examine them in connection with the great idea which gives shape to the whole argument.

The one idea, to which everything else is subsidiary, is the great doctrine of the Church as the Body of CHRIST, the Sacramental extension of the very Flesh and Blood of the Incarnate SoN. In every phrase the Apostle seems to be endeavouring to display, more and more forcibly, the reality of the spiritual world as a new creation in CHRIST, and that " we are members of His Body, of His Flesh, and of His Bones."

He tells us of a voice ringing through the chaos of the moral world, which had been occasioned by the fall,-a voice the same as that of old," Let there be light." So in CHRIST hath "GOD separated the light from the darkness." The kingdom of grace is a real, substantial, Divine kingdom, opposed to the world as light to darkness. "Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the LORD. Walk as children of light." (v. 8.) This light is the presence of a new power, the energy of the SPIRIT of Him Who is Light of light. This light, arising from the Sun of Righteousness in the kingdom of grace, is so aptly expressive of the influence of the HOLY GHOST, that we have a various reading,-"the fruit of the SPIRIT," or "the fruit of the light." (v. 9.) This light clearly, then, marks, so to speak, a new region, the realm of grace, occupied by the elect.

The separation of the kingdom of light by grace from the kingdom of darkness, which is according to nature, necessarily involves the idea of election. That however which in later times has served mainly to exhibit the foolishness of wise men's controversy, rose up with a very different aspect before the mind of the Apostle, and is developed as a matter not of philosophy, but of thanksgiving to the eye of childlike faith. Election is not represented in this Epistle as an act of arbitrary conduct on the part of GOD towards the world, choosing some for salvation while others are left to necessary ruin; but rather as an act of love towards those who have received this regenerating light. Our being in CHRIST is not represented as a result of GOD's decrees respecting individuals, but as a token of His present love to us as members of His Incarnate SON. We are not told that He chose us out of the world, but that "He chose us out" for special gifts, because He saw us "in CHRIST." (i. 4.) Exactly as S. John has said, "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of GOD," so here the kingdom of the light which is in CHRIST is the only portion of the world on which the eye of GOD seems to rest. The Body of CHRIST, which is the door of heaven through which we enter, is also set forth as the door through which the loving knowledge of God issues forth. Seeing us in the new creation of the Incarnate Light, He prepared for us the gifts of an adoption which becomes continually more and more complete as we

are more and more "conformed to the likeness of the OnlyBegotten."

GOD is "well pleased in His Beloved Son," because of the inhabitation of the Divine SPIRIT with which His Human Body was anointed; and so those whom He foresaw in CHRIST "He predestinated unto adoption by JESUS CHRIST unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,"—that is, according to the operation of the same inhabiting SPIRIT. (i. 5.) The purpose which GOD had towards us from the beginning is exhibited for the sake of its own inherent glory; not for the sake of contrast with those who are without. "God hath made known to us the mystery of His Will,”—that Will which the Eternal Son came to accomplish, by taking upon Him the Body which had been prepared from the beginning. "GOD hath made known to us this mystery" of the extension of CHRIST'S Body according to the working of the same Spirit which wrought in Him, "according to His goodpleasure which He purposed in Him," the Head of the Body. (i. 9.) The one object of election in this Epistle is declared to be CHRIST, and all the gifts of grace are represented as flowing forth to all who come to Him, to dwell in the glory of the life of union with Him. So that this Epistle may almost be regarded as a magnificent anthem of praise to God and encouragement to man, taking for its refrain the words of the ancient prophet, “Behold My servant Whom I uphold; Mine Elect, in Whom My soul delighteth. I have put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall bring forth judgment unto the Gentiles." (Isa. xlii. 1.)

