future glory. 
 " Which is the earnest of our inheritance." ^ 
 
 Again, note that the Holy Spirit, not some 
 work or grace produced by Him, is the earnest. 
 Expressly is it stated that the Holy Spirit is the 
 " earnest of our inheritance." 
 
 What is an earnest? — It is a pledge for the secu- 
 rity of something future. It is the cash in hand 
 as a guarantee of good faith in making the de- 
 ferred payments. It is a part or pledge of the 
 whole. By the gift of the Spirit, God reveals 
 His designs of bestowing tlie whole inheritance. 
 He gives us this " well of water springing up into 
 everlasting life " as assurance that we shall drink 
 of the river of water of life " jjroceeding out of the 
 throne of God and the Lamb." We taste these 
 drops of bliss, and know that then we shall bathe 
 our glorified spirits is seas of bliss. The whole 
 inheritance is a certainty. Christ holds that in- 
 heritance in fee simple and as our trustee at the 
 same time. We are one with Him, " heirs and 
 joint-heirs." A^'e shall come into possession when 
 Ave are delivered from all sin, and our bodies 
 lifted from the grave and glorified. We walk the 
 thorny path of life now, Itut the Holy Spirit 
 given is an earnest that we shall tread the golden 
 streets, and, in rapt visions of glory, stand before 
 the throne of God. 
 
 ' Cbap. 1 : 14. 
 
THE EPISTLE OF THE HEAVENLIEH. IQl 
 
 The Holy Spirit gives accYxs to the Father. " For 
 tlirough Him we both have access by one Spirit 
 unto the Father." ' 
 
 Men are by nature "afar off," "aUens," and 
 " strangers and foreigners." Says the dejiarting 
 Ciirist to His disciples: "I will not leave you 
 comfortless ; " - that is, " I will not leave you or- 
 phans." Without the Comforter men are ori)hans 
 in an orphan workl. That Spirit leads us to the 
 Father. The access is "by one Spirit unto the 
 Father." " For as many as are led by the Spirit 
 of God, they are the sons of God." ^ The Spirit is 
 the distinctive mark of sonship. But more than 
 that, " Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, 
 whereby Ave cry, Abba, Father."^ The Spirit 
 inworks the heart of sons, and causes us to yearn 
 for the Father. And hence, how it lifts us ! 
 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit 
 that we are the children of God ; and if children, 
 then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with 
 Christ."* We are lone orphans no longer, but 
 are brought to the heart of God and feel the 
 ceaseless pulsing of the Father's love. 
 
 By the Holy Spirit God makes the believer and 
 the church if/.s habitation. "Ye also are builded 
 together for an habitation of God through the 
 Spirit."* Jesus promises before He departs " an- 
 
 1 Chap. 2:18. « John 14 : 18. ^ Rom. 8 : 14. 
 
 * Rom. S : 15. ^ Rom. 8 : Ifi. IT. ^Chap. 2: 22. 
 
102 STUDIES IN BPHESIANS. 
 
 other Comforter," one indeed '"wliom the world 
 cannot receive," but He says to His disciples, 
 " Ye know Him." Not only so, but He " shall be 
 in you ; " tlie Holy of Holies of His earthly abode 
 is not near, l>ut in the Christian. Again, Christ 
 says, " For He dwelleth with 3H0U."' He is not a 
 passing visitor coming with light and radiance 
 soon to leave us in darkness by departure. " He 
 shall give you another Comforter, that He may 
 abide with you."'-' An abode is a i)ermanent dwell- 
 ing place. But we did not complete the Script- 
 ure, " that he may abide with you ; " add the 
 word " forever," the quotation is correct, and eter- 
 nity l)estows her never-ending cycles upon this 
 precious truth. Marvelous condescension! The 
 Holy Spirit sounds the lowest depths. To dwell 
 in our wicked, sinful hearts, nay, in our bodies, 
 how much He must love us ! Mark the word : 
 " Your body is the temjile of the Holy Ghost." 
 " Therefore glorify God in your body " ^ is the 
 divinely inspired conclusion. 
 
 How we should love and honor the church, 
 which is " an habitation of God through the 
 Spirit."^ Thus does the church differ from all 
 human societies. Of two marble buildings just 
 alike, one is the royal palace because the king 
 dwells there ; the otlier is a den of thieves because 
 iJohu 14 : 17. 2joim 14 . ^j 
 
 3 1 Cor. 6 : 19, 20. *Chap. 2 : 32. 
 
THE EPISTLE OF THE HEAVENLIES . 103 
 
 there the lender of a biuidit has his abode. God 
 dwells ill the church, and hence she is not merely 
 a society, but the church growing into " an holy 
 temple in the Lord." ' She is the holiest thing in 
 the world, and but for her the world would be 
 swinging onward (h)wn the grooves of time to ab- 
 solute perdition. 
 
 "Mj' dove, my undetiled is but one, 
 She is the only one of her mother. "^ 
 
 Solomon again in poetic phrase expresses our 
 thought,- — 
 
 "As a lily among thorns, 
 So is my love among the daughters." ^ 
 
 The Holy Spirit is the source of the Chridkni's 
 power. " To be strengthened with might by His 
 Spirit in the inner man." ^ "Tarry ye in the 
 city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power 
 from on high."" Power comes from "on high." 
 So the water rushes down from the reservoir in 
 the distant hills and with power quenches the op- 
 l>osing element. The street-car with crowds of 
 human freight stands helpless upon the track 
 until connected with the electric motor, when it 
 sweeps onward to the end of the line. Without 
 sail or steam the ocean greyhound rolls in the sea- 
 at the mercy of wave and storm ; with the steam- 
 power turned \i\)on her machinery, she moves on 
 
 1 Chap. 2 : 21. ^ goug Sol. 6:9. 3 gong Sol. 2 : 2. 
 < Chai). 3 : 16. •''' Luke 24 : 49. 
 
104 STUDIES ly EPHESIAXS. 
 
 to the fair haven. No power conies to the church 
 except it receives this baptism from " on high." 
 She stands still with her freight of human souls 
 until put in contact with the electric power of 
 God. The ship of Zion rolls helplessly upon the 
 waves until -the gales of the Spirit smite her sails, 
 when she moves toward the fair harbor of the 
 celestial city and drops anchor in the crystal 
 waters. These were the dying words of Brainerd : 
 " Whatever else you fail of, do not fail of the in- 
 fluences of the Holy Spirit; that is the only way 
 you can handle the consciences of men." ' 
 
 The same is true of the individual life of the 
 Christian. Only l)y that Spirit will we be ena- 
 bled to have C'nrist dwell in our hearts, to com- 
 prehend the breadth, and length, and depth, and 
 height, to know the love of Christ and to " be 
 filled with all the fullness of God." 
 
