of this bread he shall live forever, and the bread that I will give him is my flesh, which I will give Whoso eateth for the life of the world. my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him."1 The Lord's Supper reminds us of our constant and supreme dependence on Christ for spiritual life. To change the figure, preserving the idea, we are taught to "abide" in Christ that we may bring forth fruit. "Union with Christ, this is the secret of all fruitfulness. We abide in him by acts of earnest and constant prayer, by the study and devout meditation of his Holy Word, by meeting him often in the communion of his holy sacrament; even as, in respect of this last means of abiding, it is very noticeable that these words about the vine and vine-branches, this abide in me and I in you,' follows im 6 1 "He here speaks of the participation of divine life by means of his appearance in humanity, of the impartation of divine life depending upon and accomplished by the historical Christ, while he guards himself against being supposed to speak of his body in a literal sense, by giving us a key for the right interpretation of his words. The Spirit giveth life-the flesh profiteth nothing.'"- Neander, Planting and Training of the Christian Church, p. 321. mediately in time on the institution of the sacrament of union, the festival of Christ's blessed body and blood. And so shall he abide in you."1 How true and free and beautiful is this Life in Christ, the result of his indwelling by the Spirit, Christ inciting to duty, restraining from evil, regulating the passions, subduing pride, enlarging the heart, and conforming the whole man to his own glorious image. Glorious in its earthly beginnings, what must it be in its heavenly perfection? Profoundly mysterious, yet so simple, so natural, so consonant with our free activity, that the man in whom Christ dwells, whose life Christ most effectually controls, whose life is Christ, is only more truly man, more nobly himself. Blessed Saviour! bless to us our participation of the emblems of thy death. May we spiritually eat and drink. May our spiritual life be nourished and strengthened. May we grow up into thee, our living Head. May ours be the resolution of the sainted Boardman,-"Till we get [to heaven], let us build us a little tabernacle close by the cross of Calvary, and watch our Saviour, and hear what he will say: "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." May our will so blend with 1 Trench's Sermons, p. 108. thine, O perfect One, that we shall have no separate wish, walking in that liberty wherewith thou makest thy people free. THAT mystic word of thine, O sovereign Lord, Abide in me, I pray, and I in thee; From this good hour, oh, leave me nevermore; Then shall the discord cease, the wound be healed, The life-long bleeding of the soul be o'er. Abide in me; o'ershadow by thy love Each half-formed purpose, and dark thought of sin; As some rare perfume, in a vase of clay, So, when thou dwellest in a mortal soul, All heaven's own sweetness seems around it thrown. The soul alone, like a neglected harp, Grows out of tune, and needs that hand divine; Dwell thou within it, tune and touch the chords, Till every note and string shall answer thine. Abide in me; there have been moments pure, When I have seen thy face and felt thy power; Then evil lost its grasp, and passion, hushed, Owned the divine enchantments of the hour. These were but seasons beautiful and rare; H. B. STOWE. IF thou, true Life, wilt in me live, O Jesus, be thou mine forever, Nought from thy love my heart can sever, O Heart, that glowed with love and died, Oh let me conquer and destroy, LEAD, Saviour, lead, amid the encircling gloom, Lead thou me on. The night is dark, and I am far from home, Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou I loved to choose and see my path; but now I loved the glare of day, and, spite of fears, remember not past years. |