he true. "Of God are ye in Christ Jesus."

It is quite true that we repented of our sins, and turned toward God;
that we have believed in Christ, and taken His yoke; that we have found
rest under the shelter of His cross, and joy in expecting His advent;
but we must never forget that behind all these movements of our will,
and choice, and faith, were the willing and doing of God Himself. It
is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. "Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten us again
unto a living hope." What confidence this gives us! We are in Christ
by the act of God's grace and power, and surely He who put us in, can
keep us there. Did He not shut Noah into the ark, and keep him there
amid all the crash of the pitiless deluge! We have only to consent to
remain, and allow God to perfect that which concerneth us. Be
confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you,
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

_The stress which the Master lays on our abiding in Him._--He appears
to summon all His forces to accentuate His parting message. You always
reserve your most important injunctions to the last, that they may
remain fresh and impressive, as the train steams out of the station, as
the boat leaves the landing-stage; so Christ left this entreaty to the
last, that it might carry with it the emphasis of a parting message
forevermore. But note how He drives it home. Its keyword occurs
eleven times in eleven consecutive verses. He depicts the terrible
result if we do not abide: we shall wither, be taken away, and
consigned to the fire. He shows how utterly we shall miss the one end
of our existence, the glorification of the Father by fruit-bearing,
unless we strenuously and continuously abide. He allures by the
thought of the much fruit; by the assurance of success in prayer; by
the promise of fullness of joy, of love, and of blessedness. He
entreats, commands, exhorts, all in one breath. It is as though He
were to say, "Children, I am leaving you; there are many things I
desire for you, many commands to utter, many cautions, many lessons;
but I am content to leave all unsaid, if only you will remember this
one all-inclusive bidding, Abide in Me, remain in Me; stay where God
has put you; deepen, emphasize, intensify the union already existing
between you and Me. From Me is your fruit found. Without Me ye can do
nothing. Abide in Me, and I