 The Spirit teaches unity in the church. " En- 
 deavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the 
 bond of peace. There is one body and one 
 Spirit."'" Paul speaks to the Thessalonians of 
 God " who hath also given unto us His Holy 
 Spirit." ^ Then as closely related to this, " But 
 as touching brotherly love, ye need not that 
 I write unto you ; for ye yourselves are taught 
 of God to love one another." * The Holy Spirit 
 teaches that heavenly lesson. 
 
 1 "Life of David Brainerd." '^ Chap. 4 : 3, 4. 
 
 3 1 Thess. 4:8. M Thess. 4: 9. 
 
THE EPISTLE OF THE HEAVEXLTES. 105 
 
 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is 
 For brethren to dwell together in unity ; 
 It is like the precious oil ui)on the head 
 That ran down upon the beard, 
 Even Aaron's beard ; 
 That came down upon the skirt of his garments." ^ 
 
 AVhat is this precious oil ? Wlien Aaron was 
 consecrated with oil, it was as a type of Christ, and 
 "the Spirit poured upon his head runs down 
 upon the whole body to the latest generation."'^ 
 Thus in Him all are made one in heart and life 
 by that Spirit. 
 
 " Like the dews of Hermou, 
 That Cometh down upon the mountains of Zion.''^ 
 
 Because the dew is " diffused and imparted 
 from one to another is it a natural type of broth- 
 erly love."* Blessed unity of the Spirit! thou 
 openest the heart, enlargest the affections and 
 glorifiest the life. A very garden of God is the 
 church which is ever refreshed by thy descending 
 dews. 
 
 "For there the Lord commanded the blessing. 
 Even life forevermore."^ 
 
 We find enjoined upon all Christians to he filled 
 ivitJi the Spirit. " And be not drunk with wine, 
 wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit."-' 
 Thus our Lord went forth to His work. " And 
 Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from 
 
 » Psalm 133. - Vandyke, "Story of the Psalms." 
 
 3 Chap. 5 : 18. 
 
1 G S T UDIES IN TIP HE HI A NS . 
 
 Jordan." ' Read the story of the day of Pente- 
 cost, and you will find the secret of all in the 
 words : " And they were all filled with the Holy 
 Ghost."" "Be not drunk with wine" — curious, 
 yet appropriate metaphor ! The intoxicated man 
 is completely under the influence of the wine, 
 and speaks and does what the wine inspires. Be 
 like that man, onl}^ instead of the spirit of wine, 
 let it he the Spirit of the Holy One that shall con- 
 trol your thoughts, desires, and deeds. 
 
 " Be filled with the Spirit." Pray God to fill 
 you, and then evil will go out of your heart as the 
 Spirit fills it. Dr. Gordon says, Drop quicksilver 
 drop hy drop in a tumbler of water, and soon all 
 the water will l)e expelled. Self, the source of so 
 much evil, is driven out. Untouched hy the 
 Spirit, the natural heart voices itself: " All of self 
 and none of Thee." When the Spirit makes its 
 first faint appearance, its desire is " some of self 
 and some of Thee." Let that holy Agent deepen 
 His work, and the longing changes to " less of self 
 and more of Thee." But be filled with the Spirit, 
 and the one supreme passionate longing of the 
 soul is " none of self and all of Thee." 
 
 Novalis said of Spinoza, " He is a God-intox- 
 icated man." Would God our church were full 
 of that kind of men and women — all filled with 
 the Holy Ghost. 
 
 1 Luke 4 : 1. ^Acts 2 ; 4. 
 
THE EriHTLE OF THE HEAVENLIES. 107 
 
 The Apostle notes two consequences. The 
 first is si)iritual joy voiced in songs of praise. 
 "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns 
 and spiritual songs, singing and making melody 
 in your heart to the Lord." ^ Zinzendorf was a 
 man full of the Holy Ghost until he could say, 
 " I have but one ])assion — it is He, it is He 
 alone." The result was that he went ahout his 
 missionary services "simply swimming in an 
 atmosphere of love and glory." 
 
 St. Columba won Scotland for Christ, and the 
 secret of his power is found in these words : " For 
 a holy joy ever was beaming from his face, reveal- 
 ing the joy of gladness with which the Holy Ghost 
 filled his inmost soul." ' 
 
 The second consequence is thanksgiving. " Giv- 
 ing thanks always for all things unto God and the 
 Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."^ 
 Thanksgiving is the ceaseless song of a life filled 
 with the Spirit. "Always" does its gratitude 
 gush forth ; and for " all things ; " for prosperity, 
 for adversity, for gain, for loss, for pleasure, for 
 suffering, for joy, and for sorrow. The heart is 
 assured that " all things work together for good." 
 
 The word of God is spoken of as the faoord of the 
 Sjiirit. " The sword of the Spirit which is the word 
 
 1 Chap. .') : 19. 
 
 '^ Dr. GorJaii in address before Students Volunteer Convention. 
 
 »Chap. 5:20. 
 
108 STUDIES IX EPHESTANS. 
 
 of God." Why are the Scriptures called the " sword 
 of the Spirit " ? Because the word was inspired 
 by the Spirit. Over the door of a church in 
 Hamburg is a piece of statuary. In a niarl)le 
 chair sits a man upon whose knees rests a parch- 
 ment. On this parchment his eyes are fixed, and 
 in his right hand lie holds a pen with which he 
 seems to be writing. It is John. He supposes 
 himself alone, but far from it. An angel stands 
 behind him gazing intently over his shoulder 
 upon the parchment, and with his right hand 
 guides the pen. This is inspiration wrought in 
 marble.' 
 
 Because the Spirit illumines the mind and 
 enables us to understand the Avord, the Apostle 
 prays, " May give you the spirit of wisdom and 
 revelation in the knowledge of Him." '' 
 
 How much every Bible student needs tlie 
 blessed Spirit ! " Even so the things of God 
 knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." '^ Yea, 
 more. " Now we have received . . . the Spirit 
 which is of God ; that we might know the things 
 that are fully given us of God." ^ Reading the 
 Scripture without the Spirit is like the wild 
 African who gathers flowers and fruits from the 
 surface of his rich soil, and knows not that the 
 diamond fields glow beneath. One stands with- 
 
 1 " Seed Corn for the Sower." ^ Chap. 1 : 17. 
 
 3 1 Cor. 2:11. * 1 Cor. 2 : 12. 
 