This light of the kingdom of grace at once reveals the depravity of the world which lies under darkness, and purifies it. "All things when reproved are made manifest, by " being brought under the influence of " the light, for all that is made manifest is " changed into a participation of "light. Wherefore He saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and CHRIST shall shine upon thee." (v. 13, 14.) This kingdom, therefore, is a kingdom of light operating upon the world of darkness; and the light streams from the actual person of CHRIST, through the activity of His members, whose lives are to reprove the world by the exhibition of a new power brought within the reach of the world, if only it will submit to it. This light makes manifest the corruption of the darkness of the death of sin, and brings those who are touched by it into union with itself, making them light, and shining upon them, not merely after the manner of the natural return of moral perception, as when men awake from foul dreams to the light of day, but as a supernatural " enlightening of the eyes of the understanding,” (i. 18,) as of those who are by nature "dead in trespasses and sins." (ii. 1.) Sin is the cause of the darkness, and

the putting away of sin is the cause of the Light of the Resurrection, and the triumph of the kingdom of CHRIST. The putting

away of sin is effected by the Blood of CHRIST. Reconciliation to God is the necessary postulate of our regeneration as the sons of GOD. If, then, we are made partakers of the Divine glory of the grace of GOD, which clothes us as members of the Beloved, it is because our sins have been put away, the gifts of redemption appropriated to us, by our becoming members of CHRIST. "In Him we have the redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." (i. 7.)

So, then, the operation of the inhabiting Spirit, "the good pleasure of the Will of God," extending the glory of the Elect, in Whom God is well pleased, is ever leading onwards "to the praise of the glory of His grace." The work of the SPIRIT is a function of CHRIST'S Human Nature, as the seed of grace. His grace, His quickening, spiritualised manhood, is as the sun, from whence streams the enlightening Presence of the HOLY GHOST. By real incorporation into the substance of His Body, we obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of His Passion. "By grace we are saved." (ii. 5.)

This grace is ministered by a fixed agency, even "by that which every joint supplieth according to the" Divine "working in the measure of every part." (iv. 16.) Thus S. Paul in all his actions and sufferings as "a prisoner of JESUS CHRIST" (iii. 1) was exercising a "stewardship of the grace which had been given to him on their behalf." (iii. 2.)

Grace therefore is of different kinds, some personal and saving, other ministerial and edifying. Nor are we to think that the latter is given necessarily as a reward for good progress in the former. On the contrary it is given according to God's appointment as the LORD of grace; "To every one is given grace according to the measure of the gift of CHRIST." (iv. 7.)

Whilst we thus reflect upon the special ministerial gifts of grace, we are to remember that the gift to each one of us is a gift not merely for ourselves, but a gift which is to shine before men, and our conversation therefore at all times should be good for edification as present necessity may require, so that it may give grace to the hearers." (iv. 29.) The light which is in us is thus to be winning others into unity with itself. It is also to mould our own conduct after its own likeness, and we are 66 to be gracious one towards another, as GOD in CHRIST has been gracious unto us." (iv. 32.) We are to forgive others that have offended us, as we have received and still desire forgiveness of our offences at God's hand. The presence of the Spirit must not be merely formal but energizing. Sheltered as we are by original grace, so that we may enjoy peace, we are to have the love of GoD with faith animating us and ruling us. Thus shall we be able to receive the blessing with which the Epistle ends-"The grace," the fulness of grace, the fulness of the likeness of CHRIST, the fulness of the adoption

to which we were predestinated-" be with all them that love the LORD JESUS CHRIST in sincerity." (vi. 24.)

The Epistle ends as it began, with invoking this grace upon the

readers.

