I. CB:R='s r=-.:xa IS RU.L. It mnot eMugh thrit. he should be with us only as "the choir iu,is.ible" of the dcp.vted great are near; i.e. in our memory·and in his influenC<'. We are not satisfied with having bis spirlt among us in the sense in which the spirit of Plato and the spirit of Shakespeare are _still with those who read ' Pbredo' aud • Hamlet.' Christ promised to be personally present with his disciples (Matt. xxviii. 20). He ascended up into heaven, not that he might be .removed from us, but that, rassing from the material to the spiritual world, be might come into the closer contact with our souls. II. CHRIST'S PRESENCE IS IN oUR HEARTS. Ho touches us through our thoughts and :iffcctions. There lies our true self, and it is to our true self that he comes. He makes his 11~cse11ce felt by the truths he inspires, the love he rouses, and the strength he infuses,· _i ust as the sun's presence is felt in the seed when it begins to germinate in its dark tomb hcneath the earth. In this way Christ is even more near to us than -he was to Z:icchreus when he sat at the publican's table, or to John when the beloved disciple leaned on his Master's bosom. . Ill. C1rm.H's PRES~CE IS ABIDING. He comes "not to sojourn;" he abides with us. He is mth us when, busy in doing his will, we are not thinking of the Lord himself, a.s the master is among the workmen who for the moment are too diligent to i,x,k at him. He is with us in hours of spiritual night when we are not enjoying C0mmunion mth him, as a friend may be by our side in the dark, near though undis- co,ered. He is with us in our weariness when we·have not strength and heart to pray, as the mother watches her sick child while he lies moaning and quite unconsciollll of her gentle nnrsing. IV. CmusT'S PBESD."CE IS E}.';JOYED THROUGH FAITH. He is not in every heart; for there are Christless souls. Nor is he fullr pre~ent with each one of his own people; for it is on behalf of true Christians that' St. Paul prays for' the strength to receive Christ. He is near to us just in proportion as our faith is vigorous to lay hold of him. Yfo cannot put orn fingers in the nail-prints. We must trust the unseen presence. W o must not look for any second sense, any mystical intuition; for that is as much walking by sight as if we saw our Lord with our bodily eyes. Faith is pure trust i!l. that of which we have no direct apprehension. By this faith we receive Christ.-W. F. A.
EXPOSITION. CHAPTER IV. wherewith ye were called. Their oall was t.o be God's people (comp. Rom. ix. 25); PRACTICAL POBTIO!l' OP TBB EPI&'I'ldL this not e. mere speculative distinction, but Ven. 1-16.-ClrolicH PBnfCIPLB OP one that mlllit ·have practical form and that GROWTH crn PBoGJU:SS; THB CHUBOII .a. mUBt lead to suitable fruit. True grace BoDY. in the heart must show itself by true ,er. L-I therefore. Inference not only goodness in the life. • They were not to from last chapter, but the whole Epistle. conceal their religion, not to be ashamed· of Paul's interest in the Ephesians led him to it, but to avow it and glory in it, and their a double application of the grent subject lives were not to be disgraced by unworthy which he had expounded: (1) to ask God conduct, but to ho brightened and elevnted on their behalf that he would bestow on by their relation to Christ. them the full measure of the blessing to Ver. 2.-SOME POINTS OF AWORTHY WALK. which of his grace they we»e entitled (eh. With all lowliness and meekness, with long- iii 14-21); e.nd (2) to entreat them on God's suffering, forbearing one another in love. behalf t.o live in o way befitting their high He begins his enumeration with passive ca.lling(cb.iv.-vi..). To this second applica- graces-eminently those of Christ. Lowli- tion Le proceeds now. The prisoner in the ness or humility may woll bo gendered by Lord. Not merely "of the Lord," but lv our remembering what we were when Gotl's Kvpup, the usual !,irm.ule. for vital com- grace took hold of us (eh. ii. 1-3). Moek- munion with CLri.st, indicating that his cap- nellS ie the natural expreBBion of e. lowly tivity we.s the ca.pti vity of a part or member state of mind, opposed to boisterous eelf- of tLr, Lord. An e;tlortation from euch e. aasertion and rude Htriving with others; it priw,r..er ,,ugbt tr, fall with doubfo wei~ht. genders e. enhtlucu manner and e. peace- :B~h )'OU to WW Worth)' of the calling loving spirit that studies to gi've the soft CH, IV, 1-32.] THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 147