THE EPISTLK OF THE HEAVENLIES. 100 
 
 out some grand old cathedral, with its pinnacles 
 and towers and rich windows. He draAvs near ; 
 attempts to examine that stained window, ])ut all 
 is rough, and through it only rude outlines of the 
 figures within can be seen. He is disappointed. 
 One takes him within the edifice, when lo ! against 
 the sky that window stands forth in untold splen- 
 dor and glory ; the carving and moulding around 
 it flashing as though studded with jewels, Madon- 
 nas breathe in love to the Holy C-hild, and angel 
 choirs flood the scene with celestial light and 
 melody. We are like the first, when we view the 
 temi:»le of God's truth without the Spirit ; we are 
 like the second when the Spirit purges our eyes 
 to behold the spiritual glories. " Eye hath not 
 seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the 
 heart of man, the things which God hath pre- 
 pared for them that love Him. But God hath 
 revealed them unto us by His Spirit." ' Because 
 the Spirit teaches us lio\r to use the wor<J. 
 
 " Full of the Si)irit," Christ went to the con- 
 flict with Satan. In the power of the Spirit He 
 wielded that sword, and ever used in infinite wis- 
 dom the word, beginning each, " It is written." 
 
 The Holy Spirit is l/ir .sphere and souree of preiyer. 
 " Praying always with all prayer and sui>plication 
 in the Sjiirit." -' This is made more S|)ecific, " Like- 
 wise tlic S]tii-it lielpcth our infirmities; for we 
 ' 1 Cor. 3 :9. '■^ Chap. 6 : 18. 
 
1 1 S T UDIEB IX EPHESIANS . 
 
 know not what we should pray for as we ought ; 
 hut the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us 
 with groanino's which cannot be uttered." ' That 
 Spirit gives us the inclination to pray, and also 
 ability to pray — the gift of prayer. 
 
 Owen^ teaches us that the Holy Spirit guides 
 the believer in the matter of prayer — "what we 
 should i)ray for." The Spirit reveals our own 
 wants and God's boundless ocean of supply. The 
 Spirit, too, guides us in the manner of prayer, that 
 we may pray " as we ought." We can under His 
 influence " come boldly " in Christ's name. 
 
 Praying in the Spirit, we have assurance of an- 
 swer. " Because He maketh intercession for the 
 saints according to the will of God." ■' We pray 
 for anything in the Spirit, and that very prayer is 
 a revelation of God's will. Such prayers ever 
 reach the celestial haven and return to us with 
 argosies of blessing. 
 
 With what tremendous force comes the injunc- 
 tion of the Apostle : " Grieve not the Holy Spirit 
 of God." * The presence of the Holy Spirit is 
 here argued as a motive for purity and beauty of 
 heart and life. There must l;)e nothing in our 
 conduct inconsistent with that holy Presence. 
 " Wrath," " anger," " clamor," and " evil speak- 
 ing " cannot be endured in His holy eyes. "All 
 
 1 Rom. 8 : 26. •' Owen ou Holy Spirit. 
 
 3 Rom, 8 : 37. * Chap. 4 ; 30. 
 
THE EPISTLE OF THE HEAVEN LIES. \ \ \ 
 
 malice" iiiu.st vanish. Being "kind one to an- 
 other " pleases our heavenly Guest. He requires 
 that those in whom He dwells should forgive 
 " one another, even as God in Christ hath forgiven 
 you." ' How beautiful and how rare this sweet 
 fruit of tlie Spirit ! Is it not tlie Spirit that gives 
 fragrance to the C'hristian character, that it may 
 manifest itself in forgiveness? One has said for- 
 giveness is " the odor which a flower yields when 
 trampled upon." 
 
 The Persian poet Sadi writes, — 
 
 "The sandal-tree perfumes, when riven. 
 The ax that hiid it low." '' 
 
 So may we ever forgive one another. 
 
 "BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT." 
 
 1 c:i)ai>. 4: :?1, 32. ^ " Seed Corn for the Sower." 
 
CHRIST AND THE CHURCH. 
 
 A STUDY IN EPHESIANS, V: 22-33. 
 
 '■'■This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning 
 Christ and the church.^'' — Eph. j : J2. 
 
 THIS chapter opens with our individual, per- 
 sonal relationship to God. " Be ye therefore 
 followers of God as dear children." ^ God is the 
 father of each one, and every l^eliever is His dear 
 child. 
 
 Being children, we are partakers of the divine 
 nature, and so are to imitate the principles of 
 divine action. 
 
 "God is love." That is His nature. Christ is 
 the expression and pattern of His love. " As 
 Christ hath loved us and given Himself for us," 
 we must imitate this principle of His nature, and 
 " walk in love." '■ 
 
 God's nature is light. " God is light." Christ 
 is the outshining and full expression of that light. 
 " Awake, thou that sleepest, and Christ shall give 
 thee light." '^ "As dear children," imitate Him, 
 beloved, and " walk as children of light." * 
 
 We are His dear children, l)ut need power to 
 " walk in love " " as children of light ;" hence the 
 
 1 Verse 1. "^ Verse 2. ^ygi-gg ^4 * Verse 8. 
 
 [112] 
 
CHJUST AM) THE CHURCH. \\\\ 
 
 Apostle adds, " Be filled with the Spirit." ' The 
 Spirit is ])o\ver, and strengthens our hearts to their 
 blessed privilege of our feeling and saying, " Al:»ba, 
 Fathert" The Apostle now views believers in their 
 organic aspect as a church in relationship to 
 Christ. He speaks of our union with Christ. 
 " We are members of His l)ody, of His flesh, and 
 of His bones." '^ We are liyingly united to Him 
 as the body to its head. We cannot he more 
 closely united to Him than l)eing members of His 
 ])ody, esjiecially when we are presented to Him in 
 glory as the Lamb's wife. " This is a great mys- 
 tery," Hhis union of Christ and the church; not 
 in the sense of mysterious, but it is a great secret 
 — God's secret concealed through the ages, but 
 now fully revealed. 
 
 I. Though the church is united to Christ, He is 
 still ever pre-eminent in that union. This ])re- 
 eminence of Christ in the church is illustrated 
 and enforced liy tlie relation of huslDand and 
 wife. " For the husband is head of the wife as 
 Christ is head of the church." * " Therefore as 
 the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives 
 lu' to their own hus1)ands in everything." ' To 
 understand this argument, we must rid ourselves 
 of false theories afloat in this country. They 
 would make liusband and wife of ei^ual authorit}'. 
 