Grace is the substance of CHRIST's kingdom. Peace and love are its attributes and energy. The ministry of the HOLY GHOST perfects and carries on the work of CHRIST. For this reason in the invocations the two are somewhat distinguished. "Grace be to you," and that which accompanies grace when it is received to salvation, even 'peace from God our FATHER and from the LORD JESUS CHRIST." (i. 2.) The two are thus distinguished, but they are not separated. "It is the SPIRIT which quickeneth," but the Manhood of CHRIST is the instrument in which the SPIRIT works. "My Flesh is life." So in this Epistle, although the Presence of the Anointing SPIRIT making us partakers of Divine life is our peace and security against outward harm, yet the Body of CHRIST whereby we are rescued from the world of sin is called by this name; for it is the material cause of our peace, of our reconciliation with GOD, of our strengthening against the assaults of the enemy. "CHRIST is our peace, having made both Jew and Gentile one," superseding the provisions of the unavailing law, and "forming in Himself the twain into one new man "the race of the regenerate, "so making peace; and He came and preached peace to them that were afar off and to them that were nigh: for by His mediation (d'autou) both classes of men have access in the possession of one SPIRIT (év évì πveúμATI) unto the FATHER." (ii. 18.) This security against the enemy arising from reconciliation with Gon, enables us to step forward without fear amidst the difficulties of the world, and therefore the Apostle enjoins by a beautiful metaphor that "the feet be shod with the readiness of the Gospel of peace." (vi. 15.) The HOLY GHOST by giving peace enables love to go on her way rejoicing. "Peace be to the brethren," freedom from all outward difficulty, and thus let "love," the quickening Spirit "from GOD the FATHER, and from our LORD JESUS CHRIST," work in this His dwelling, "accompanying faith" and making it powerful. (vi. 23.)

Peace is the property of the HOLY GHOST, Love is His essence, JESUS is "the Beloved” (i. 6); because He is anointed with the Spirit of love, and "we were chosen in CHRIST before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before the FATHER," not by merely following the example of CHRIST, but by partaking of the same anointing, even "in love." (i. 4.) This love is the energy of the FATHER acting towards us and also reciprocating itself in us, and it acts not only towards GOD in Himself, but recognizes Him in all His people as the proper object to which it must revert. The Apostle was moved to write this Epistle, setting forth the glory of CHRIST's kingdom, by hearing of "the love" which the

Ephesians had "towards all the saints." (i. 15.) Love is the motive cause of grace: the richness of Divine mercy is the Divine source of the riches of grace in the Incarnation-" GOD being rich in mercy for His great love wherewith He loved us, quickened us together with CHRIST." (ii. 4.) Love is the sustaining power of grace. Love is the ineffable feast to which the regenerate soul is continually looking for increasing strength,-the love of GoD revealed in the Lamb of GOD, Who through the Eternal SPIRIT offered Himself without spot. So the prayer is that we may be "rooted and grounded in love," and then for our advance that we "may know the love of CHRIST which surpasseth knowledge." (iii. 18, 19.)

As love is the Divine Spirit by which the sacrifice of the Cross was made acceptable, so is it to rule our hearts in our daily minor sacrifices of ourselves in intercourse with each other. "Forbear one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the SPIRIT in the bond of peace," (iv. 3) that chain of the Incarnate, that cord of love, whereby we are kept from falling into the hand of the enemy. We are thus to be true patterns of Him Who is the Truth, showing forth in ourselves the Spirit of Truth and Love which is in Him. 66 Being true in love we are to advance unto Him in all things which is the Head of the Body." (iv. 15.) This sanctifying Spirit brings not only the individual members to their perfection, but also the whole Body to its completeness, for "it maketh increase unto the edifying of itself in love." (iv. 16.)

Since love then is so largely treated of in this Epistle as the essential indwelling of the HOLY GHOST in the Church as the Body of CHRIST, it is important to notice how all the detailed exhortations are tuned as it were to this key-note. The great sin against which we are warned, is anger, in all its various forms, for this if it become a settled habit destroys the life of the Body: "Be ye angry and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil." (iv. 26, 27.) Anger is of the devil, and love is of GOD: "Be ye imitators of GOD as begotten of Him in love, and walk in” the power of the Divine "love, as CHRIST loved us and gave Himself for us," making your daily conduct reflect the glory of His self-sacrifice. (v. 1, 2.)

And the love of CHRIST to His Church is the principle which is to rule all our relations in life. Love, in the language of the world, is rather the dependent clinging of the inferior to the object by which the affections are limited: but in this Epistle it is exhibited rather as the self-sacrificing energy of the superior. The wife is to submit, realizing that the husband is in all things the source of her energy. (v. 22.) Husbands are to love their wives as CHRIST loved the Church and gave Himself for it. (v. 25.) As the great object of the Epistle is to exhibit the Church in its unity as the Body of CHRIST, so this influences the words of the exhor