that the calling of God covers past, present, and
future. It starts from regeneration and culminates in the resurrection of
the body at the Coming of Christ.

(_b_) The second is "The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the
saints." This may mean the wealth which God possesses _for_ them or _in_
them; our wealth in Him or His in us. If we take it in the former sense
it will mean that God is the inheritance and we are the heirs; that the
saints now possess imperfectly, and anticipate in its fulness, the
inheritance of grace, the spiritual Canaan which they are to enjoy here
and hereafter. If, however, we take it, as is more likely, in the latter
sense, it will mean that we are the inheritance and God is the Possessor
and Heir. We must never forget that the Biblical ideas associated with
"heir" and "inheritance" always refer to possession, and not, as in
ordinary phraseology, to succession. In the Bible the heir does not merely
expect, but already enjoys in part that which he will possess in full
hereafter. Adopting, then, the second of these interpretations, the saints
belong to God and are precious in His sight. They are His _peculium_, or
special treasure, like Israel of old (Deut. iv. 20). They have been formed
for Him and are to show forth His praise (Isa. xliii. 21). He sets store
by them, as is suggested by the significant words, "Hast thou considered
My servant Job?" There are several indications in Scripture that God
values and trusts His people; "I know him, that he will command his
children and his household after him" (Gen. xviii. 19). "The Lord taketh
pleasure in His people" (Ps. cxlix. 4). "The steps of a good man are
ordered by the Lord: and He (that is, God) delighteth in his way" (Ps.
xxxvii. 23). And the "wealth" is a further proof of the value placed on
believers by God. Five times in Ephesians the Apostle uses this metaphor
of "riches," showing his thought of those who have been "bought with a
price" (1 Cor. v. 20). Believers are God's riches, wealth, treasure; they
belong to Him in view of that day on which He will enter in full upon His
inheritance when He comes to be glorified and admired in them that believe
(2 Thess. i. 10). And we are to see this, to know it, to realise the
spiritual possibilities of each believer and all God's people together as
God's own inheritance.

(_c_) The third is "the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who
believe." In this marvellous association of almost