 1 Verse 18. '^ Verse 30. 
 
 3 Verse 33. * Verses 23. 24. 
 
114 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 Hear the Scriptures : " For the man is not of the 
 woman, but the woman of the man ; neither was 
 the man created for the woman, but the woman 
 for the man." So the wife is subject to the hus- 
 band. Far be it from me to suggest that this is 
 anything else than subjection in perfect love, yet 
 the fact remains that the relation implies the sub- 
 jection. So the church is subject to Christ, and 
 He is ever pre-eminent in it. 
 
 This pre-eminence is implied in the figure of 
 the relation of head and body. The head is the 
 seat of the senses ; it takes knowledge of the outer 
 world ; it is the seat of reason and thought ; it de- 
 vises and plans; moreover, it is the throne of 
 volition from whence its royal edicts are sent 
 forth to prompt and perfect execution." Thus the 
 head sees for the body, plans for the body, and 
 wills every act that the body performs. The 
 body is a perfect body, a healthy body, in propor- 
 tion as it is perfectly responsive and subject to 
 every volition from the head. When the body will 
 not obey the head, we consider it diseased and 
 paralytic. So Christ is pre-eminent in the church ; 
 He perceives for her in complete omniscience ; 
 He plans her course and directs her; He wills 
 her every act, and she is a perfect church only 
 when she does nothing except what He wishes, 
 and when she is responsive to ever}' will of His. 
 Christ's will, power, and life fill the church, and 
 
CHRIST AND THE CHURVU. 115 
 
 when we see the church in action, it should be 
 C'hrist in action, and the cliurch should dare do 
 nothing that Christ does not will. He is pre-emi- 
 nent as her Head. Is not this i)re-eminence also 
 hinted when he says of the church that He shall 
 present it to "Himself"? God made Eve, and 
 He presented her to Adam ; but this divine 
 Bridegroom, being very God and of such per- 
 fected majesty and glory that none nobler or 
 higher than He can be found, presents His bride, 
 the church, "to Himself" 
 
 ]May we never think anything else than that 
 Christ is pre-eminent. Christ, INIoses, and Elias, 
 with the three disciples, were on the mount in in- 
 timate converse when it entered Peter's mind that 
 there was equality, and he proposed a tabernacle, 
 one for Christ, one for Moses, and one for Elias, 
 and " while he yet spake," a voice said, " This is 
 m}" beloved Son ; hear ye HIM." And they arose 
 and saw " Jesus only." ' 
 
 II. Next, we have the love of Christ to the 
 church and its out-workings. " Husbands, love 
 your wives even as Christ also loved the church."' 
 Christ loved the church perfectly, divinely, infi- 
 nitely. It was love giving forth of its own sweet 
 motion. 
 
 He "gave himself lor it."'' It does not say 
 something outside of self, as His glory-circled 
 1 Darby. '^ Verse 35. 
 
116 ST UDIES IN EPHE SIANS. 
 
 throne of everlasting rule, but " gave Himself." It 
 speaks not of His laying aside that scepter at 
 whose lifting, worlds bent the knee of homage, but 
 the sweet word is " Himself." There is not one 
 word of His laying aside the star-lit crown of 
 glory or the royal purple of the kingdom, but it is 
 he " gave Himself for our sins." The sins were in 
 the way, and He gave Himself to remove them. 
 There is here no reference to His giving His pre- 
 cious blood, though that is true ; for He purchased 
 the church "with His own blood, but it is more 
 than that. " He loved me and gave Hhnself for 
 me." The giving of life is not even mentioned, 
 though He did that, and " greater love hath no 
 man than this, that he lay down his life for his 
 friends ; " but our gratitude can sing " unto Him 
 that loved us and hath given Himself for us." All 
 that there is in Christ, all that there is in His infi- 
 nite heart of love, all that there is in His holy and 
 omniscient mind, all that there is in His perfect 
 and spotless manhood, all that there is in His di- 
 vine an 1 all-comprehensive Godhead, — all that He 
 f/nr:' ii hue for the church. He " gave Himsrlf for it." 
 H^ loves, gives Himself, an 1 next He cleanses 
 an I JiU it for Humdf. It is all that "He might 
 sanctif}^ and cleanse it with the washing of water 
 l)y the word." ' He finds her besoiled with sin. 
 He loves her ineffably, and gives Himself for her ; 
 
 1 Verse 2G, 
 
CHRIST AXD THE CHURCH. 117 
 
 and uuw that she is His own, He sets a])out 
 making her tit for His presence in glory. To this 
 end, He has provided the laver of tlie word, where 
 she may be sanctified and cleansed by perfect 
 washing. That laver is His word. " Wherewithal 
 shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking 
 heed thereto according to thy word." ' Christ 
 says to His disciples : " Now ye are clean through 
 the word which I have s})oken unto you." '•' And 
 again, in the 10th chapter, " Sanctify them tlirough 
 Thy truth ; Thy word is truth." Christ him- 
 self is the \\'ord, and through beholding Him, 
 she is fitted for glory. " We all with open face 
 l)eholding the glory of the Lord are changed into 
 the same image from glory to glory, even as by 
 the Spirit of the Lord."'^ We shall see Him as 
 He is, and then be like Him, and say the Script- 
 ures : " Every one that hath this hope in him 
 purifieth Himself even as He is pure."* With 
 heart fixed on the glorified Christ, our motives, 
 thoughts, and apprehensions are purified, and 
 toward the same image we are changed from 
 glory to glory. 
 
 All, however, is done with one final object; 
 that He might present it to Himself a glorious 
 church. " That He might present it to Himself a 
 glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or 
 
 iPs. 119: 9. '^ John 15: 3. 
 
 3 2 Cor. 3:18. * 1 John 3:3. 
 
lis STUDIES IN EPHESIAN^S. 
 
 any such thing ; hut that it should l)e holy and 
 without blemish." ^ The workings of His love 
 Avill be so complete that the bride will in every 
 respect satisfy the divine heart of Christ. So 
 pure shall she be in all perfect innocence, that 
 never a " spot " shall soil the lily whiteness of her 
 pure heart ; no " wrinkle " shall ever suggest de- 
 cay, but in every line shall shine immortal youth ; 
 nor shall " any such thing " ever cast a shade 
 over the infinite love which pours itself into 
 the heart, but its well-spring shall leap forth 
 from the ocean depths of the divine nature in 
 Christ as He lieholds her standing before Him 
 " holy and without blemish." All heaven will be 
 hushed when He presents that glorious bride 
 to Himself. There He sits upon the throne of 
 redemption, circled with the rainbow arch of 
 covenant faithfulness; yonder comes the bride, 
 heavenly grace in every motion, the beauties of 
 holiness clothing her and shining in radiant 
 splendor from her fair form, while the light of in- 
 expressible love glows with the warmth and 
 beauty of the morning as she sees the divine 
 Bridegroom, " who loved " her and " gave Him- 
 self" for her, descending from the throne to re- 
 ceive her as she approaches over the sea of glass 
 mingled with fire. Now indeed she is a glorious 
 Church as He takes her hand, " holy and without 
 Itlemish" before Him in love. 
 1 Verse 27. 
 
CttRlST AND THE CHURCH. 110 
 
 I hear the sweet whispers of that ilivine love as 
 He pours them into her ravished ear: — 
 
 " Behold thou art fair, my love ; behold 
 thou art fair ; 
 Thiue eyes are as doves."' 
 
 "As the lily among the thorns, 
 So is my love among the daughters."'' 
 
 "Thou art all fair, my love ; 
 And there is no spot in thee."* 
 
 "Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, 
 With one chain of thy neck."* 
 
 "How much better is thy love than wine ! 
 Thy lips, O my bride, drop as the honey-comb."^ 
 
 "Thou art beautiful, O ray love, as Tirzah, 
 Comely as Jerusalem." ^ 
 
 Blessed hlood-bought bride of the Redeemer! 
 None need ask, " Who is she that looketh forth as 
 the morning, 
 
 Fair as the moon, 
 
 Clear as the sun. 
 
 Terrible as an army with banners " '? '^ 
 
 She looks up to Him and replies : " The chief- 
 est among ten thousand ; " " yea. He is altogether 
 
 lovely." « 
 
 ' Song of Soloiiion 4:1. ^ Song of Solomon 3 : 2. 
 
 •^ Song of Solomon 4:7. ^ Song of Solomon 4 : 9. 
 
 ^Song of Solomon 4 : 10, 11. ''Song of Solomon 6 : 4. 
 
 ' Song of Solomon 6 : 10. ''Song of Solomon 5 : 10, 16. 
 
120 STUDIES IN EPHESIAN8. 
 
 • 
 
 " My beloved is mine and I am His." ' Her 
 heart comes back to the sweetest formula of all, 
 "He loved me and gave Himself for me." '■* "The 
 heavenly choirs In-eak forth into sweetest melody, 
 and a thousand harps of gold in angels' hands 
 keep time as they enter in to the marriage supper 
 of the Lamb. 
 
 III. Christ's love for His church leads Him to 
 cherish and nourish it. " For no man ever yet 
 hated his own flesh, l)ut nourisheth and cherisheth 
 it even as the Lord the church ; for we are mem- 
 bers of His body, of His tlesh, and of His bones."' 
 He gives all that he has for its nourishment and 
 perfection. He loves it and provides for it as for 
 Himself 
 
 He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men, 
 — -apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers, — and 
 all was that tlie church might be nourished and 
 strengthened. Paul, Apollos, Cephas, Calvin, 
 Knox, and every minister of the gospel, is a gift 
 to the church and for her good and upbuilding. 
 " All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or 
 Cephas; ... all things are yours, and ye are 
 Christ's, and Christ is God's." * Every gift is " for 
 the edifying of the body of Christ " until all come 
 " unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of 
 
 1 Song of Solomon 2:16. ~ Gal. 2 : 20. 
 
 3 Verses 29, 30. * 1 Cor. ,3:21, 22, 23. 
 
CHRIST AND THE CHCTROff. 121 
 
 Christ." ' He gave the word, and by it nourishes 
 the church. It is by speaking "the truth in 
 love " that we " grow up into Him in all things, 
 which is the Plead, even Christ."'^ The cluirch 
 desires the sincere milk of the word, that it may 
 grow thereby. The word of the gosjjel, and Christ 
 the eternal Word, is the bread of life, whereby, 
 "having nourishment ministered and knit to- 
 gether," the church " increaseth with the increase 
 of God."^ 
 
 Everything in Christ himself is for the nourish- 
 ment of the church. In Him " dwelleth all the 
 fullness of the Godhead bodily." ^ The imagina- 
 tion can take no flight which will pass l)eyond 
 His fullness, and all that fullness of infinite re- 
 source is at the command of the church. " Ye 
 are complete in Him ; " * the church has nothing 
 more to seek. " All the treasures of wisdom and 
 knowledge " '" are hid 'in Him. The church has 
 the key to every store-house of those inexhaust- 
 ible treasures. Christ, the divine Head, takes all 
 care that by the ministry, the word, and in Him- 
 self His body be healthy and growing. He 
 considers her in all her circumstances of weak- 
 ness, and defends her. Every blow at her is a 
 blow at Himself. Hurt any part of my body, 
 
 ' Chap. 4: 13, 13. « Chap. 4: If), 16. » Col. 2 : 9. 
 
 * Col. 3 : 10. 5 Col. 2 : 3. 
 
122 STUDIES IN EPHESiANS. 
 
 and you injure nie, and all of my resources are 
 brought \\.\) for the protection of the part. No 
 man can hate his own flesh, but " nourisheth and 
 cherisheth it even as the Lord the church." " We 
 are members of His body." ' He protects the 
 church as He protects Himself. Saul persecutes 
 the church, and breathes out threatening and 
 slaughter against her, and Christ flashes upon 
 him the terror of His glory, and says : " Saul, 
 Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"' Christ does 
 not separate the church from Himself. For her 
 He never fails. Holding the Head, your churcli 
 is safe. There may be dangers, snares, and pit- 
 falls ; there may be weaknesses, inconsistenciess 
 and shortcomings ; there may be enemies, princi- 
 palities, and powers in heavenly places; there 
 may be strongholds and bulwarks of the prince 
 of darkness, but the church shall conquer and sit 
 down with Christ in His throne. When I look at 
 the church, her numbers and officers, I have no 
 confidence ; when I look at her pastors, I have no 
 confidence ; but when I look at Christ, the Head, 
 who loved her and gave Himself for her, and who 
 daily nourishes and cherishes the church as His 
 own flesh, I have perfect confidence, and see victory 
 smile upon her in all her conflicts upon earth, and 
 at last, " spotless and without blemish," see her 
 crowned His bride in glory. 
 
 1 Verses 29, 30. » ^cts 9 : 4. 
 
CBRIST AN'D THE CHURCIT. 123 
 
 ' I love thy church, O God, 
 Her walls before thee stand 
 Dear as the apple of thine ej'e, 
 And graven on thy hand. 
 
 ' For her my tears shall fall ; 
 For her my prayers ascend ; 
 To her my cares and toils be given, 
 Till toils and cares shall end." 
 
THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD. 
 
 A STUDY IN EPHESIANS, VI : 10-19. 
 
 ^'■Wherefore take unto yon the wJiole armor of 
 God, that ye may be able to stand in the evil 
 day.''' — Eph. 6 : ij. 
 
 THE Spirit in the passage just before the text 
 has been indicating the specific duties of 
 particular classes. Children are commanded to 
 " obey your parents in the Lord ;" ' fathers are to 
 bring their children up "in the nurture and 
 admonition of the Lord." '"' Servants should be 
 obedient unto masters " as unto Christ," "' and 
 masters are to treat servants in the same spirit, 
 knowing that their " Master also is in heaven." * 
 We know the Scripture indicating the source of 
 power to perform these and all other duties. " Be 
 strong in the Lord."^ "Be strengthened," the 
 original has it, suggesting the prayer that these 
 Christians might " be strengthened with might 
 l?y His Spirit in the inner man." ® We have no 
 strength of our own. " In the Lord " is the place 
 of strength. We do not enjoy strength when we 
 are at a distance from the Lord ; in secret com- 
 
 ^ Verse 1. ^ Verse 4. ^ Verse 5. 
 
 * Verse 9. ^VerselO. « Chap. 3:16. 
 
 [124] 
 
THE WHOLE ARMOR OF OOD. 125 
 
 niunion with Him strength comes to our souls; 
 The Titans, when lifted above mother eartli, were 
 powerless, but as soon as they touched the earth, 
 revived with giant vigor. 80 the Christian out of 
 Christ is perfect weakness, but in the Lord he is 
 filled with the strength of God. Then we have 
 " the power of His might." ' 
 
 We are enjoined to " put on the whole armor of 
 God."" It is important that it should be the 
 'whole armor. No one part of it will suffice. Every 
 part of tlie j^erson nmst be protected, and every 
 offensive weapon must be used. 
 
 How careful we must be to see that it is the 
 armor " of God." No panoply of man's devising 
 will be equal to this conflict. The circumstances 
 indicate that nothing less than divine armor will 
 keep us safe. 
 
 We are to meet the " wiles of the devil." '^ He 
 uses stratagems of marvelous wisdom and cun- 
 ning. When he first began his efforts against our 
 race, he, — 
 
 " With inspection deep, 
 Considered every creature, whicli of all 
 Most opportune might serve his wiles, and found 
 The serpent the subtlest beast of all the tield." '' 
 
 Still " the guileful tempter " with e(|ual, nay, 
 greater cunning, hides in the " mazy folds " of 
 
 1 Verse 10. '^W-Ysv 11. 
 
 3 •• ruHKlisc Lost,' Book IX, 85. 
 
126 STUDIES J.V El'HESIANS. 
 
 shrewdest stratagem " the dark intent " he brings. 
 
 Consider the enemies against whom we struggle. 
 They are not " flesh and blood." ^ They are 
 above human powers. We struggle " against 
 l)rincipalities, against powers, against the rulers 
 of the darkness of this world, against spiritual 
 wickedness in the heavenly })laces." ^ We fight 
 with the vast si)iritual hosts of wickedness, the 
 thousand protean forms of sin and its votaries, as 
 tbey attempt to drive us from the heavenlies. 
 
 Besides, there is an " evil day " ^ coming. This 
 is the evil day of temptation, when all its powers 
 Avill appeal to the trembling soul, every avenue of 
 approach will be attacked, and the lust of the eye 
 and the pride of life will be on the point of sweep- 
 ing us off our feet. There, too, are the evil days of 
 trial, of sorrow, and of depression. How terrible 
 they are to the crushed and Ijroken-hearted soul ! 
 Verily we need " the whole armor of God." There- 
 fore the Apostle repeats himself, "Wherefore take 
 unto you the whole armor of God." ^ 
 
 We may well spend a few moments inspecting 
 the armor of God given us for the conflict. 
 
 I. Inspect with care the defensive armor. 
 
 First of all comes the girdle of truth. 
 
 We are commanded, '" Stand, therefore, having 
 your loins girt al)out with truth." ^ The girdle is 
 not for mere ornament. To the ancient warrior it 
 1 Verse 13, ' Verse 13. ^ Verse 14. 
 
THE WHOLE ARMOH OF OOD. 1 27 
 
 Avas the tirst and most imjiortant i)ieec of his ar- 
 mor. It .gathers the forces of the whole ])0(ly to- 
 gether, gives it power for exertion, and makes the 
 body nimble and athletic. Besides, it was the 
 foundation piece for all the rest of the armor, by 
 which they were kei)t in })osition. To it the 
 sword was hung, constituting, as it were, a com- 
 plete piece of armor ])oth ofiensive and defensive. 
 
 " The loins " expresses all the thoughts, emo- 
 tions, and desires that spring up in us. These 
 are to ])e gathered up by the truth, to be ordered 
 and governed by it. We are not only to knoAv 
 the truth, but every i)Ower is to be governed and 
 brought within "the belt of rule" by the truth. 
 " Sanctify them through Thy truth ; Thy word is 
 truth." " For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that 
 they also may be sanctified through the truth." ' 
 We are in the presence of the enemy, and hence 
 may not let our hearts roam at will. 
 
 The next piece of defensive armor is the breast- 
 plate of righteousness. 
 
 We are to stand, " having on the breastplate of 
 righteousness." " Does this refer to the righteous- 
 ness of Christ? Then we know it to be immacu- 
 late and invincible. Not all the darts of the hosts 
 of darkness could ])ierce it, and from its spotless 
 surface the flaming Ixilts of justice fly off' as 
 harmless tl i istl c-do w 1 1 . 
 
 1 JoLu 17 : 17, 19. '^ Verse 14. 
 
128 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 * 
 
 Is it practical righteousness inwrought by the 
 Holy Spirit? Then how important it is to each 
 one of us ! If one has gone astray, there is some- 
 thing on his conscience; alarm comes, and cour- 
 age is destroyed. One must hide in the day of 
 battle. But living in the holy sphere of duty, 
 walking in the paths of righteousness, and with 
 nothing on the conscience, one stands fearless in 
 the conflict. 
 
 Then we are shod with the sandals of peace. 
 The beautiful description runs, " Your feet shod 
 with the preparation of the gospel of peace.'" 
 The sandals of the ancients Avere made of leather 
 or hide, and strengthened with spikes. Thus one 
 could pass over the roughest roads and stand with 
 firm footing in hand-to-hand conflict. 
 
 We are shod with the preparation of the gospel. 
 The readiness, the swiftness of the gospel bears us 
 on. He who carries the gospel message must 
 have feet swift as the Avind, for he bears a pardon 
 to the lost and dying. 
 
 Yea, it is the gospel of peace ! The warrior 
 forgets that he fights, and in joy carries messages 
 of peace. Peace! how sweet the word to the ear 
 wearied with the noise and cries of ])attle and 
 death ! This peace is ours ; it fills our hearts- 
 The spirit of peace dwells in our souls, and the 
 God of peace sanctifies us. We daily commune 
 with God in peace, and hence we should walk in 
 * Verse 15, 
 
THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD. 129 
 
 tlie spirit and power of peace. The very message 
 we bear to the world is peace. The coming of 
 the Christian to tlie world should be like the 
 peaceful dawning of the morning, kissing the 
 lilies and touching " with golden lips the mead- 
 ows green."' 
 
 The shield of faith is <|uite an imi)ortant i)art 
 of the armor. " Al)ove [over] all," says the 
 Apostle, "taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye 
 shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the 
 wicked." ' The ancient shield was made of wood, 
 or of wood covered with hide, or at times of brass, 
 and occasionally of gold. In many cases it cov- 
 ered the whole person. 
 
 Confidence in God's character and word is the 
 ])erfect shield of defense for the Christian. His 
 character as a truth-loving, truth-speaking, and 
 truth-fulfilling God is the basis of our confidence 
 and trust. Faith rests upon God's character, on 
 God's whole inspired wortl, and above all, upon 
 Christ, who is the sum and substance of that word. 
 This is perfect protection against every dart of 
 the enemy ; come they poisoned and tipped with 
 the fires of the pit, on this shield they are all 
 quenched. Every evil thought which enters the 
 mind is a dart shot from below. Every wrong 
 em()ti(Mi is a fire-tiii])ed arrow hurled from the 
 gates of darkness. Every evil picture which ])re- 
 1 Ciuoted ill "Given to Christ,'' \>. VU. - Verse 16, 
 
130 ST cm IKS IN Fl'HESIANS. 
 
 sents itself in the gallery of imagination with the 
 wonderful witchery of an evil genius upon it, is 
 from the wicked one. Every suggested doubt, 
 after God has spoken, is " of the wicked one." 
 He seeks to destroy our confidence, our faith, and 
 hence our communion with God. But in the 
 hottest battle, when the air is all afire with the 
 blazing darts of evil, the Christian has only to 
 " gripe fast his orVjed shield," ' and lo ! every dart 
 is quenched and lies harmless at his feet. We all 
 need Zophiel warning that — 
 
 " No drizzling shower 
 But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire " ^ 
 
 will fall upon us, and to bear aloft over every 
 vital part the golden shield of faith. 
 
 There is also the helmet of salvation. "And 
 take the helmet of salvation " ' is another safe- 
 guard. The salvation of a soul once brought to 
 God is a settled thing. " He that believeth on 
 the Son hath everlasting life." * " That whosoever 
 believeth in Him might not perish, but have ever- 
 lasting life." ■' " No man can jiluck them out of 
 My Father's hand."*^ What a blessed helmet is 
 this ! In my battles with the enemy I have on 
 My head the assurance of salvation. The enemy 
 cannot touch one ; he has eternal life. Satan can- 
 
 1 " Paradise Lost," Book VI, 543. 
 
 2 " Paradise Lost," Book VI, 545. 
 
 » Verse 1 T. * John 3 ; 36, ^ john 3:16. « .Jolin 1 : 2'.). 
 
THE WHOLE ARMOR OP ODD. 131 
 
 not crusli tliat great fact that nothing can "sepa- 
 rate us from the love of God which is in Christ 
 Jesus." ' How this gives boldness in the day of 
 conflict ! Having the consciousness that God has 
 saved us, we go on with the head lifted up, and 
 fearing nothing even on the fierce edge of battle. 
 The soldier who knows that he bears a charmed 
 life can enter the tliickest of tlie battle without 
 fear, and can stand where death shoots thickest 
 his fatal darts, or carry his person through deadly 
 lines and over bristling bulwarks. 
 
 The Christian bears that charmed life, an im- 
 mortal life of grace which cannot be destroyed. 
 He can stand before the fiery lines of spiritual 
 darkness or meet principalities and powers, or 
 charge in perfect assurance upon even the prince 
 of the power of the air, and fear not his deadly 
 lance. 
 
 II. Let us now inspect the offensive armor. 
 
 The sword of the Spirit is first placed in our 
 hands. 
 
 " The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of 
 God." '■' It is called the sword of the Spirit because 
 the Spirit gave the word, inspired its authors, and 
 inwrought His own holy life with its every line. 
 It is a weapon of the heavenly armory, and of 
 celestial temper. It is like the sword of Michael 
 which — 
 
 • Rom. 8:. 39. ^^ Verse 17. 
 
132 STUDIES IN EPHESIANS. 
 
 " From the armory of God 
 Was given tempered, tliat neither keen 
 Nor solid might resist that edge."' 
 
 Of course no earthly steel can stand before its 
 two-edged sharpness. When lifted high, a noble 
 stroke, even though it falls on the proud crest of 
 Satan, — 
 
 "No sight 
 Nor motion of (|uicli thought, less could his shield 
 Such ruin intercept." "-^ 
 
 The Spirit gives skill and power to wield this 
 sword. The Spirit teaches us to handle it. The 
 Spirit recalls suitable passages at the moment of 
 trial or temptation, and makes them all-powerful 
 to slay the foe. 
 
 Here we find the most powerful weapon of the 
 Christian's strength. " The word of God is quick 
 and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged 
 sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of 
 soul and sj^irit, and of the joints and marrow, and 
 is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the 
 heart." ^ This weapon indeed is not carnal, but 
 " mighty through God to the pulling down of 
 strongholds, casting down imaginations and every- 
 thing that exalteth itself against God."* 
 
 Christ is our perfect example, as in the power 
 of the Spirit He wields this sword of God. See 
 
 1 "Paradise Lost," Book VI, 320. 
 
 2 " Paradise Lost," Book VI, 200. 
 ^Heb. 4 : 12. *2 Cor. 10 : 4, 5. 
 
THE WEOLE ARMOR OP GOD. 133 
 
 tlie devil in the wilderness tempting and trying in 
 all points the Holy One, and endeavoring in every 
 way to make Him foil. Mark His calm confi- 
 dence, as every time with passage exactly suited 
 to the circumstances, He stops the mouth of the 
 arch enemy. 
 
 He hungered, and with wily cunning Satan said 
 to Him, "If thou be the Son of God, command 
 this stone that it be made bread." ' Forth from 
 the girdle of truth and out of tlwmrmory of God, 
 Christ draws the sword of the Spirit, and upon its 
 sharp blade, shining with heavenly light, we read : 
 " ^lan shall not live by bread alone, but by every 
 word of God.'" Satan trembles while it flashes 
 before him. 
 
 See Him yonder on the mountain top. Satan 
 shows Him all the kingdoms of the world in a 
 moment of time, and tempts Him with this : " All 
 this power will I give thee and the glory of them . 
 . . . if thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall 
 be thine." ^ Again flashes forth upon the tempter 
 the sword of the Spirit, and written upon its 
 blade, " Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, 
 and Him only shalt thou serve," * and with one 
 l)low Christ brings the wily tempter to his knees. 
 
 Jiehold again yon pinnacle of the temple; the 
 tempter suggests: "If thou be the Son of God, 
 
 ^Luke 4 : 3. '-'Luke 4 : 4. 
 
 ^ Lnke 4 : 6, 7. * Luke 4 : 8. 
 
134 STUDIES IN EPHESIAN-S. 
 
 cast thyself clown." ' In the might of holy omnip- 
 otence Christ lifts the sword flaming in letters of 
 living light, " Thou shalt not temj^t the Lord thy 
 God," '^ and smites the prince of the povver of the 
 air ; he bites the dust in utter defeat. 
 
 And behold, angels came and ministered unto 
 the conquering Christ. So wielding the sword 
 in the energy of the S})irit and winning the 
 victory, they will minister to us and fill our 
 hearts with the peace of God. 
 
 Prayer in the Spirit is the second weapon. 
 
 " Praying always with all prayer and supplica- 
 tion in the Spirit," ^ closes this list of beautiful in- 
 junctions. We are thrown back in dependence on 
 God. His power ner\'es our arms with onmipo- 
 tence. Prayer brings us to the Lord, and makes 
 us strong in Him. 
 
 "Satan trembles wheu he sees 
 The weakest saint upon his knees." 
 
 Here is the amulet against every Circean spell ; 
 the enchantment against every siren song of vice. 
 Hence the song runs, — 
 
 " And oft escaped the tempter's snare 
 By thy return, sweet hour of prayer." 
 
 The supplication is la the Spirit, and hence the 
 prayer will ever be answered, being according 
 to the mind of God. 
 
 1 Luke 4:9. ~ Luke 4 : 13. =* Verse 18. 
 
THE WHOLE ARMOR OF OOD. 135 
 
 It is prayer and KUi)))licati()n " for all saints " " 
 and " for me," ^ the Apostle who stands in the 
 thickest of the hattle. The whole church is borne 
 on its heart of love to a throne of grace, and looks 
 for perfect victor3^ 
 
 Like a Joshua on the field of battle, prayer 
 stops the sun in its fiery track, and quiets the 
 haste of the moon in her flight. It came an angel 
 of God's power to open the prison doors and lead 
 forth the Apostle Peter. It filled the dungeon 
 with songs at midnight and opened every cell be- 
 fore Paul and Silas. 
 
 A vision comes before mine eyes. Yonder is 
 the cliurch drawn up in battle array ; all there, 
 from the grey-haired sire to the youngest child 
 member. They are clad in the whole armor of 
 God — the girdle of truth, the breastplate of right- 
 eousness, the sandals of the gospel of peace, the 
 shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation; at 
 their side hangs the sw^ord of the Spirit, while 
 ever and anon, eyes watchful of the enemy are 
 lifted to heaven in prayer. One lieart of love, 
 filled by one Holy Spirit of God, is in all, and one 
 living front they i)rescnt to the evil one. 
 
 In opposing line stand the powers of evil, — 
 
 principalities, powers, rulers of this world, all the 
 
 spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenl}^ 
 
 places; they arc under the leadership of the 
 
 1 Verse 18. '^ Verse 19. 
 
lr}fi STUDIES IX ErHESlANS. 
 
 prince of the power of the air, whose crown jewels 
 light the field of l)attle with the glare of the pit. 
 Each is armed in the panoply of evil ; they 
 hurl their fiery shafts upon the forces of God 
 until the sun is hid. The golden shields of faith 
 are lifted, and harmless lies every missile at their 
 feet. Now the warriors of God, at a signal from 
 the Captain in the heavens, draw their swords, 
 Idinding the hosts of darkness with the ineftaLle 
 light of their celestial l)lades; they rush upon the 
 enemy, cut them down, and trample them in the 
 dust ; those that escape flee away in haste and 
 fear. The victory is comi)lete. The battle in the 
 heavenlies is ended. 
 
 But where are the victors ? They are not to lie 
 found upon the field. Lift your eyes. Behold ! 
 With the old armor of earth laid aside, clad in 
 garments of white, with palms of victory in their 
 hands, amid hallelujahs of heaven, they march 
 lieneath the triumphal arches entwined with ama- 
 ranth and laurel of celestial fields. They stand 
 on the sea of glass mingled with fire before the 
 rainbow-circled throne of God and the Lamb. 
 He places upon the head of each a crown of 
 righteousness, saying : " To liim that overcometh 
 will I give to sit with Me in My throne, even as I 
 also overcame, and am set down with My Father 
 in His throne." ' God has ceased when the great 
 multitude lifts its voice, — 
 
 iRev. 3:31. 
 
TirE WHOLE AJi-UOR OF OOD. 137 
 
 ' Loiul as from numbers without number, sweet 
 As from blest voices attuning joy, heaven rung 
 AVith jubilee, and loud hosannas (illVl 
 The eternal regions: lowly, reverent. 
 Toward either throne they bow, and to the ground 
 With solemn adoration down they cast 
 Their crowns inwove with amaranth and gold. 
 Immortal amaranth, a liow'r which once 
 In Paradise, fast by the tree of life, 
 Began to bloom, but soon for man's offense 
 To heav'n remov'd where first it grew, now grows. 
 And flowers aloft shading tiie fount of life ; 
 And where the river of Bliss through midst of heav'n 
 KoUs o'er Elysian flow'rs her amber stream ; 
 With these that never fade the s])irits elect 
 Bind their resplendent locks inwreath'd with beams. 
 Now in loose garments thick thrown off, the bright 
 Pavement, that like a sea of jasper shone, 
 Impurpl'd with celestial roses smil'd. 
 Then crown'd again, their golden harps thej^ took. 
 Harps ever tuu'd, that glittering by their side 
 Like (juivcrs hung ; and with preamble sweet 
 Of charming symphony, they introduce 
 Their sacred song, and waken raptures high ; 
 No voice exempt, no voice but well could join 
 Melodious part ; such concord is in heav'n."^ 
 
 1 ''Paradi.se Lost," Book III, 344. 
 
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 Studies in Ephesians... 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library 
 
 1 1012 00064 5442